David Y. Ige

(Kapolei, Oʻahu) – The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) has extended the postponement of mortgage loan payments for all DHHL direct loans and loans assigned to the Department for an additional three-month period, through March 31, 2021.

In September, the Hawaiian Homes Commission (HHC) extended the initial continuance of mortgage loan postponement and delegated authority to HHC Chair William J. Ailā, Jr. to extend postponement beyond the initial three months.

The initial mortgage loan deferral was offered to borrowers beginning with the April 2020 payment as the Department anticipated the financial impacts on lessees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of November 19, 2020, DHHL Fiscal Division analysis showed that approximately 84.8 percent (134 out of 158) of the loans reassigned by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development/Federal Housing Administration postponed one or more payments since the initial DHHL offered deferral in March 2020. Along with that, 55.6 percent of DHHL direct loan borrowers (538 out of 967) postponed one or more of their payments.

“The Department remains cognizant of the financial impacts COVID-19 has placed on our community,” said Chair Ailā. “As we look ahead to a hopefully brighter 2021, it is the hope that this additional deferral extension will provide reprieve for our ʻohanas that are struggling due to the financial restraints and uncertainties that have been brought upon them as a result of the pandemic.”

The deferment is an auto-enrolled postponement. If a borrower decides to continue making payments during the deferral period, DHHL will process the payment as in the normal course of business. As with the initial and subsequent deferment, interest will continue to accrue during the postponement period, however, no late fees will be added.

All DHHL borrowers received notice of the extension on their January 2021 mortgage loan statement.

For information about DHHL loan deferrals, call (808) 620-9500. If you have a loan with an outside lender and are facing financial hardship due to COVID-19, the Department encourages you to contact your provider as soon as possible.

To learn more about COVID-19 impacts on DHHL activities, visit dhhl.hawaii.gov/covid-19. For information from the Hawaiʻi State Department of Health, go to hawaiicovid19.com.

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About the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands:
The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands carries out Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole’s vision of rehabilitating native Hawaiians by returning them to the land. Established by U.S. Congress in 1921, with the passage of the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act, the Hawaiian homesteading program run by DHHL includes management of over 200,000 acres of land statewide with the specific purpose of developing and delivering homesteading.

Media Contact:
Cedric Duarte
Information and Community Relations Officer
Department of Hawaiian Home Lands
(808) 620-9591
(808) 342-0873
[email protected]