HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has been awarded a federal Brownfields Assessment Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to begin critical environmental assessments and planning for the revitalization of 29 acres of Kaka‘ako Makai.

Kaka’ako Makai is a historically industrial area between Downtown Honolulu and Waikiki, once filled with reef, mudflats, and salt ponds before being used as a landfill in the early 20th century.

OHA received the 29 acres of Kaka‘ako Makai property, split amongst nine separate lots, as partial settlement of unpaid Public Land Trust revenues in 2012.

Thousands of residents and visitors frequent the adjacent Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park for outdoor activities, but the surrounding parcels remain blighted with decaying buildings and vacant parcels used for open storage, creating tremendous opportunities to revitalize this neglected area of Honolulu.

“OHA envisions a future where Kaka‘ako Makai is no longer defined by contamination and neglect, but by cultural vitality, community gathering, and economic opportunity,” said OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele. “This EPA grant is a crucial first step in transforming these lands into a safe, vibrant, and thriving space for all of Hawaiʻi and future generations.”

The $2M grant will allow OHA to conduct environmental assessments in three key target areas among the nine lots it owns. OHA’s long-term goal is to revitalize Kaka‘ako Makai into an economically sustainable community space that balances open recreation with thoughtful, mixed-use development, including a Hawaiian cultural center.

Expanded green space and improved public access to the shoreline are also key goals.

“Assessing what needs to happen next for these parcels to be ready for future use in service of the lāhui is now possible thanks to this grant,” said OHA Board Vice Chair Keoni Souza. “One day Kaka‘ako Makai will serve as a model for aina stewardship, while the mixed-use development will generate permanent employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth that will keep our Hawaiians on Hawaiian land.”

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