Maui County departments of Housing and ʻŌiwi resources officially launch today

Today marks the first day of two new departments within Maui County — the departments of Housing and ʻŌiwi Resources; both established by voters via charter amendments in November 2022.

The Department of Housing is the result of a breakup of the Department of Housing and Human Concerns. Lori Tsuhako, the former director of that department, has been confirmed by the Maui County Council as director of the Department of Human Concerns.

Mayor Richard Bissen has appointed directors to the departments of Housing and ʻŌiwi Resources. They are Richard Mitchell, a former legislative attorney in the Maui County Office of Council Service since 2019, as Housing director; and Kumu Hula Kapono’ai Molitau, founder and chief executive officer of Native Intelligence in Wailuku, as ʻŌiwi Resources director.

The County Council’s Government Relations, Ethics and Transparency Committee, chaired by Council Member Nohelani U‘u-Hodgins, will take up draft resolutions approving their appointments during a meeting starting at 9 a.m. July 9 in the eighth floor Council Chambers of the Kalana O Maui Building.

Mitchell’s resume shows he earned a Juris Doctorate degree from Syracuse University’s College of Law in 1995 and has a certificate in international legal studies. He also has a Master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan College of Architecture & Urban Planning and a Bachelor’s degree in architecture from Cornell University’s College of Art, Architecture & Urban Planning.

Aside from his work with the Office of Council Services, he was an attorney focused on real estate transactions, land use and other matters at two different Seattle law firms from December 2008 to December 2018. And, he was general counsel/chief legal adviser in the Washington State Office of the Governor under then Gov. Christine Gregoire from January 2005 to December 2008.

Molitau’s resume can be found here. He established and opened Native Intelligence in Wailuku as a Hawaiian cultural resource center and retail business. He has been teaching teaching youth, kūpuna and other kumu in the art of Hawaiian dance, oli and Hawaiian chant for the past 21 years as Kumu Hula of Hālau Nā Hanona Kūlike ʻO Piʻilani.

He is also rebuilding Heiau Kealakaʻihonua on Maui and building a kahuna kakalaleo, or chanter of prayer, for future generations to learn Hawaiian protocols, oli and traditional and customary practices to benefit all of Maui Nui. He continues to collaborate with ʻŌiwi leaders on Maui and throughout Polynesia. His academic pursuits include the pursuit of a PhD in Indigenous Studies on Heiau and Cultural Protocols at Awaianuiarangi University in Aotearoa.

The Council committee meeting can be seen on Akakū Maui Community Media, cable Channel 53, or online via Teams at http://tinyurl.com/GREAT-Committee. Public testimony will be accepted online as well as in-person in the Council Chambers.