[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 113 (Tuesday, July 26, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1408]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  THE INTRODUCTION OF THE HAWAIIAN HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ACT OF 
                                  2011

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 26, 2011

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Hawaiian 
Homeownership Opportunities Act of 2011. I would like to thank 
Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa and Congressman Don Young for 
cosponsoring this important bill.
  This bill does two things. First, it reauthorizes a section of the 
Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) 
that supports programs that create homeownership opportunities for low-
income Native Hawaiian families on Hawaiian Home Lands. Second, it 
would continue and expand access to U.S. Department of Housing and 
Urban Development (HUD) section 184a loan guarantees, which would 
reduce the cost of homeownership for low-income Native Hawaiian 
families and would also reduce risk by lowering monthly mortgage 
payments.
  The Congress has a long and bipartisan history of supporting Native 
Hawaiian housing issues. The Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunities Act 
of 2011 continues that tradition.
  Passed by Congress in 1996, NAHASDA reauthorized a system of housing 
assistance provided to tribes by HUD through the Indian Housing Block 
Grant program. This program provides funds directly to tribes for 
housing development and other new approaches to create housing.
  In 2000, the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant was established 
under NAHASDA to allow another indigenous group support for affordable 
housing activities. Funds for this grant are administered by the State 
of Hawaii Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, the entity charged with 
carrying out the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. The funds are used 
primarily to develop infrastructure on Hawaiian Home Lands, which tend 
to be in the most isolated parts of the state.
  In 1921, Congress passed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act with the 
purpose of establishing a homesteading program to place eligible Native 
Hawaiians on lands in Hawaii designated for such purpose. The law was 
passed at the urging of the Territory of Hawaii's Delegate to Congress, 
Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole. Some 204,000 acres were set aside for 
the purpose of providing Native Hawaiians with land.
  With the passage of the Statehood Act of 1959, the control and 
administration of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was transferred 
from the federal government to the newly formed State of Hawaii. The 
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands was created in 1960 to administer the 
Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
  While homeownership rates in Hawaii are typically lower than national 
rates, homeownership rates for Native Hawaiians in the state are even 
lower. In Honolulu, 38 percent of Native Hawaiians own their homes 
compared with 48 percent for non-natives. This disparity continues in 
other areas of Hawaii, where 51 percent of Native Hawaiians own their 
homes compared with 60 percent for non-natives.
  Native Hawaiian households in Hawaii are also more likely to be low-
income than non-native households. Owner households on Hawaiian home 
lands are among the poorest of Native Hawaiian households with 
approximately 25 percent having incomes at or below 50 percent of the 
median income for the given area.
  There is a continued need for the Native Hawaiian Housing Block 
Grant. I urge my colleagues to support the Hawaiian Homeownership 
Opportunities Act of 2011.
  Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

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