04-21-2026, 01:28 AM
DHHL is not the best example to cite of brutal, unfair funding cuts, of which there have been many. Here's just a partial list of Hawaiian Homelands' failing over the past 15 years or so:
2019 Bribery Scheme: A federal investigation revealed that a local engineer paid over $240,000 in bribes to officials to land a $2.5 million DHHL engineering contract for dam assessments on Kauai.
Systemic Mismanagement Claims: The department has faced accusations of prioritizing commercial interests over beneficiaries, with over 28,000 Native Hawaiians waiting for, or dying while on, the, waiting list.
Audit Criticisms: A 2013 audit (with impacts felt in recent years) noted failures in managing lease cancellations and delinquent accounts.
Historical and Ongoing Legal Battles: Lawsuits from beneficiaries have been common due to allegations of land mismanagement, illegal transfers of land, and failure to pay compensation.
Related Public Corruption: While distinct from direct DHHL management, the department has been caught up in broader regional corruption cases in Hawaii that have led to multiple convictions.
These issues, combined with the slow pace of delivering homesteads, have created a long-standing crisis of trust, with the state recently reaching a $328 million settlement over a 23-year-old class action lawsuit.
Oh, and I think there is still an on-going Federal corruption investigation of OHA/DHHL.
2019 Bribery Scheme: A federal investigation revealed that a local engineer paid over $240,000 in bribes to officials to land a $2.5 million DHHL engineering contract for dam assessments on Kauai.
Systemic Mismanagement Claims: The department has faced accusations of prioritizing commercial interests over beneficiaries, with over 28,000 Native Hawaiians waiting for, or dying while on, the, waiting list.
Audit Criticisms: A 2013 audit (with impacts felt in recent years) noted failures in managing lease cancellations and delinquent accounts.
Historical and Ongoing Legal Battles: Lawsuits from beneficiaries have been common due to allegations of land mismanagement, illegal transfers of land, and failure to pay compensation.
Related Public Corruption: While distinct from direct DHHL management, the department has been caught up in broader regional corruption cases in Hawaii that have led to multiple convictions.
These issues, combined with the slow pace of delivering homesteads, have created a long-standing crisis of trust, with the state recently reaching a $328 million settlement over a 23-year-old class action lawsuit.
Oh, and I think there is still an on-going Federal corruption investigation of OHA/DHHL.