[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 10195]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN SUPPORT OF RESTORING FUNDING FOR NATIVE HAWAIIAN HOUSING PROGRAMS 
  FISCAL YEAR 2013 TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND 
                  RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 27, 2012

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of restoring funding 
for Native Hawaiian housing programs.
  The bill before us zeroes out funding for Native Hawaiian housing 
programs.
  This is disappointing for the Native Hawaiian community and the 
families that need assistance from these programs.
  It is also disappointing because Congress has a long history of 
bipartisan support for Native Hawaiian housing--and a responsibility to 
continue this legacy.
  It has been nearly a century since the passage of the Hawaiian Homes 
Commission Act. Congress passed this Act in 1921 at the urging of 
Hawaii's Delegate to Congress, Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana`ole. That 
legislation set aside some 200,000 acres of land to provide homesteads 
specifically for Native Hawaiians.
  With the enactment of the Statehood Act of 1959, the control and 
administration of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act was transferred 
from the federal government to the new State of Hawaii. A year later in 
1960, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, DHHL, was created to 
administer the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
  Then in 2000, Congress passed the American Homeownership and Economic 
Opportunity Act.
  This legislation established two programs to help provide housing to 
Native Hawaiians: The Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant, NHHBG, 
Program and the Section 184A loan guarantee program.
  Hawaii has some of the most expensive real estate prices in the 
country. At the same time, more than 33,200 Native Hawaiian households 
are considered low-income. So without support from the NHHBG and 184A 
programs, many Native Hawaiians would not have access to quality, 
affordable housing. The grant funds are used primarily to develop 
infrastructure on Hawaiian Home Lands, which tend to be in the most 
isolated parts of our islands, typically in rural areas, and some with 
terrain that is difficult and costly to develop.
  Not only are these programs necessary but they are effective.
  For example, in FY2011 Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant funds were 
used to build 55 new homes, acquire 12 homes, and rehabilitate 12 
homes. In addition, the Section 184A program has supported 255 home 
loans totaling $64.4 million. This program also has a strong track 
record, with a foreclosure rate below 1 percent.
  That's 79 new units of housing and 255 opportunities for Native 
Hawaiians to access financing for their own homes that would not have 
existed absent the NHHBG and 184A programs. These are real people in 
real homes--they are not statistics.
  The bottom line is that these programs don't just provide housing--
they expand opportunities for homeownership.
  Owning a home has long been a pillar of the American dream. This is a 
dream that people do not forget, and do not give up on.
  In fact, over 26,000 eligible families are currently on waiting lists 
for an opportunity to live on their home lands.
  There are many stories of Native Hawaiians who have been on waiting 
lists for decades. In fact, some have died waiting to see this dream 
fulfilled.
  Eliminating these funds--which total $14 million for the two 
programs--won't solve our budget woes. All it will accomplish is 
closing off opportunities for a community that utilizes federal funds 
effectively.
  This is the type of program that makes a difference in the lives of 
people by supporting strong communities and expanding opportunity.
  There is a continued need for Native Hawaiian housing programs and I 
urge my colleagues to carry on Congress's bipartisan support for making 
the American dream of homeownership possible.
  I hope that this matter will be resolved as the House and Senate 
negotiate a final Transportation-HUD Appropriations bill for Fiscal 
Year 2013.
  Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much).

                          ____________________