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DHHL launches overhaul of Native Hawaiian Development Program Plan, asks beneficiaries for input by May 1
Summary
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands has begun a formal update to its Native Hawaiian Development Program Plan, overdue since 2014, and is asking beneficiaries to complete a survey by May 1 to shape a summer draft and the department’s 2027 legislative funding requests.
Gigi Kyrell, manager in the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands’ Planning Office, told beneficiaries in a virtual meeting that DHHL is updating the Native Hawaiian Development Program Plan (NHDP), a two-year strategic program document that guides services for beneficiaries and applicants.
"This plan has not been updated by DHHL since 2014," Kyrell said, and the department will use a beneficiary survey and follow-up meetings to produce a draft this summer and a final plan to the Hawaiian Homes Commission by fall. Kyrell said the draft will inform DHHL’s budget request for the January 2027 legislative session.
The NHDP update draws its authority from the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act and must follow Hawaii Administrative Rules, Kyrell said. She described the plan as part of DHHL’s broader planning system—nestled among the department’s general 20-year policy plan, strategic program plans and regional plans—and emphasized that program choices must align with implementation tools such as funding, legislation and land-use decisions.
Cedric Dwart, a contractor with the Kalai Moco Group working with DHHL, posted the survey link and an email contact in the meeting chat and encouraged beneficiaries and homestead organizations to submit ideas: "If your board wants to get together and fill out the survey as an organization, do that as well," he said. The survey is open through May 1, and staff said multiple submissions are acceptable if new ideas arise.
Why it matters: the NHDP shapes which programs and services DHHL seeks funding for and how limited resources are allocated across beneficiaries, applicants and lease types. Staff said beneficiary input will be used to draft the update, followed by a 30-day public comment period before commission consideration.
DHHL staff said meeting materials, grant histories and recordings will be posted to the project web page and encouraged beneficiaries to contact the planning office by email for additional questions or to request outreach. The department plans island-by-island engagement and a second round of review meetings before finalizing the plan for commission consideration.
The meeting closed with a reminder that the department is seeking statewide themes rather than only local requests: staff will aggregate island feedback into the NHDP draft while also noting distinct regional priorities that may be addressed through regional plans or grant competitions.
