"Kukulu I Na Hale 'Ohana Makepono"
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About Us
Nānākuli Housing Corporation (NHC) began in 1989 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization created by Homestead residents in response to homes, and a community, which had fallen into disrepair. From 1990 to 1996, NHC delivered more than $400,000 in low interest home repair loans, created neighborhood clean-up campaigns focusing on home improvements and participated in one of the first visioning session on the Waiʻanae Coast.
The vision emanating from Nānākuli continued to grow and in 1999, NHC enlisted the help of financial institutions, community organizations, and government agencies, including the Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL), and launched program(s) to educate DHHL land awardees on the islands of Oʻahu, Hawai’i and Maui about homeownership. Programming diversified in 2003, as an Empower Oʻahu grant allowed NHC to partner with the Pacific Gateway Center and train 13 low to moderate income individuals to begin their own handyman business. Many of those individuals have since become employed by the carpenter’s union and two continue to pursue the businesses they established as a part of the program.
Since then NHC has expanded and partnered with various community and government agencies to provide culturally based services on financial literacy, homebuyer education, owner/builder process, credit repair, mortgage preparedness, wealth building, self-help home repair, affordable home replacement, new and used building/housing materials, foreclosure prevention and default counseling.
"Our Vision is that every Native Hawaiian family will have a home."
Our logo
The spirit and philosophy of our organization is embodied in the image of the kukui or candlenut, an important resource for the Hawaiian people. The kukui nut produces a rich oil used to provide light and is symbolic of knowledge and enlightenment. The meat of the kukui is cooked and used to prepare the relish ʻinamona, a source of sustenance. Nānākuli Housing Corporation strives to be a source of knowledge and enlightenment for our people. We seek to provide sustenance to serve and guide the generations of today and tomorrow.
Ko Kākou Waiwai
OUR VALUES
At Nānākuli Housing Corporation we:
Honor and respect our people, nurture their capacity to help themselves, recognize their strengths and seek their manaʻo on major decisions.
Strive to learn about honor, teach, and model our cultural values in every aspect of our work.
Embrace the principles of hoʻolaulima (working together), lōkahi (harmony/unity), aloha (love), hōʻihi (respect), haʻahaʻa (humility), ʻohana (family), and hoʻoponopono (setting things right).
Continue to build alliances in the best interests of our people and our community.
Continuously review and monitor our operations to ensure we are making best use of opportunities and resources.
Will be responsible and accountable.
Expect honesty and integrity from all who join our ʻohana.
Nānākuli Housing Corporation (NHC)
Meet our Team:
Paige Kapiolani Barber,
Executive Director
Aloha
Everyday I look forward to working in support of our vision, that every Hawaiian family will have their own home. The work has been hard, the challenges many, but the rewards have been plentiful as well. I am inspired, each and every day to work on behalf of our families.
All of us here at Nanakuli Housing Corporation (NHC ) remain deeply committed to continue the work started by my mother Paige. While we miss the bright and shining light of her presence, we are blessed by her example and her foresight. In keeping with her spirit of always striving to do more, my goals for NHC is to continue to build a better organization through the development and delivery of programs that address our vision of Hawaiian families building their personal assets through home ownership; generating sources of sustaining funds through our programs including Baseyard Hawaii; and forging partnerships with other organizations who share our vision and mission.
Thank you for continuing to stand by us and for all of your mana’o and kokua.
In closing, I would like to leave you with a quote from my mother, Paige Kawelo Barber, taken from a letter she wrote when she was first diagnosed with leukemia in 2005.
"Each day is truly precious. Let us all do good, love more and stay focused on how we can make all of Hawaii’s people stronger… self-reliant but giving… and at peace with one another. May we never lose sight of our goal that one day every native Hawaiian family will have a home of their own."
‘Owau nõ me ka ‘oia’i'o
(I am sincerely)
Marlene Among,
Program Director,
is a native Hawaiian and has been with NHC since 2004. She has over 30 years of experience in the private and non-profit sector. Mrs. Among has been key to our program development and delivery by creating all of NHC's training manuals and tracking models in order to generate accurate reports to NHC's partners and sponsors.
Clarence Kalima,
Contractor-HUD
Certified Housing Counselor,
is a native Hawaiian and has been with NHC since 2009 and has over 18 years experience in finance and banking. He is responsible for assisting 'ohana with attaining short and long term financial goals and conducts training in financial management strategies and foreclosure prevention.
Eugene Kawelo,
Contractor,
is a native Hawaiian and Waianae Homesteader who has been with NHC since 2005. Mr. Kawelo has 35 years of construction experience and is a licensed General Contractor with the State of Hawai'i and is retired from the U.S. Navy. The success of our Self-Help Home and Repair class can be attributed to Mr. Kawelo's expertise and his invaluable work with all of our NHC families.
Jessica Raimondi,
Fiscal Officer,
has been with NHC since 2015 and has over 10 years experience with fiscal and grants management for the private and non-profit sectors. She is responsible for the budget and expenditures of NHC's programs. She also supports the training efforts for our financial literacy and homeownership programs.
