Triple Border
Quarterly Newsletter

January 2010

In This Issue
HCL Reports Best Quarter Ever
HCA Goes to Washington DC
Youth Group Graduates from Financial Education Program
Volunteer Tax Preparers Needed
Call Us ~ We Can Help Prevent Foreclosure
Give the Gift of Financial Education
Quick Links
Our Mission
Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that builds the capacity of low and moderate income communities to acheive and sustain economic self-sufficiency with a particular focus on Native Hawaiians.
 
Hawaii Community Lending (HCL) is the mortgage arm of HCA and Hawaii's first non-profit mortgage broker.
Homebuyer Education Workshops

 

workshop 
 
Oahu
All workshops are scheduled from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
  
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands - Kapolei Hale
  �  January 23, 2010      
  �  February 27, 2010
  �  March 13, 2010
  �  April 17, 2010
  �  May 8, 2010
  �  June 26, 2010


Maui
All workshops are scheduled from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
 
Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center
  �  January 23, 2010      
  �  February 20, 2010
  �  March 13, 2010
  �  April 17, 2010
  �  May 22, 2010
  �  June 26, 2010


Kauai
Kauai County Building
 
  Orientations
  5:00pm - 7:00pm
   �   February 3, 2010
   �  March 3, 2010
   �  April 7, 2010
   �  May
12, 2010
 
  Workshops 
  5:00pm - 9:00pm
   �  January 20 & 21, 2010
   �  February 17 & 18, 2010
   �  March 24 & 25, 2010
   �  April 21 & 22, 2010
   �  May 19 & 20, 2010


Anahola Home Ownership Resource Center
(4523 Ioane Rd) 
 
  Workshops
  5:30 - 7:00pm
    �  January 21, 2010


Big Island
All workshops are scheduled from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Hilo
Kinoole Plaza
    �  February 6, 2010
    �  April 3, 2010
   
�  June 12, 2010

    �  August 7, 2010
    �  October 9, 2010

    �  December 4, 2010


Kona
The Neighborhood Place of Kona
   �  March 6, 2010
   �  May 15, 2010

   �  July 10,  2010
   �  September 11,  2010
   �  November 6, 2010

Hawaii Community Lending 

Call us today to finance your home!




Kui Pic
Kui Myer
587-7655
 



 
Winona Pic
Winona Kauhane
587-7624




Building Foundations
for Future Generations
 
Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) offers this quarterly newsletter to provide you with updated information on current programs and services.
 
HCA's mission is to build the capacity of low and moderate income communities to achieve and sustain economic self-sufficiency with a particular focus on Native Hawaiians.

HCA programs include:
  • Homebuyer Education and Pre-Purchase Counseling
  • Post-Purchase Education and Counseling
  • Foreclosure Prevention and Loan Modification Services
  • Youth Financial Education
  • Mortgage Financing
  • Loan Packaging
Hawaii Community Lending Reports Best Quarter Ever


Kalama Ohana

Hawaii Community Lending closed loans totaling over 11 million dollars in the final quarter of the 2009 calendar year.

 

The organization is reporting tremendous growth in lending volume due to its active participation as a project lender in both the Kanehili and Piilani Mai Ke Kai developments in Kapolei and Anahola, respectively.  HCL has been working with families over the past two years to prepare them for mortgage loans in various Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) projects. 

 

On average, HCL has reported about 12 million dollars in total loan originations per year.  Due to current DHHL developments underway, HCL has seen tremendous growth showing that volume for the last quarter of 2009.

 

"We are extremely pleased and fortunate to be reporting such a significant increase in loan volume given the state of our economy.  More importantly, the increased loan volume offers additional resources to assist the hundreds of local families facing foreclosure throughout Hawaii", explained Executive Director, Michelle Kauhane.

 

IchiokaHCL's business model is structured where loan origination fees go to support the social mission of Hawaiian Community Assets.  HCL is Hawaii's only non-profit mortgage broker.  Net revenues earned through mortgage lending go directly back into the community to support foreclosure prevention and homeownership programs. 

 

"In most cases, people are under the impression that HCL can only originate a mortgage loan for Hawaiian Home Lands Properties", said Kui Meyer,  Sr. Mortgage Consultant.  "The fact is that HCL is able to originate a wide variety of loans for non-homestead properties as well", added Meyer.


For more information on HCL call 587.7886 or (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116.

HCA Goes to Washington DC
 
Community in the Capital Fellows Program
 
Laura, Lilia in DCHawaiian Community Assets' (HCA) Board Member, Lilia Kapuniai and Operations Manager, Laura Matsuoka (pictured right) participated in Community in the Capital, a fellowship program hosted by the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (National CAPACD) in Washington, DC in October. 
 
The program aims to increase participation of community leaders in the policy making process.  This year's Community in the Capital focused specifically on policy and advocacy with respect to foreclosure prevention and housing counseling. 
 
Community in the Capital participants, representing community-based organizations from across the nation met with representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus to discuss the impact of the housing crisis on their communities.  The convening concluded with participants meeting their Congressional leaders to discuss their community's housing counseling and foreclosure prevention needs.   Kapuniai and Matsuoka met with staff members from Senator Akaka and Senator Inouye's office, as well as Congresswoman Hirono and Congressman Abercrombie.
 
 "Community in the Capital has been an excellent primer for policy making and advocacy," said Matsuoka.  "Empowering community-based organizations is crucial in getting through this housing crisis.  Our staff is inundated with families facing foreclosure and it's intensifying more and more each day.  Programs like Community in the Capital provide the networking and advocacy training pieces that are important in empowering us to help our communities."
 


Kauhane Witnesses Signing of White House Initiative on AAPI Communities
 
Michelle w PresidentOn October 15, 2009, Hawaiian Community Assets Executive Director, Michelle Kauhane visited the White House to witness the signing of an Executive Order by President Obama announcing the establishment of the White House Initiative on Asian American and Pacific Islanders.
 
The White House Initiative, which will be co-chaired by Commerce Secretary Locke and Education Secretary Duncan, will convene a 20-member commission appointed by President Obama to guide the White House on issues impacting AAPI communities nationally.
 
Kauhane joined Robin Danner, President and CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to represent Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders.
 
"The re-establishment of the White House Initiative on Asian and Pacific Islanders is a tremendous step forward," said Robin Puanani Danner, CNHA President and CEO.  "With a seat at the table, community leaders from our Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities will have an opportunity to work more closely with the Administration on issues that are unique to our people."
 
Guests invited to the White House event, held in the East Room, included diverse representation from across the AAPI community.  The event opened with a multilingual performance by the University of Pennsylvania acapella group Penn Masala.  Members of Congress and representatives from community advocacy groups made up the 70 or so attendees with President Obama and cabinet members.
 
"Our very own General Sinsheki was there with the President as he signed the Executive Order," said Michelle Kauhane.  "It was great to be representing Hawaii, and definitely our work in Native Hawaiian communities.  We are not Asian Americans, but we are Pacific Islanders, and I think it's important that we are represented in these efforts."
 
A video of the entire signing ceremony and short interviews with attendees of the signing ceremony can be viewed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/video/The-President-Observes-Diwali/  and http://www.aapimomentum.org/node/30.

Youth Corner

First Homestead Group Graduates from Youth Financial Education Program

Panaewa Youth Graduates
PANAEWA, HI - The Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association (PHHLCA) brought Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center, Hawaiian Community Assets, and Panaewa families together on October 26th for celebration of 8 teenagers (pictured right, 2 graduate absent) as the first Homestead youth group to graduate from the Kahua Waiwai financial education program.
 
"Graduation from this class is a great feeling," says Panaewa teen, Charisse Chai-Amaral.  "Get a job, save money, build credit, and buy a car - now I know how to make it all possible."
 
PHHLCA held its first class in April 2009 to commemorate Youth Financial Literacy Month.  Working through Kahua Waiwai, Opio Edition, a youth financial education handbook developed by local communities in 2008 with support from HCA, the Panaewa teens were introduced to basic economics, employment and entrepreneurship, budgeting and saving, banking, credit and credit reports, consumer fraud, buying cars, paying for college, filing taxes, and buying and renting homes.  As a result of attending the 16-week program, 3 graduates got jobs and all 8 opened savings accounts to better manage their money.
 
"I'm proud to say that I have a job!" says Panaewa teen, Chevlyn Wooley.  "I started the class clueless and jobless.  Now I have the knowledge to make better decisions about money."
 
The graduation and program impacts mark the early successes of a statewide youth financial education initiative launched by HCA and its 32 collaborative partners dedicated to instilling the skills necessary for Hawaii's next generation to make wise financial decisions today and tomorrow.
 
"I am very proud of these kids.  They have worked hard," says program instructor and PHHLCA Vice President, Kelly Lincoln.  "Now they have the skills to make educated decisions in their financial futures.  I can't wait to teach the next class!"
 
The purpose of the Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association shall be for all lessees for the development of fellowship, to create and maintain unity, to work cooperatively and to work for the betterment of the Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community.
 
For more information about PHHLCA's youth financial education program contact Vice President, Kelly Lincoln at 987-9266 or via email at [email protected].
 
For information about Kahua Waiwai and getting your community engaged in HCA's statewide youth financial education collaborative, contact HCA program coordinator, Jeff Gilbreath at 587-7653 or via email at [email protected].

Volunteers Needed for 2010 Tax Season

HONOLULU, HAWAII - The Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) is recruiting volunteers to assist with the 2010 Tax Season.  In partnership with Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA), CNHA operates six Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the state to help families file their income taxes for FREE. 

VITA Graphic"Historically, Hawaii residents leave $45 million dollars of unclaimed tax credits, on the table.  By opening volunteer-run tax preparation sites across the state, we aim to help return the hard earned money back to working families," said Robin Puanani Danner, CNHA President and CEO.  "Last year, over 20 volunteers gave their time and knowledge, to support the campaign in a full range of capacities ranging from tax preparation to data entry.  As the 2010 tax season creeps up, we really hope that volunteers will once again help families claim the tax credits they earned!"
 
This volunteer effort is made possible by training and program coordination provided by the Hawai'i Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development (HACBED), satellite VITA site coordination and support by Hawaiian Community Assets, and community outreach efforts of the Sovereign Councils of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly. 
 
"It was personally rewarding to coordinate the VITA sites earlier this year in 2009.  I'm glad that we made it a permanent project at CNHA," commented Rosalee Puaoi, CNHA Community Development Specialist.  "I also served as a volunteer tax preparer for a few hours each week during the 2009 Tax Season - it was really neat to watch families leave with thousands of dollars that they hadn't received before.  We try to make it as easy as possible, by providing a comfortable environment, computers, software, IRS approved training, modest stipends for gas, and great networking opportunities to malama our community."
 
To sign up to be a volunteer at a CNHA VITA site, or for more information, contact Terri Lemmer at the CNHA office at 808.596.8155 or via e-mail at [email protected].  CNHA is a national network of Native Hawaiian Organizations, providing assistance in accessing capital and technical resources, and is a policy voice on issues important to Native Hawaiian communities.  

CALL US ~ WE CAN HELP
PREVENT FORECLOSURE
 
Stop Foreclosure    (808) 587-7886
                 or 
    1-866-400-1116
 
                 Free Help With:
           * Loan modifications
           * Work out plans 
           * Reducing payments
           * Lowering interest rates 
 
Nothing is worse than doing nothing
HWF



Start the New Year Right ~
Give the Gift of Financial Education!

Contemplating a meaningful New Year's resolution?

Let HCA and Hawaiian Way Fund (HWF) make it easy for you.

Donate as little as $10 to HCA through HWF and you will support free financial education for a first-time homebuyer, a family facing foreclosure, or a local teenager in need of basic money management skills.
 
Giving is simple:
 
Online at justgive.org!  Designate HCA in the space available and make a gift in the name of a family member, friend, or co-worker.
 
By Mail! Send your donation with checks made payable to Hawaiian Way Fund to:
Hawaiian Way Fund
HCA Donation
1050 Queen Street, Ste 200
Honolulu, HI 96814
 
Through Aloha United Way! Go to www.auw.org and use donor choice #73931.  Note support for HCA on the pledge form.
 
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Hawaiian Way Fund is the donor program of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, a tax exempt nonprofit corporation reaching hundreds of community-based organizations and initiatives. The Fund has one charitable purpose - to enhance the well-being of Hawaii through community-based initiatives founded on Hawaiian culture, knowledge and traditions.
 
For more information visit www.hawaiianwayfund.org.