PHOTOS & VIDEO: Hirono, HUD Secretary Meet with Community Members and Leaders to Discuss Housing Programs, Highlight Federal Funding Opportunity for Homelessness Programs
HONOLULU, HI – Today, Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Marcia Fudge in roundtable discussions with community leaders and public officials to talk about the impact that affordable housing and other HUD programs have had on the Native Hawaiian community and Hawaii’s homeless population. Last month, during the Hawaii on the Hill Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., Secretary Fudge noted the challenges Hawaii’s communities face in finding and securing affordable housing and her commitment to working with Hawaii’s leaders to address these challenges.
“Today, we heard from several community members, leaders, and elected officials about the impact that HUD’s programs have had on Hawaii’s communities—particularly, the Native Hawaiian community—as we work to address homelessness and the lack of affordable housing in our state,” said Senator Hirono. “Leaders from the state, local, and federal levels of government came together to discuss how to ensure that Native Hawaiians, our homeless population, and other communities have the resources they need in order to find and secure safe, affordable homes. I will continue working with Secretary Fudge, and other state, local, and federal partners, to develop long-term solutions to address Hawaii’s housing crisis and expand affordable housing options for communities across the islands.”
“It is a pleasure to be in Hawaii. Thank you Senator Hirono for joining me in discussions with the Native Hawaiian community and on how we address homelessness. Today, I was pleased to announce that HUD is making more than $3.1 billion available for Continuum of Care programs nationwide,” said Secretary Fudge. “Investments in local organizations that can connect people experiencing homelessness to permanent housing and address their deeper needs is a part of the solution, it much be coupled with more affordable housing and supportive services. HUD will continue to demonstrate its commitment to creating affordable housing for homeless individuals and families here in Hawaii and across the country.”
This morning, Senator Hirono and Secretary Fudge met with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) and heard from community members about their experiences with the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) program, which aims to provide affordable housing opportunities to Native Hawaiians with low incomes who are eligible to reside on Hawaiian Home Lands. Senator Hirono and Secretary Fudge were also joined by U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI); Kali Watson, Chair of DHHL; and Jason Pu, HUD Regional Administrator.
Afterwards, Senator Hirono and Secretary Fudge participated in a roundtable discussion with officials from state, local, and federal levels of government—including Hawaii Governor Josh Green; U.S. Representative Jill Tokuda (D-HI); U.S. Representative Ed Case (D-HI); Hawaii Island Mayor Mitch Roth; and more—to talk about the needs of Hawaii’s homeless population. At the start of the event, Secretary Fudge announced HUD will make more than $3.1 billion in competitive funding available through HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program, the largest source of federal grant funding for homeless services and housing programs serving people experiencing homelessness. If awarded, this funding could significantly help Hawaii build on successful initiatives that support those experiencing homelessness, and prevent new individuals and families from entering homelessness.
Senator Hirono is committed to helping communities secure access to safe, quality affordable housing in Hawaii and across the country. In June 2022, she visited the Residential Youth Services and Employment Campus on Oahu, where she met with officials that work to stabilize and provide a safe space for youth ages 14 to 24 to navigate their next steps to becoming self-sufficient in permanent housing. Earlier that year, she also urged President Biden to include $4 billion in homeless assistance grants in his Fiscal Year 2023 budget so the country could progress toward sheltering unhoused people and ending homelessness. In December 2019, the Senate advanced an eight-bill appropriations package that included important priorities for Hawaii secured by Senator Hirono. The legislation included $3.8 million for the Interagency Council on Homelessness, an independent agency tasked with coordinating the federal response to addressing homelessness. In November 2019, Senator Hirono introduced the Pathway to Stable and Affordable Housing for All Act, legislation that laid out a 10-year investment in federal housing and homelessness programs that the National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates would effectively end homelessness and housing poverty in the United States.
###
