Hawaiian Homeownership Opporunity Act of 2007 (Part II)

Floor Speech

HAWAIIAN HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 2007

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Mr. RENZI. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 835, the Hawaiian Homeownership Opportunity Act of 2007.

This bill is a reauthorization of Title 8 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act--commonly known as NAHASDA.

H.R. 835 reauthorizes the program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development that provides low-income Native Hawaiian families the opportunity for homeownership on their Hawaiian home lands.

Back in 1996, Congress passed NAHASDA--which reorganized the system of housing assistance provided to tribes through HUD.

The Indian Housing Block Grant program was created to provide funds directly to tribes for housing services as determined by the tribes themselves.

In 2000, NAHASDA was amended to include Title 8 so that Native Hawaiians could receive block grant funding as well through a separate grant program--the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program.

This program funds housing programs on Hawaiian Home Lands--through the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, a Federal agency established by Congress in 1921 to administer trust land in Hawaii.

Title 8 funding has allowed the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to target housing assistance to families at or below 80 percent of median income.

This funding is used for such assistance as infrastructure development, downpayment assistance, self-help home repair programs, and financial literacy programs.

Additionally, Habitat for Humanity has also received funding through this program.

Title 8 of NAHASDA was originally authorized for 5 years, through 2005, and has not been formally reauthorized since, although appropriations acts have continued to provide de facto 1-year reauthorizations for the program.

This bill would reauthorize the program through fiscal year 2012.

In addition to reauthorization, the bill makes two changes to existing law.

First, it makes the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands eligible for loan guarantees authorized under Title 6 of NAHASDA. Giving the Department Title 6 access would allow the Department to help more low-income families become homeowners without a large increase in Federal appropriations by partnering with the private market.

Second, this legislation allows Native Hawaiians the use of HUD's Section 184(a) guaranteed loans for refinancing in addition to construction. Adding the refinance authority reduces the cost of homeownership for low-income families and can also reduce risk by lowering monthly mortgage payments.

Congress must continue to embrace initiatives such as the one we are considering today that encourage Americans to own a home.

Last week, this bill failed to receive the two-thirds majority necessary to pass under the suspension calendar, although the majority of members voted to approve the bill.

I believe that the bill's failure to pass was the result of misconceptions about this bill that I would like to address.

This is not a bill about Native Hawaiian sovereignty.

The subject of Native Hawaiian sovereignty is a separate issue altogether and is not addressed in this legislation.

This bill simply reauthorizes and makes some small improvements to an existing program. It does not confer any special rights to the Native Hawaiians--nor does the bill suggest that Native Hawaiians should be given a status equal to that of Native Americans.

It simply reauthorizes a program created by Congress in the year 2000, just 7 years ago.

At that time, Congress chose to establish a housing program to benefit poor Native Hawaiians living on their home lands--200,000 acres scattered throughout the islands of Hawaii.

In the 7 years since the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant program has been in place, it has enabled thousands of Hawaiians to live in decent, safe, and sanitary housing and helped thousands to achieve the dream of homeownership.

This program is a model for Federal-State cooperation and also an example for how Federal resources can support the efforts of the private market in providing the capital necessary for homeownership.

Yesterday, Hawaiians celebrated Prince Kuhio Day, a State holiday recognizing the contributions of a great leader who was a leading member of the Republican Party in Hawaii and a delegate to the House of Representatives for nearly 20 years.

I ask my colleagues that we honor the memory of Representative Kuhio, and that we continue to support the Native Hawaiians living on the Home Lands.

I would like to recognize Mr. Abercrombie for introducing this legislation.

Also, I thank Chairman Frank and Ranking Member Bachus of the Financial Services Committee for working to bring this bill to the floor, which was approved by the Financial Services Committee by voice vote.

I urge my colleagues to support this important piece of legislation to reauthorize a program to help Native Hawaiians living in poverty.

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