Skip to content

USDA Rural Development Partners with the Hawai‘i Community Lending to Expand Access to Homes in Hawai‘i

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Hawai‘i/Western Pacific State Director Chris Kanazawa announced today that the Agency has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) withHawai‘i Community Lending. (HCL) to expand access to homes for rural residents of Hawai‘i.  The Memorandum will allow both agencies to participate together in providing long-term financing to qualified applicants to build and/or purchase modest, decent, safe, and sanitary homes in rural areas throughout the state.

“With the combined resources of Rural Development andHawai‘i Community Lending, we are able to offer affordable home financing to low and very-low income families in rural communities across the state,” said Kanazawa.  “Utilizing Rural Development’s network in Hawaii’s rural communities and with its system of housing program delivery, we will expand the access to affordable home to Hawaii’s communities.”

The HCL and USDA partnership will include outreach meetings, training opportunities, and other activities to ensure the community is aware of this opportunity. By providing access to affordable financing through Rural Development’s Section 502 Direct Loan program, the new MOU is expected to increase homeownership opportunities.

The Section 502 Direct Loan Program assists low-and very-low-income applicants obtain decent, safe and sanitary housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance to increase an applicant’s repayment ability. Payment assistance is a type of subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment for a short time. The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted family income.

HCL provides homebuyers access to grants and consumer and affordable housing loans to assist with mortgage qualifying, including deferred payment, no-interest mortgage financing funded with public grant monies. To assist very-low and low-income families in becoming mortgage qualified, HCL will use deferred payment, no-interest mortgage financing to increase their ability to build and/or purchase homes in the current marketplace.

If you are interested in the Section 502 Direct Loan Program, go to www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/single-family-housing-direct-home-loans

Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal and high-poverty areas.

For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.

About Aikū’ē Kalima

Aikū’ē Kalima, former Native Hawaiian Revolving Loan Fund Manager for the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, joins Hawaiʻi Community Lending as its lending director.
Kalima comes to HCL with more than 25 years of experience in community development and mortgage lending. In his new position, Kalima will direct HCL’s consumer, construction, mortgage and small business lending.
“As a native Hawaiian and Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiary, I understand the financial needs for economic development and quality housing for kānaka is great,” said Kalima, who led OHA’s deployment of $9.8 million in loans to 286 native Hawaiians statewide over the last five years. “For over 25 years, I have worked tirelessly at the grassroots level, educating kānaka on the skills necessary to achieve the dream of homeownership and providing resources to achieve financial sustainability. I plan to continue serving the lāhui empowering ‘ohana and communities as the lending director for Hawai‘i Community Lending.”
Kalima takes the reins of HCL’s $16-million revolving loan fund and will oversee a team of seven staff members statewide. “HCL is honored to have Aikū’ē join us in our mission to help tackle our housing crisis by funding native Hawaiian and local families to build, buy and save homes from foreclosure,” said HCL Executive Director Jeff Gilbreath. “He has proven leadership in both the public and private sectors and has the passion to get families on the land through homeownership.”

This will close in 0 seconds

Sign up for our e-newsletter

Subscribe to receive news and updates.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

 

Invalid email address

This will close in 0 seconds

About Nikki

Nikki Hollern is a mother of five, born and raised in Upcountry Maui, but she spent the last 15 years in the beautiful town of Lahaina. Lahaina stole her heart, with the people and the town being unlike any other. After the fire, her family had to relocate to Kahului.

Her heart remains in Lahaina, and her goal is to help this amazing community get back to where they belong. She feels blessed to have the opportunity to be part of the HCL ‘ohana, helping navigate this incredibly hard time and hopefully serving as a guiding light to assist the community in returning home and coming back even stronger.

This will close in 0 seconds

Skip to content