DHHL presentation highlights housing crisis, large beneficiary wait list

In a detailed presentation, Elijah Davidson of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands said the state’s housing market is out of reach for many residents and beneficiaries. He stated that "a lot of people in Hawaii cannot afford a home" and asserted "80% of the current population of the state of Hawaii are unable to afford their 1st home," and that the statewide median home price is "over $1,200,000."

Davidson described demographic impacts and agency demand: he said Native Hawaiians are disproportionately affected, cited figures that '53% of native Hawaiians [are] living on the continent' and that Native Hawaiians make up '28% of the homeless population' in the state. He also reported DHHL has "over 29,000 people" on its wait list and said the agency is working to provide "over 6,000 leases within the next years," language that was not further specified in the presentation.