DHHL teams with Hawaii Community Lending; lays out turnkey, owner-builder and rental options

In the briefing, Franda said the department has "teamed up with a, organization by the name of Hawaii Community Lending" to walk beneficiaries through qualifying for mortgages and loans, finding contractors, and completing projects. "We found out that it's not as easy," she said of the owner-builder route, and presented Hawaii Community Lending as a partner to guide households through the process.

Franda described three program pathways: turnkey developments where developers deliver finished homes; owner-builder lots that typically require a construction loan with "about 20% down" and a general contractor; and a rental pathway for applicants who lack income or have credit challenges, which she described as rental occupancy "for about 15 years" before an eventual purchase path. The transcript records these as program descriptions; it does not include program rule texts, loan terms from the lender, or formal eligibility criteria.