66 KEOKEA HOMESTEAD LESSEES SELECT HAWAIIAN HOME LOTS

Homestead lessees for 66 lots in the Hawaiian Homes Keokea subdivision selected their new homestead lots over the weekend.

Image Courtesy: DHHL

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands fulfills a commitment made more than 23 years ago to provide basic infrastructure for roads, potable water, electrical and telecommunications service. The subdivision was recently reconfigured for the Upcountry farm lots.

Lessees are expected to be able to build homes on their property within the next three months, after the completion of infrastructure projects.

The original subdivision and homestead leases were made during what was called the Accelerated Lease Awards Program in the mid 1980s that provided homestead leases on lands without infrastructure.

While infrastructure was provided on many of the original awards, some homesteads such as those in Keokea, were never provided basic infrastructure.

“We made a commitment to address some long-standing issues and not carry them over to another administration,” said Micah A. KaÌ„ne, Director of DHHL.

“The Hawaiian Homes Commission and the department are fulfilling a promise made a long time ago,” said Perry Artates, Hawaiian Homes Commissioner from Maui.

Artatesm who is a Hawaiian homestead lessee and lives in a neighboring subdivision said, “We are looking forward to welcoming new families to our community and bringing native Hawaiians back home.”

(Posted by Wendy Osher; Information provided by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands)