Frequently Asked Questions about Hakuone

In 2012, 30 acres of land makai of Ala Moana Boulevard in Kakaʻako were transferred from the State of Hawai‘i to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) as a settlement for past-due Public Land trust revenue debt of $200 million for its use of ceded lands. This landmark settlement represented the end of one of the longest-running disputes related to the State of Hawai‘i’s use of the Native Hawaiian people’s ancestral lands. Spread across 10 parcels, the Kakaʻako lands are 14 percent of the total land area (221 acres) that makes up Kakaʻako Makai.

OHA completed policy development and initial planning for the area, including a major conceptual master planning effort that included statewide input gathering from the community. Land use restrictions and long-term leases for some parcels that OHA “inherited” when the land was conveyed from the state have slowed progress. Despite these challenges, the land currently generates about $4.5 million annually, a portion of which funds grants to the Native Hawaiian community.

OHA first acquired land in 1988 when Pahua Heiau in Maunalua was deeded to OHA. Since then, OHA has acquired and currently manages thousands of acres of legacy lands to protect our natural and cultural resources. These properties include Waimea Valley on O‘ahu, Wao Kele o Puna on Hawai‘i Island, and Palauea Cultural Preserve on Maui. OHA has a decades-long track record of effective and responsible land management.

OHA seeks to balance commerce and culture to ensure the land will generate important revenues for the betterment of Native Hawaiians. Once developed, Hakuone has the potential to generate millions of dollars in additional funds that will be put into community-based programs to directly benefit Native Hawaiians. A full spectrum of housing options in a thoughtful, mixed-use community will allow OHA to realize this goal. The development of Hakuone will also bring a broad long-term economic benefit to local businesses and workers.

Hakuone lands are Native Hawaiian trust lands, not public lands. In the spirit of Indigenous self determination, Native Hawaiians deserve the right to determine the use of their own lands, and OHA is seeking to acquire that right for Hakuone. OHA’s immediate goal is to obtain the ability to choose between all available options for its land. If successful, OHA will determine a development scenario that honors Native Hawaiian culture and creates the greatest value for its beneficiaries.

After decades of fighting at the Legislature and in court to compel the state to pay its debt to Native Hawaiians, OHA believed that the 2012 settlement was the best deal it could get at the time – and into the foreseeable future. In 2012, after rejecting proposed settlements for four consecutive years, legislators were at odds about whether OHA should be allowed to build housing on the lands proposed for transfer to the agency. OHA decided that accepting the lands with the existing residential prohibition and committing to return to the Capitol for further discussions after conducting due diligence and planning, was the best option for OHA beneficiaries. These lands are clearly valuable, and despite being underutilized, they still generate revenue that helps to fund community grants.

Kaka‘ako has been evolving for decades from a light industrial area to a residential community, where kama‘aina can live, work and play. Hakuone supports the development of a cultural marketplace that invests in intellectual capital, seeking possibilities of exploration and innovation in education, health and political leadership to establish Kaka‘ako Makai as a safe, accessible and sustainable modern Hawaiian landmark in Honolulu’s urban core. 

Native Hawaiians should have the same opportunity to participate in the revitalization of this area with a mixed-use project that can complement existing development mauka of Ala Moana Boulevard, while adding a distinct Hawaiian cultural presence and identity.

OHA envisions a place where ancient trading practices of mauka (farmers) and makai (lawai‘a) converge; where keiki and kupuna thrive; where la‘au lapa‘au practices heal body, mind and spirit; and open spaces provide restorative healing: 

Cultural uses, activities and programming that will draw Kānaka Maoli and local people to gather in Kaka‘ako Makai will be encouraged. 

Businesses that focus on the social and economic wellbeing of Native Hawaiians; or those that promote health, sustainability, food security, alternative energy, and ocean research, will be welcomed. 

This will include medical facilities, entertainment, restaurants, farmers’, fish and craft markets, and retail spaces for the public, as well as enhancing surfing and ocean access, open spaces, ample low-cost parking, and providing family-oriented amenities (such as accessible care and services for keiki and kupuna) and community activities focused on the needs of local 

stakeholders.