DHHL betraying its lessees

There are legitimate problems that have impeded the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in delivering on promises to its most pioneering agricultural and ranching homesteaders.

But they are hurdles that can be overcome, not 50-foot walls that should completely stymie government in its search for solutions.

And yet, that is what appears to have happened.

In his ongoing series about problems encountered by Native Hawaiian beneficiaries of the state agency, Star-Advertiser writer Rob Perez this week turned the spotlight on another chronic issue.

This time he focused on a relatively small constituency those with pastoral lots, rather than residential leases, interviewing lessees on Hawaii island’s South Point.

But no matter how few are affected directly, the shortcoming is indicative of a larger problem at DHHL and other government agencies involved: tolerance of the status quo, and an unwillingness to be solution-oriented.

It’s long past time for some out-of-the-box thinking, by DHHL and county officials alike.

Almost three decades after these beneficiaries signed their 99-year leases with DHHL on unimproved farm and ranching lots on South Point homesteading acreage, the land is still not served by water or other infrastructure.

For a dozen, their lots are entirely inaccessible because the only road leading there has been unusable for a long time.

And for all 36 of them, the lack of water and road service means the agency hasn’t cleared standard county requirements to subdivide the lots, providing accurate boundary information for a tax map key.

In turn, this translates to a lack of permits or financing to build homes, even though some have built them anyway.

It’s not much of a homestead, by any measure, if this minimal level of service can’t be provided.

The South Point lessees have endured this situation longer than most with pastoral homesteads, but the problem is not confined to this area. Statewide, there are 250 lots that are still not subdivided, more than 20 years after their farming and ranching leases were issued, because they lack the water or road service, or both, that counties require.

These lots represent 9 percent of the 2,651 leases that were issued between 1983 and 1991 when DHHL accelerated its issuance of homesteads on unimproved land, largely to address the agency’s chronic waiting list of beneficiaries who have not been given leases.

Admittedly, the remoteness of areas such as South Point exacerbates the problem because the costs of making the required connections over great distances is high.

And because it’s such a small population being served the rare, rugged types who can handle tough conditions that means fixing it doesn’t rise to the top of the priority list.

None of that excuses DHHL from its responsibilities. After all this time, alternate strategies should have been explored.

The solution lies in having discussions with county authorities on strategies for at least partially fulfilling the pledge to make these lots usable.

A variance to ease subdivision infrastructure requirements, for example, could be an option, even if a change in county legislation is needed to enable it.

For example: Some of these ranchers truck in their own water supply, replenishing holding tanks they have on the property. DHHL should make firm plans to ensure reliable water service to these areas, but in the meantime, could help offset the water costs for the ranchers.

And, in the meantime, the county should allow the lots to be subdivided.

Making good on homesteading promises is difficult in many of the far-flung, rural areas that are part of the DHHL land base. But the lack of action over decades, even for a relatively small number of beneficiaries, amounts to a mere shrug from an agency that is legally on the hook to meet its pledges.

And these homesteaders are right to blow the whistle.