Kauaʻi families get keys to new homes in Anahola homestead

The opening of new homestead homes two Kauaʻi families on Anu Street in the Anahola homestead of Piʻilani Mai Ke Kai came with the joyful sounds of children playing, according to an announcement from the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

The department presented beneficiaries Destiny Smith and Charleene Cummings with the keys to their new homes on Dec. 19. The celebration included Kauaʻi Commissioner Dennis Neves, Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act staff and other project partners.

“We take pride in celebrating every single family that steps foot into their new home,” said Kali Watson, DHHL director. “By offering affordable housing options through initiatives like NAHASDA, we pave the way for our beneficiaries’ success and ensure stability for generations to come.”

The homes were selected by the families to meet their specific needs and financial capabilities.

“I am sincerely grateful to all those who contributed to the NAHASDA funding, helping these families in living the dream of our beloved Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole – to place our people on the ʻāina,” Neves said. “As a commissioner, we experience the fruits of our labor with events like this, and I look forward to more of this type of assistance in the future.”

Enacted in 1996, the housing assistance and self-determination act transformed the way American Indians and Alaska Natives provided affordable housing on rural Indian reservations and Alaska Native villages. The act facilitated enhanced partnerships with financial institutions and established a block grant program, empowering American Indians and Alaska Natives to decide how to use federal funds effectively to tackle affordable housing challenges.

Four years later, Congress amended the act to provide comparable funding for eligible Native Hawaiian families living on Hawaiian homelands. This applies to those whose total household income is at or below 80% of the area median income.

DHHL is the designated recipient for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant as administered by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Native American Programs.

In Kauaʻi county, the area median income for a single-person household is $74,350. Smith and Cummings recognized the housing assistance program as a key component on their journey toward homeownership.

“This is a dream come true for us,” Smith said. “We didn’t think that we’d ever have a house to come home to and to be able to come home for Christmas is the best gift we could’ve received.”

The excitement was evident as families gathered, each person envisioning the memories they would create within the walls of their new homes. Among the features in her home, Smith looks forward to her new kitchen and espresso machine. 

Cummings also delighted in the idea of spending time in her kitchen. When asked about the first dish she would prepare, she replied, “rum cakes.”

“I think I will enjoy it here for the rest of my life,” Cummings added.

All housing assistance applicants are subject to income eligibility requirements and must participate in housing counseling. For more information about the program, click here.