Hawaii Land Board Approves Final Transfer of 318.25 Acres in Hilo to Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
Hawaii's Board of Land and Natural Resources (BLNR) voted on November 13, 2026, in Honolulu to authorize the transfer of 318.25 acres of state land in the Waiakea area of Hilo, on Hawaii Island in Hawaii County, from the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL).
The transfer is part of a joint effort by DLNR and DHHL leadership, backed by Governor Josh Green, to resolve claims between DHHL and the State of Hawaii over the use or alienation of Hawaiian home lands between August 21, 1959 and July 1, 1988. Conveyance of this final parcel remains subject to approval by the Hawaiian Homes Commission, the nine-member board governing DHHL.
Green said the board's decision is another step toward honoring the state's commitments to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, and that the land will give Native Hawaiian families opportunities to establish homes and communities while preserving their cultural heritage for future generations.
DHHL administers roughly 200,000 acres of trust land under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921, offering eligible Native Hawaiians 99-year leases at nominal rent for residential, agricultural and pastoral lots. Its waiting list is long, and adding developable land has been a standing priority for the department.
The land board approved a transfer of more than 300 acres to DHHL in August; the Waiakea parcel completes that round of the settlement process. After the transfer, DHHL will assess the parcel's infrastructure and development options.
Source: Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图片来源：Wikimedia Commons「2021-10-10 12 47 27 View southeast across Hilo Bay towards Hilo from Wainaku, Hawaii County, Hawaii.jpg」（Famartin 摄，CC BY-SA 4.0），图中为从 Wainaku 眺望的 Hilo 湾与 Hilo 市区 Image: Wikimedia Commons "2021-10-10 12 47 27 View southeast across Hilo Bay towards Hilo from Wainaku, Hawaii County, Hawaii.jpg" (by Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0), showing Hilo Bay and Hilo from Wainaku, Hawaii County
