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JOSH GREEN, M.D.
GOVERNOR
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KALI WATSON
CHAIRPERSON, HHC
STATE OF HAWAII
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KATIE L. LAMBERT
STATE OF HAWAII
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STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF HAWAIIAN HOME LANDS
Ka `Oihana Aina Ho `opulapula Hawaii
P. O. BOX 1879
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96805
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May 20, 2025
7-
TESTIMONY
TO:
Council Members'
County of Hawaii
FROM:
Kali Watson, Chairperson
_
Hawaiian Homes Commission
RE: HAWAII COUNTY COUNCIL Agenda Item Bill No. 44, Meeting on May 21, 2025
Dear Esteemed Council Members,
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) respectfully requests your support for
Bill No. 44, as we believe this bill would provide much needed relief for our Hawaii Island
homesteaders and would better align with the policies of the other counties in this State
with regards to property tax rates for Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries. We express our
sincere mahalo to Council Member Inaba (District 8) and Council Member Hustace (District 9)
for authoring this bill.
We begin with a review of our interests:
1. At present, in Hawaii County the land value of a DHHL homestead is fully exempt,
while the building value is assessed for taxation and each homesteader is responsible for
payment of this assessed taxation. Bill No. 44 seeks to make the existing DHHL
homestead exemption inclusive of the building value, fully exempting homesteads from
property taxes and subjecting all homestead parcels with a 99-year homestead lease
(residential, agricultural and pastoral) to the minimum tax of $200 annually. This measure
would not only afford our homesteaders great financial relief but would be in better
alignment with taxation policies in the other counties of this State.
2. County of Kauai does not levy grope , taxes on DHHL homesteads. The City & County
of Honolulu levies only a minimum tax on DHHL homesteads at $300 annually. The
County of Maui does not levy taxes on the land value, but does assess the building value,
offering a home exemption of $300,000. This policy results in an 85% majority of owner -
occupied homesteads subject only to the minimum tax at $300 annually, and the average
Comm. No.
Ref. To:AfflUrr
Ref. late—. _ 9 2025
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
May 20, 2025
Page 2 of 3
for all owner -occupied homesteads is a taxation bill of $332. By exempting the entire property
value (land and buildings), Bill No. 44 eliminates the need for and purpose of a home exemption
on most homesteads.
3. At present, there are over 3,000 DHHL homesteaders on Hawaii Island including the 622
most recently awarded project leases for West Hawaii on April 12, 2025. Additionally,
there are approximately 15,000 applicants on the waitlist for DHHL homesteads on
Hawaii Island in which the Department is working to award for these applicants who
have been waiting for far too long.
4. Our DHHL. homesteads are within the following Council Districts:
• District 1 — Council Member Heather L. Kimball
o Kamoku-Kapulena homesteads
o Waikoloa-Wai`ale`ale homesteads
o Honoka`ia homesteads
o Nienie homesteads
o Honoka`a future homesteads
o Honomu homesteads
• District 2 — Council Member Jennifer Kagiwada
o Pi`ihonua homesteads
o Kaumana homesteads
• District 3 — Council Member Dennis Onishi
o Keaukaha homesteads
o Pana`ewa homesteads
o King's Landing homesteads
• District 4 — Council Member Ashley Lehualani Kierkiewicz
o Maku`u homesteads
• District 5 — Council Member Matt Kaneali`i-Kleinfelder
o `01a`a future homesteads
• District 6 — Council Member Michelle Galimba
o Wailau future homesteads
o Wai`ohinu future homesteads
o Pu`u`eo homesteads
o Discovery Harbor homesteads
o Kama`oa homesteads
• District 8 — Council Member Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba
o La`i `Opua homesteads
o Palamanui future homesteads
• District 9 — Council Member James E. Hustace
o Kawaihae makai homesteads
o Kailapa homesteads
o Lalamilo homesteads
o Pu`ukapu homesteads
o Kuhi6 Village homesteads
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
May 20, 2025
Page 3 of 3
Conclusion:
Based on the interests described above, we respectfully ask that the Council Members act on
behalf of their constituents and our homesteaders, who have homesteads in all but one of the nine
Council Districts, and support Bill No. 44 as written on behalf of.