HI Now Daily interview features Jessica Ching, Aikū‘ē Kalima, and the inspiring 40-year journey of the Bacos ‘ohana.
Hawai‘i Community Lending (HCL) continues its mission to keep local and native Hawaiian families in the islands through powerful partnerships and specialized mortgage programs. This collaborative impact takes center stage in a featured interview on HI Now Daily airing Wednesday, August 19, 2026, showcasing HCL leaders Jessica Ching, Home Loan Manager, and Aikū’ē Kalima, Enterprise Loan Manager, alongside a triumphant local housing success story.
Founded in 2002, HCL has grown into a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and direct mortgage lender. The nonprofit specializes in supporting homebuilders, homebuyers, and homeowners across Hawaiian Home Lands through streamlined procedures that align with DHHL requirements.
The Bacos ‘ohana Journey
The Bacos’ story is a 40-year journey of sacrifice, resilience and unconditional love that resulted in another Hawaiian family getting access to land and purchasing a home that will be a legacy for future generations.
When Glenda, the original Hawaiian Home Lands lessee, received her long-awaited DHHL opportunity for the Puʻuhona development on Maui in the mail after more than four decades of waiting, she immediately offered that precious opportunity to her daughter Sheri. Sheri was right on the cusp of packing up and moving her ʻohana to the continent to find affordable living and better-paying jobs.
Instead, over the past year and a half, Sheri and her husband Chase put in the hard work to raise their credit scores by more than 200 points. HCL team members helped them secure and apply for the Hawaiian Lending and Investment $5,000 grant to ease their closing costs. When the ʻohana received a denial for a down payment assistance grant just 10 days before their closing date, HCL created the first-ever Deferred Payment Loan (DPL) for Hawaiian Home Lands, a second mortgage that makes homeownership possible without increasing costs on the lessee. The organization coordinated with attorneys, the developer and DHHL, who all had a part in making sure the Bacos ʻohana could finance the last $13,500 using the DPL to a secure, stable Kūpaʻa Hale mortgage from HCL that will stand the test of time with an incredible 4.875% interest rate.
Today, Sheri, Chase and their two young children are stepping out of a tiny, cramped rental cottage measuring less than 600 square feet and moving their family into a brand new, beautiful 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, where each kid finally gets to have their very own room. At the signing table, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place!
The successful experience of the Bacos family helps to illustrate how HCL programs can make what seems impossible, possible. We have the resources to guide families, especially when it comes to navigating the homeownership process on Hawaiian Home Lands.
Building Pathways via the Kūkulu Partner Program
The Kūkulu Partner Program is a trusted network of professionals who work alongside HCL to support local and native Hawaiian families in building or buying homes on Hawaiian Home Lands. This group of partners includes contractors, building suppliers, draftsmen, architects, realtors, lenders, and more—all who are committed to finding practical ways to keep homeownership attainable for everyday working families.
Whether you need help finding a contractor, a plumber or a surveyor, HCL’s team can coordinate those connections—so people don’t have to waste time searching or waiting for someone to call you back. These professionals are not just service providers—they are part of an ecosystem that understands the unique needs of our communities. They have been carefully selected based on their commitment to our values, their experience and their willingness to partner. (And they don’t receive any incentives or kickbacks from HCL!)
This work reflects the meaning of kūkulu: building not just structures, but real pathways for families to move forward. We have a powerful partnership between HCL, the families we help, and the builders that we trust; and that collaboration is creating a meaningful impact within the communities we serve.
DHHL beneficiaries ready to begin their homeownership journey are encouraged to call HCL at 808-587-7656 or visit Hawai‘i Community Lending’s website at www.hawaiicommunitylending.com.