The Hoʻokele Home Program supports beneficiaries looking to either build or buy homes on Hawaiian Home Lands. For those building, we offer step-by-step guidance, loan readiness support, and connections to trusted contractors and suppliers through our Kūkulu Partner Program. For those buying, we provide specialized mortgage products, loan readiness support, and access to trusted professionals and resources through the Kūkulu Partner Program to help you find and purchase your home successfully.

For those looking to build, eligibility includes any Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiary who has been awarded, succeeded, or currently holds a lease for a lot without an existing dwelling. For those looking to buy, eligibility requires being at least 50% native Hawaiian as defined by the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act or already on the Hawaiian Home Lands waitlist.

Hawaiʻi Community Lending offers specialized loan products designed for Hawaiian Home Lands, including construction and mortgage options. We always complete a client assessment first to review your financial situation, goals, and eligibility. In some cases, we may refer you to other programs, such as NAHASDA (Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act) through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, to ensure you have access to the most advantageous products available. No one should disqualify themselves—there’s almost always a solution for families, no matter their situation.

You’ll need your Hawaiian Home Lands lease, picture identification, birth certificate, updated paystubs, bank statements, tax returns, and other financial documentation. It’s important to keep paystubs and bank statements current as they expire month to month. Submitting requested documents within 1–2 days is ideal, so it’s important to keep them updated and easily accessible at all times.

Mai hopohopo (don’t worry) – our motto is “We don’t say no, we say how,” and that’s what we’ll do. We’ll work with you to create a Construction Readiness Plan outlining all steps in your home build process. Hawaiʻi Community Lending has partnered with Hawaiian Community Assets to help you meet savings, budget, and credit score goals to become construction and mortgage loan qualified. If you’re not ready right now, it may take some work to get everything in place—but the answer isnʻt no. This is another purpose the Construction Readiness Plan serves: to create a clear path to get you on track. We have the tools, expertise, and support to help you course-correct and move forward with your build.

Yes! Hawaiʻi Community Lending offers debt consolidation loans and credit builder loans. During your client assessment, the Navigation Specialist will review your options and include next steps in your Client Implementation Plan. If you need to build credit, we can help with a credit builder loan. These recommendations are paired with a referral to Hawaiian Community Assets, where you’ll work with a financial counselor to reduce debt, create a household budget, and improve credit throughout the construction process and beyond.

If your contractor is not part of the Kūkulu Partner Program, they will need to apply to become a Kūkulu Partner (including an application process and required documentation) and complete a Builder Training held through Hawaiʻi Community Lending. By completing the Builder Training, your contractor will be certified as a HUD184A builder and will be a trusted community partner through the Kūkulu Partner Program.

Once pre-construction is complete, your project transitions to our Lending Team, who will start your construction loan application, guide you through the financing process and oversee construction draws.

The time it takes to build a home tailored to your specifications is similar to the timeline for a turn-key (ready-built) home. The difference is that you have the autonomy to choose your home plans and decide on the specifications of your home. If requested documents are submitted quickly, the timeline can improve. Typically, the process takes about 18–24 months if everything goes smoothly with minimal delays.

Delays in starting construction often stem from decisions families need to make, such as selecting home plans that fit their budget, adjusting the project budget to meet expectations, permitting delays, and paperwork that must be approved by the Department Hawaiian Home Lands and heard in front of the Hawaiian Homes Commission before we receive the green light to close on your construction loan. That loan closing is what clears you to start building.

When delays occur, we have a dedicated team to keep your project moving forward. Our program is designed to prepare you early, so when it’s time to make decisions, you’re ready.

Although construction is complete, final inspections are complete and the certificate of occupancy is issued, you cannot move in until your permanent mortgage financing is finalized. At the time of construction loan closing, you’ll sign a document acknowledging this requirement. It’s crucial that both the homeowner and contractor fully understand this, which is why contractors must become Kūkulu Partners. The Builder Training covers all requirements to ensure everyone involved is on the same page.

A construction loan is a short-term loan that funds the building of your home, releasing funds in phases as construction progresses. A mortgage loan is long-term financing that pays off the construction loan and becomes your permanent loan.