The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is opening a dialogue with the community regarding travel woes on Hawaiian homelands in Kaʻū. According to a recent announcement by Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, a community meeting is scheduled to take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow, at the Naʻalehu Community Center to deliberate the fate of access gates on DHHL properties and consider the potential impact of shutting down additional paths on adjacent lands.
Residents have expressed their unease over the recent closure of multiple access gates on DHHL lands, prompting the agency to set the meeting to address questions and concerns. The closures have sparked a conversation about the right to pass through these lands—a matter deeply rooted in the local ethos. Department officials plan to be available to provide clarity and to field inquiries about the closed and potentially closing access points, as well as to discuss broader implications for the community.
Those who cannot attend the meeting in person, or who prefer to voice their issues in a different format, are encouraged to send questions or concerns via email to [email protected]. The department has invited comprehensive community participation, highlighting the significance of public input in shaping the decisions related to homeland access points.
As tensions simmer over land access rights, the DHHL’s meeting reflects an effort to navigate the terrain of communal contention and bureaucratic practice. By engaging directly with concerned residents, the DHHL aims to find solutions that balance regulatory needs with traditional access to land that locals depend on.
