If you have ever visited the campus of Kamehmeha Schools in Honolulu, Hawaii, you know the view is unforgettable. This year’s Community Development Financing Conference — arranged by Pacific Growth Associates (PGA) for Hawaiian Homestead leaders — filled the school’s conference center with stories, laughter and enthusiasm. The conference center looks out over downtown and beyond to the blue Pacific. The view is breathtaking. Equally exciting, however, is the view Native Hawaiian leaders are taking toward more projects in the coming years.
The conference keynote speaker was Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie. He extolled the benefits of creative financing options, pledged support for Native businesses and described a bright future for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL). The roster of speakers included other dynamic leaders such as Innovations Development Group President Mililani Trask, DHHL Chairperson Jobie Masagatani and PGA Principal Tamar DeFries.
Travois is proud to count Native Hawaiian communities as part of its service area. We are proud of both our direct Qualified Low Income Community Investment (QLICI) and consulting projects in the state.
What we find particularly exciting about our future work in Hawaii is the focus on food. Food security, food processing and food branding are all hot topics in the Hawaiian Islands. Island economics place a premium on the price of most food sold in the state.
As the national consciousness shifts toward healthy and organic foods, farmers and processors in the state are well-positioned to take advantage. These two trends are driving interest in ways that farmers, processors, marketers and grocers can put a healthy product on the shelf and create more jobs in Native communities.
Stay tuned as Travois awaits the allocation announcement and pursues opportunities from Oahu to Molokai to the Big Island.
Thank you to PGA and congratulations on another great conference.
Aloha:
I am the architectural historian for HART. I am interested in New Markets Tax Credits to pair with HP tax credits for the redevelopment of Holau Market, a historic Native Hawaiian retail establishment that may be listed in the National Register in 2015 and may provide opportunity for new business start-ups by Native Hawaiians in the vicinity of the Chinatown station.
Mahalo,
Stanley
Hello, Stanley – Thank you for the comment. We are interested in learning more about your project. Please feel free to call (816-994-8970) or email me (pglynn@travois.com) any time. Thanks.