OHA committee approves allowing reallocation of $6.1M Eola emergency relief fund to clear backlog and focus outreach on SNAP recipients

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ Budget & Finance Committee on Jan. 14 approved a motion to give OHA administration discretion to reallocate an existing $6,100,000 Eola emergency relief fund so the program can clear a backlog of approved applicants and better match current demand, trustees said.

Committee members heard a briefing from interim administrator Summer Silva and staff explaining that about $1,600,000 had been approved and dispersed as of Jan. 9 and that 261 fully approved federal native Hawaiian civil service employees remained on a wait list for $1,200 income-bridge payments. "The total funding amount remains unchanged at $6,100,000," Silva said in the committee presentation, and the proposed change would allow the administration to shift allocations between the two beneficiary groups without increasing the total fund or extending the contract timeline.

Why it matters: Trustees and staff said demand has shifted since the board’s earlier allocation. OHA originally split the Eola emergency relief funding between an income-bridge payment (up to $1,200 per eligible federal-worker applicant) and an essential-needs payment (up to $350 per eligible SNAP recipient). Staff told the committee the income-bridge portion has been used more quickly while outreach to the targeted SNAP population—largely kupuna who live alone—has proven harder and slower to reach.

Trustee Kahele told the committee the modification would clear the 261 approved federal-worker applicants immediately if the committee approves the change. "With an affirmative vote of this modification of the program…we will clear that 261 immediately," Kahele said, describing the plan to distribute $1,200 stipends to those already approved. Staff also said the contract with Hawaiian Council runs through May 6, 2026, and that the motion would not change that end date or increase the authorized dollars.

Several trustees urged caution and more data. Trustee Aquino asked whether OHA had completed an evaluation showing awards reached intended beneficiaries; staff said the contract with Hawaiian Council does not permit export of full audit-level data in real time and that detailed auditing is scheduled at the end of the distribution, though paper verifications could be requested in the interim. "Per the contract, we are not exporting the exact audit information at this time," staff said in response.

Staff explained the $350 essential-needs allotment was intentionally set to avoid jeopardizing recipients’ SNAP eligibility under federal guidelines. They said the program had hoped to reach up to 15,000 eligible native Hawaiian SNAP recipients without dependents, but that outreach challenges left that goal unmet so far.

Trustees asked for a clearer outreach and reporting plan. Members requested a port/island breakdown of payouts and an update on community-engagement plans so on-island staff can prepare for additional outreach rounds; staff agreed to provide island-level data and to coordinate further visits with Hawaiian Council and partners such as Hope Services and the Salvation Army.

The committee approved the motion by roll call, 8 yes to 1 no (Trustee Akina voted no). Staff said that if the item moves out of Budget & Finance, Hawaiian Council representatives will be invited to the full board meeting at 1:00 p.m. on Friday to answer specific questions before final board action.

The committee adjourned after approving the motion.