Samuel Kamuela Ka’eo and family celebrate their agricultural lease award on Hawaiian Homestead land alongside state and county leaders. Photo courtesy Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is stepping up its awards of farm leases on Maui, adding 105 lots, including 55 leases for the Waiehu Mauka subdivision and 50 leases for the Honokowai subdivision.

The event marked the first agricultural lease awards since the early 2000s, according to the department. A celebration marking the event was Saturday at the University of Hawaii Maui College.

Gov. Josh Green said the leases represent a “fantastic opportunity” for Native Hawaiian families to grow fresh foods for their ‘ohana, while lowering costs and reducing reliance on imported goods.

“It is through initiatives like the awarding of agricultural leases that this administration is growing stronger, healthier and more resilient communities,” Green said.

Members of the Ka’eo family said they’ve been waiting for 30 years.

“I’m grateful we’ll be able to pass it on our son Kaleikoa,” Samuel Kamuela Ka’eo said.

Qualified Native Hawaiians pay $1 a year for a lot for 99 years. The number of Native Hawaiians on the waitlist for a lease on Maui is at 3,900.

The Honokowai farm subdivision spans about 45 acres and includes one- to two-acre lots, and the Waiehu Mauka subdivision covers about 240 acres and consists of half-acre lots.

Department director Kali Watson said at the heart of the agricultural project lease program is Hawaiian Homestead Act author Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana’ole’s vision of rehabilitating Native Hawaiians.

“Our beneficiaries want to be on the land and agricultural project leases expedite that opportunity for them,” Watson said.

Both project areas are funded by state Act 279, allocating $600 million to acquire lands that are closer to existing infrastructure and initiates the installation of essential utilities like water, sewer, power, drainage and roadway infrastructure prior to the construction of homes.

The department is set to award more than 230 project leases next year for Pūlehunui (100 leases in May); Honokowai (40 in May); and Hana (96 in fall 2026).

With its awarding of the Hana leases, the department intends to deploy a new approach — a pilina-based priority waitlist. The initiative seeks to identify applicants who are a former or current area resident, a lineal descendant or an applicant with a relative who is a current resident of the area.