(BIVN) – An innovative land trust model is helping to make affordable homeownership possible for families on Hawaiʻi island. 

A recent news release detailed the how the dream of homeownership became a reality for the Uyeda ʻohana in Hilo, through a partnership between the Hawaiʻi County Office of Housing and Community Development and HALE O Hawaiʻi, a Community Land Trust. 

From the news release:

The handover ceremony and celebration on Aug. 22 marked a milestone in the partnership between HALE O Hawaiʻi Community Land Trust and County of Hawaiʻi Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), advancing an innovative land trust model to keep homes affordable for generations to come.

“With this handover, we celebrate not only a new beginning for the Uyeda ʻohana, but also a new pathway for housing on Hawaiʻi Island,” said Mayor Kimo Alameda. “This partnership between the County and HALE O Hawaiʻi shows what is possible when we combine public resources with community stewardship. Together, we are building homes that will remain affordable for generations so that local families can thrive.”

photo courtesy the County of Hawaiʻi

The home was made possible through a collaboration that combines County support with the stewardship of HALE O Hawai‘i. The project received $300,000 from the County’s Affordable Housing Production (AHP) Program in Fiscal Year 2023-24 and was developed on State-owned land conveyed to the County by Executive Order, then leased for 65 years to HALE O Hawai‘i for this pilot project.

“This day is about more than one home — it’s about building a model that will keep homes within reach for local families,” said Housing Administrator Kehaulani Costa. “By providing both the land and the funding, the County was able to seed this effort, helping HALE O Hawai‘i grow its capacity to serve our community for years ahead.”

Under the community land trust model, families purchase homes through a long-term leasehold arrangement. The land itself remains in trust, helping reduce the cost of homeownership while ensuring the property remains affordable in perpetuity. Immediate family may inherit the lease, strengthening generational housing stability.

Pete Hoffmann, President of HALE O Hawai’i Board of Directors, emphasized the broader impact: “If this is successful, it opens a tremendous opportunity to expand perpetually affordable housing across Hawai‘i Island. We are proud to see the Uyeda family step into a home created under this model.”

In addition to the Hilo home, HALE O Hawai‘i has completed construction of a second single-family home in Volcano that was also supported by $300,000 in Affordable Housing Production Program funding. HALE O Hawaiʻi is in the process of finalizing the sale of the home and long-term leasehold arrangement with the qualified buyer.

Meanwhile, the County has finalized the 65-year lease of another State-owned parcel in Hilo conveyed to the County by Executive Order to HALE O Hawaiʻi to support additional affordable housing opportunities on Hawai’i Island.

Supporting community land trusts is one part of the County’s larger strategy to address Hawai‘i Island’s affordable housing shortage. Alongside efforts to increase affordable rentals, incentivize private development, and rehabilitate and preserve existing housing, land trusts provide a powerful tool to create and preserve affordable homeownership opportunities that last across generations.

For more information about HALE O Hawai‘i and its work to create perpetually affordable homes, visit https://haleohawaii.org.