LIHU‘E — Hawai‘i House Majority Leader Nadine K. Nakamura of Kaua‘i (District 15) was named chair of a legislative working group, whose role will be to oversee the execution of millions of dollars aimed at whittling down a beneficiary waiting list for housing.
LIHU‘E — Hawai‘i House Majority Leader Nadine K. Nakamura of Kaua‘i (District 15) was named chair of a legislative working group, whose role will be to oversee the execution of millions of dollars aimed at whittling down a beneficiary waiting list for housing.
The appointment of Nakamura to lead the Act 279 Working Group was announced on Jan. 5 by Hawai‘i House Speaker Scott K. Saiki, who also named Rep. Luke Evslin of Kaua‘i (District 16) and Rep. Darius K. Kila of O‘ahu (District 44) to the group of lawmakers.
The working group was established in January 2023 when the state House adopted House Resolution 10, which set forth a group to oversee the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) disbursement of $600 million for the housing needs of Native Hawaiians. The money was appropriated via Act 279, which the Hawai‘i Legislature approved in July 2022.
“The House is dedicated to collaborating with DHHL and the administration to maximize the impact of the $600 million for reducing the long-standing wait-list,” said Saiki in a statement.
“We aim to assist the greatest number of beneficiaries and bring about significant improvements in housing for Native Hawaiians.”
The other members of the working group are Rep. Daniel Holt of O‘ahu (District 28), Rep. Lisa Marten of O‘ahu (District 51), Rep. Mahina Poepoe of Maui (District 13), Rep. David A. Tarnas of Hawai‘i Island (District 8) and Rep. Gene Ward of O‘ahu (District 18).
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
