Success Stories
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Testimonials
"Nānākuli Housing Corporation (NHC) gave our ʻohana awareness in completing our home repairs. The classes were empowering in that we could do our own repairs and help ourselves. As a Kahu, I see and hear many stories from families in our community that need repair and renovation work on their homes but are caught between a rock and a hard place. NHC was a Godsend. They are meeting the needs in our community one family at a time."
-Kahu Victor and Angela Kila Homestead of Princess Kahanu-Nanakuli
VIDEO: Watch this emotional testimonial by Kathleen & William Kauhola - NHC Program Participants
KAWELO COTTAGE-NANAKULI HOUSING BLESSING
Councilmember Pine joined Governor Neil Abercrombie and Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair Jobie Masagatani joined the Nānākuli Housing Corporation (NHC) on April 24, 2013 to break ground on the first “Kawelo Cottage” built for Dustin & Sheena Barrett on their Hawaiian homestead in Nānākuli, O’ahu.
"Aloha,
My name is Lisa Ann Machado, I reside in Papakolea, and two years ago, I was having a difficult time building our family home. I didn’t have the knowledge to go forward in my dreams until I met those wonderful people at Nānākuli Housing Corporation. I call them my “Angels” when someone comes over to our new home! They have helped me in finishing my paperwork, gave me confidence, and determination when all else failed to finish my dream home! Nānākuli Housing and their staff have also given me the knowledge thru their school to repair, paint, and even do my own wood flooring throughout my entire home. I’ve also repaired my kitchen faucet by myself. I only have good things to say of them and recommend this program to ‘ohana and friends that are going to build on their homestead land. We need to have this program for our “Hawaiian People” to succeed in their dreams and to have the grants that help us in time of need. I’ve been there."
-Lisa Machado Homestead of Papakolea
"NHC has been a rich resource of information for my ʻohana and me as we began to plan for our hale. They had experienced teachers in various trades from workplace safety to electrical wiring and everything in between, preparing us for the steps involved in constructing a new home. NHC staff and trainers where always pleasant and helpful with any questions we had. Living on Homestead in Papakolea where the terrain is steep, preparing our lot for construction was not an easy task. NHC provided a grant that helped with the demolition and preparation of our lot, this along with our own funds help alleviate an otherwise stressful situation. It’s been two years since I have attended the workshops held by NHC and they still follow-up with me to see how I’m doing letting me know that I call them whenever I have any questions. The staff at NHC and all involved is to be commended for a job well done."
-John Kaneakua
and ʻohana Homestead of Papakolea
"Nānākuli Housing Corporation is a good program that families can benefit from because the program educates families with little or no knowledge on how to repair and maintain their home. I learned so much and the information was up to date. We had an onsite workshop at our home and families in the program came and worked together to repair the flooring to our porch. Mahalo."
-Spencer,
Sr. ʻohana Homestead of Nānākuli
"Aloha,
My husband and I attended workshops at Nānākuli Housing Corporation back in November and December of 2007. We were given a ko’oko’o. I am happy to say that we still have our koʻokoʻo and it will be put up in our home shortly. We started our action plan in January 2008. It was challenging and still to this day it is challenging, but we have successfully purchased a home in Waianae. Along with our family, we did renovations during the month of June and officially moved in on July 1, 2009. I wanted to take this time to thank NHC. Attending those homeownership financial literacy workshops was a blessing for my husband and I. It helped us to see things in a different perspective. The knowledge that was given to us helped us to make better choices and positively changed our mindset. I hope that NHC will continue to help other native Hawaiian families to become homeowners. I know that my family and I still have a lot to learn and a long road ahead of us. "
-The Telles Family
"Aloha,
I just wanted to thank Nānākuli Housing Corporation, its’ workers and volunteers for the great program you offered to the families on Hawaiian Home Lands. If we hadn’t heard about your great program, I would have not known how we would afford to make room in our house for my new granddaughter. Because of the home repair and maintenance classes and the timely delivery of materials supplied by NHC, we were able to build an extension to my daughter’s bedroom. We have so many in one house getting enough hot water was a big problem. We had a 40-gallon tank and our electric bill was in the $700.00 range. Thank God for a special grant that NHC received for solar systems, which my family and others in the same situation had installed. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. As I drive around my community I notice that so many homes are in need of repair. Like our family, they probably can’t get home improvement loans or don’t know how to make the improvements themselves."
-Rozena and Abraham Nuʻuanu
"NHC helped our family a lot with doors, screens and windows. They provided us with materials for our repairs, and we are so very grateful and appreciate what NHC has done for our family. We met so many wonderful families in the program and the sharing of knowledge was beneficial."
-Duarte ʻohana Homestead of Nānākuli
"Aloha!
My name is Ilima Ho-Lastimosa. I am a resident of the Waimanalo Homestead. Nānākuli Housing Corporation has given me the training, skills and opportunity to better my quality of life. I graduated from their Self-Help Home Repair Program, and was fortunate to be chosen to participate in their new program, Kukulu I Na Hale ʻOhana Makepono, Building Family Homes Affordably. I appreciate all that Nānākuli Housing Corporation has done for my family and me, and for the Hawaiian community at large, because we ALL should OWN our own home! MAHALO PIHA to all the great staff at Nānākuli Housing Corporation for the many blessings and opportunities they have given to me!"
-Ilima Ho-Lastimosa Homestead of Waimanalo