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Organization

Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL)

Hawaii's Department of Hawaiian Home Lands administers about 204,000 acres set aside in 1921 for homesteads for Native Hawaiians.

Kind
State of Hawaii agency
Native-led
state-agency
Works with
Native Hawaiian beneficiaries (50%+ Hawaiian blood quantum under the 1920 Act)not yet checked against a source
Region
Hawaii
Focus
Administers about 203,981 acres of Hawaiian Home Lands trust; 47,086 lease applications by 29,451 beneficiaries (DHHL site)
Registry
Government agency
Vetting notes
Not a donation channel. Governed by a nine-member Hawaiian Homes Commission appointed by the Governor. Relevant as context, not as a Land Back charity.

What happened

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) is a State of Hawaii agency, not a charity. Its website says President Warren G. Harding signed the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act on July 9, 1921, and that through the Act the United States set aside approximately 200,000 acres for a permanent homeland for Native Hawaiians. The department quotes Prince Kuhio as saying the way to rehabilitate the Hawaiian people was to place them back upon the soil.

DHHL says it is responsible for 203,981 acres of trust lands, 10,045 homestead leases, and 47,086 lease applications by 29,451 Native Hawaiian beneficiaries. The gap between leases and applications is the waitlist the agency says it is working to shorten. In an April 2025 release, DHHL announced plans to issue more than 2,600 leases by the end of 2025 and said it was actively developing 29 projects.

The department is led by a nine-member Hawaiian Homes Commission, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate; at least four members must have not less than one-fourth Hawaiian blood. Kali Watson is chairman, appointed by Governor Josh Green and confirmed in March 2023.

DHHL is not a land-return organization in the Land Back sense. It leases homestead lots to qualified beneficiaries rather than transferring title.

Good to know. A State of Hawaii agency, not a place to donate. It leases homestead lots to Native Hawaiian beneficiaries rather than transferring title; the 2025 lease figure was a target, not a count.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

  1. approximately 200,000 acres of land to establish a permanent homeland for native HawaiiansDHHL - About
  2. The department is responsible for 203,981 acres of trust lands, 10,045 homestead leases, and 47,086 lease applicationsDHHL - About
  3. announced its plan to issue more than 2,600 leases by the end of 2025DHHL - On track to award more than 2,600 leases in 2025
  4. whose nine members are appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the SenateDHHL - Hawaiian Homes Commission

Research notes. State agency, not a donation channel. Lease and acreage figures are the department's own and current to its About page; the 2025 lease target is a plan, not a count of leases issued. Beneficiary eligibility is defined by the Act (the commission page refers to a blood-quantum requirement for some members); this record does not characterize that debate.

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Connections

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Works in 1

Works with 1

Supports the return of 1

Sources

  1. dhhl.hawaii.gov/self-description
Kind
Organization
Confidence
High
Notes
  • Some details not yet checked against a source

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