OHA and DHHL to discuss housing: Exclusive negotiation period begins for Kakaʻako Makai Lot I

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Department of Hawaiian Homelands are entering into an exclusive negotiation period regarding one of OHA’s nine parcels of land in Kaka‘ako Makai for potential residential development.

The parcel, known as “Lot I,” is currently used for open-air storage and parking for construction equipment, tour buses, and automotive sales. Lot I is 3 acres and represents less than 2% of the 169 acres that comprise Kaka‘ako Makai.

“Working together with DHHL, OHA is exploring Lot I for residential development, as well as the rest of its 29 acres within Kaka‘ako Makai, to serve OHA’s and DHHL’s beneficiaries,” said OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele.

In an effort to bring Native Hawaiians back to a land where loʻi kalo and ʻuala once grew, OHA is discussing collaborative housing options with DHHL so OHA can begin using its privately owned lands to deliver high-impact, mission-driven benefits to its lāhui.

“Providing housing for Native Hawaiians in the urban core would significantly contribute to our goals,” said OHA Board Vice Chair Keoni Souza. “Strengthening ties with DHHL to work together for housing is worth pursuing.”

In 2012, OHA accepted 29 acres of non-contiguous land in Kakaʻako Makai in lieu of millions of dollars in unpaid ceded lands revenue owed by the State. Today, only two Native Hawaiian-serving entities own private land in Kakaʻako Makai: OHA (29 acres) and Kamehameha Schools (11.4 acres). OHA has been unable to revitalize its lands in the area due to economic constraints imposed by a residential building moratorium enacted 20 years ago.

“The current zoning laws do not make development economically feasible without a residential component,” Souza continued. “As a result, these lands have remained largely vacant and blighted for the past 13 years.”

OHA remains committed to working with the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority, which was tasked by the State Legislature in 2025 to conduct a study examining residential, hotel, and other land uses for the Kaka‘ako Makai lands.

“Part of OHA’s mission is to mālama Hawaiʻi’s people and environmental resources, as well as to build a strong and healthy Hawaiian people and lāhui,” Kahele said. “Housing for Hawaiians is a vital part of that mission, and OHA is committed to bringing that to fruition in Kakaʻako Makai.”

Specific details about land use and any potential transfer are unavailable at this time, as these matters will be addressed during the negotiation period between OHA and DHHL.