Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation

Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation is a nonprofit community development organization based on Hawaii Island that focuses on affordable housing, workforce development, and neighborhood revitalization. The organization works with local agencies, Native Hawaiian institutions, and national funders to plan and implement projects across Hilo, Kona, Kaʻū, Puna, and North Kohala. It operates within a network that includes federal housing programs, state agencies, philanthropic foundations, tribal organizations, and regional economic initiatives.

History

The organization emerged in the early 2000s amid island responses to housing shortages, natural disasters, and economic shifts affecting Hawaiʻi Island communities including Hilo, Kailua-Kona, Pāhala, Pāhoa, and Waimea. Early collaborators included the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the State of Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation, and the County of Hawaiʻi, linking to broader efforts like the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, Community Development Block Grant initiatives, and disaster recovery projects after events such as the Kīlauea eruptions and Hurricane Iniki recovery precedent. Partners and influencers have included the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Institute of Hawaiian Affairs, Hawaii Community Foundation, and national intermediaries such as NeighborWorks America and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Throughout its history the organization engaged with academic institutions like the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo and policymakers from the Hawaii State Legislature, as well as with philanthropic actors such as the Kresge Foundation, Ford Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Mission and Programs

The corporation’s mission centers on increasing affordable housing stock, expanding workforce training, and supporting community resilience across rural and urban districts of Hawaii Island including Hāmākua, Kaʻū, North Kona, and South Kohala. Program areas connect to initiatives run by HUD, USDA Rural Development, Federal Home Loan Bank, and the Hawaiʻi Community Reinvestment Corporation. Key programs include affordable rental development, first-time homebuyer counseling linked to NeighborWorks and Habitat for Humanity models, construction pre-apprenticeship tied to Hawaii Building and Construction Trades Council pathways, and small business technical assistance coordinated with SCORE, Pacific Islands Small Business Development Center Network, and Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii. The organization’s social services intersect with health providers such as ʻImiloa Science Center outreach, Hawaiʻi Health Systems Corporation clinics, and mental health networks informed by Kaiser Permanente Hawaii and Kapiʻolani Medical Center collaborations.

Governance and Funding

Governance is typically overseen by a volunteer board with representation from community leaders, Native Hawaiian trustees, real estate practitioners, and philanthropy representatives, and draws on governance models used by national community development corporations and housing authorities, including the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. Funding streams include Low-Income Housing Tax Credits administered through the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, tax-exempt bond financing, private philanthropy from Hawaii Community Foundation and national funders, federal grants from HUD, USDA, and FEMA hazard mitigation and recovery funds, and impact investments from community development financial institutions such as the Enterprise Community Partners, Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund. The corporation leverages relationships with banks participating in the Community Reinvestment Act, credit unions like Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, and local municipal programs administered by the County of Hawaiʻi Department of Research and Development.

Projects and Impact

Project portfolios often span affordable multifamily rental developments, single-family infill projects, mixed-use community hubs, and infrastructure improvements in areas like Hilo Waterfront, Keauhou, and Pāhoa. Projects have been informed by planning efforts with the University of Hawaiʻi Sea Grant College Program, the Pacific Islands Development Program, and the State Historic Preservation Division when working in culturally sensitive sites. Impact metrics are monitored in partnership with research entities such as the Urban Institute, Brookings Institution analyses, and the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, focusing on housing units preserved or created, jobs generated, vocational placements, and increases in household stability. Examples of collaborations include workforce pipelines with Hawaiʻi Community College, housing finance deals facilitated by University of Hawaiʻi Economic Research Organization modeling, and resilience upgrades coordinated with the Pacific Disaster Center and FEMA mitigation grants.

Partnerships and Community Engagement

The organization maintains partnerships across a broad ecosystem: Native Hawaiian organizations such as Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Hawaiian Homes Commission; conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy Hawaiʻi and Conservation International-Pacific; cultural institutions including Bishop Museum and ʻIolani Palace outreach (for broader Hawaiian network ties); health systems including Queen’s Health Systems and Hawaiʻi Pacific Health for supportive housing linkages; educational partners such as Kamehameha Schools, University of Hawaiʻi system campuses, and Hawaiʻi Island public and charter schools; and workforce entities like the Building Industry Association of Hawaii. Community engagement strategies draw on practices from participatory planning used by Project for Public Spaces and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, involving neighborhood associations, Hawaiian civic clubs, fishermen and rancher groups, and tourism industry stakeholders including Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau. Collaborative funding and project delivery have involved lenders such as Bank of Hawaiʻi, First Hawaiian Bank, and national intermediaries including ReThink Impact and Calvert Impact Capital.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in Hawaii Category:Community development corporations Category:Hilo, Hawaii Category:Kona, Hawaii