The Maui wildfire disaster temporarily displaced 271 kānaka (Native Hawaiian) homeowners from their land in Lahaina. Our people will need financial support and expertise to secure insurance claim monies and disaster assistance necessary to stay in place and rebuild. Unfortunately, kānaka may not have the funds to afford the costs of submitting a claim in the first place or to appeal insurance and FEMA denials. Without access to support and expertise, our people will be displaced from their homelands and potentially, from Hawaiʻi altogether.

The fund is to support the Native Hawaiian population facing challenges such as the Maui wildfire disaster that uprooted 271 Kānaka homeowners from their ancestral lands in Lāhainā. The fund rallies to provide the necessary financial aid and expertise required to secure insurance claims and disaster assistance. The fund will ensure our kānaka community remains rooted in their homeland, protecting our people’s place within the rich tapestry of Hawaiʻi’s cultural heritage.

The fund's objectives:

• Prevent displacement of indigenous kānaka maoli in Maui and Hawaiʻi due to disasters.
• Provide financial aid and expertise for insurance claims and disaster assistance.
• Address financial barriers preventing kānaka from claiming insurance or appealing denials.

Support Services Provided:

Under the Kānaka Anti-Displacement Fund, HCL ʻOhana Advocates will collaborate with homeowners to:

• Secure copies of certified policies from insurance companies active on the disaster date.
• Obtain mortgage forbearances, modifications, grants, and loans.
• Establish an emergency budget with HUD-certified housing counselors.
• Complete FEMA disaster assistance applications and file appeals.
• Retain a public insurance adjuster (PA) for insurance policy reviews and to fight on the homeowner’s behalf to get the monies they deserve for rebuilding.

Phase 1 - Leialiʻi Homestead Preservation: In this phase, the Fund centers its efforts on preserving the stewardship and connection to ʻāina (land) for the 102 ʻohana within the Leialiʻi homestead on Maui. HCL helped the Leialiʻi ʻohana get their mortgages to secure their place on the land in 2007 and 15 years later, HCL will be here to make sure they stay on the land.

Phase 2 - Expanding the Reach: Following the successful implementation of Phase 1, the Fund will extend to the remaining 169 kānaka homeowners who have been similarly impacted by disasters, with the intention of offering them the same level of support and resources.

Loan Structure and Funding:

• Aims to raise $5 million in phase 1 for deferred payment loans.
• Average homeowner loan: $50,000 at 5% interest, repaid from insurance claim monies or other loans.
• Investors provide grants or loans to HCL at 2% interest, with up to 10% forgivable for defaulted loans.
• Additional $1.5 million for 5-year operational costs.

HCL launched the fund September 1, 2023 with $150,000 of its own monies for this fund to be used for deferred payment loans to impacted homeowners.

Donate today or invest today to make a difference.

The Fund has been established by Hawaiʻi Community Lending (HCL), a US Treasury certified native CDFI, to provide deferred payment loans and technical assistance for impacted kānaka. Hawaii Community Lending is a 501c3 nonprofit Native community development financial institution that increases access to credit and capital for the  economic self-sufficiency of underserved Hawaii residents with a particular focus on Native Hawaiians.

For more information, or to donate today, visit https://hawaiicommunitylending.com/kadfund/.