JULY 9, 1921

HAWAIIAN HOMES COMMISSION ACT (HHCA)—HOMESTEAD LEASES FOR NATIVE HAWAIIANS

Passed by Congress and signed into law by President Warren Harding, the HHCA (42 Stat. 108) set aside approximately 200,000 acres in the Territory of Hawaii as a land trust for homesteading by Native Hawaiians. Still controversial is the definition of “Native Hawaiians” under the HHCA as individuals having at least 50 percent Hawaiian blood. Currently, the state’s Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) provides direct benefits to Native Hawaiians in the form of 99-year homestead leases at an annual rental of $1. In 1990, the Hawaiian Legislature authorized extending leases for up to 199 years. Homestead leases are for residential, agricultural, or pastoral purposes. Other HHCA benefits include financial assistance through direct loans or loan guarantees for home construction, replacement, or repair, and for the development of farms and ranches; technical assistance to farmers and ranchers; and the operation of water systems.

Sources:

“Department of Hawaiian Home Lands,” Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.  Retrieved 4/29/2023, Department of Hawaiian Home Lands | Hawaiian Homes Commission Act

Wikipedia

Photo: Jeff Kubina, 8/15/1995. Permissive Use.