RESOURCES
For ʻohana
Below is our living library of land protection resources, which we update regularly.
You can click on a specific topic below (see six tiles) or scroll through all sections.
We know that all of this information can be overwhelming. Often, ʻohana aren't sure where to start. If you'd like to talk story with our team about your situation, we can help you find a starting point and offer suggestions for next steps. You can message us through our Contact Form at the bottom of the webpage or send an email to admin@kipukakuleana.org.
Pathways of ʻĀina Protection
Hoʻoponopono & Mediation
Bring ʻohana members together to share their connections to ʻāina and talk about pono decisions for protecting ʻāina
Hoʻoponopono is a process that can help guide ʻohana through discussions to find pono, heal and articulate goals and vision for their ʻohana ʻāina.
Below is a list of hoʻoponopono practitioners on Kauaʻi who are willing to serve as a resource for ʻohana:
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J. Kauʻilani Kahalekai - Lihue (808) 652-1012
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Gwen Cardijon - Kekaha (808) 651-4749
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Momi Kaiakapu - Hanapepe (808) 651-3811
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Carol Lovell - Anahola (808) 635-1125
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Ginger Saiki - Hoʻola Lahui (808) 651-3205
Mediation is another option for bringing ʻohana together with a trained facilitator to resolve conflict or disagreements related to ʻāina. Two resources for mediation services are:
Kauai Economic Opportunity (KEO), Inc.
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Phone: (808) 245-4077, extension 234
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Email: mediation@keoinc.org
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Location: 2804 Wehe Road, Lihue, 96766
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Offer mediation and group facilitation sessions that can last up to three hours and are usually held on ʻohana ʻāina, a neutral location or at KEO
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Cost of session is on a sliding scale, based on income
The Mediation Center of the Pacific
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Call (808) 521-6767 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and ask for the Client Services Department
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Email: mcp@mediatehawaii.org
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Location: 1301 Young Street, 2nd Floor. Honolulu, Hawaii 96814
Dispute Prevention and Resolution Inc.
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Website: https://dprhawaii.com/
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Phone: (808) 523-1234
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Location: 1003 Bishop St. Pauahi Tower Suite 1155. Honolulu, HI 96813
Estate & Trust Planning
Plan for long-term protection of and care for ʻohana ʻāina across generations using legal tools
Trust and estate planning is one pathway for keeping land in the family. You can learn more about options for wills, trusts and other tools in the Hawaii Estate Planning Resources handout and online.
Family Land Trust Model
For lands owned by multiple family members, formation of a family land trust may be a proactive option for keeping land in the family for generations to come. A family land trust can be flexible and tailored to each ʻohana's unique needs. For more information, see our Family Land Trust handout. Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation (NHLC) provides this service. Their info: (808) 521-2302 www.nativehawaiianlegalcorp.org.
Probate
Probate is a legal process that deals with the assets and debts left behind after someone passes away. We have indicated in the list below probate attorneys who are accepting new clients, open to working with Kauaʻi ʻohana, and offer services for informal probate (also called "standard" or "uncontested" probate) and formal probate (contested, involving litigation).
Referrals
Below is a non-comprehensive list of estate and trust planning attorneys who can help determine which legal tools are best for your ʻohana's goals.
Cynthia Hannah-White and Katherine A. Caswell | Kauai Estate Law LLLC Estate Planning, Estate and Trust Administration
4334 Rice Street, Suite 203, Lihue, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 245-9991
Email: info@kauaiestatelaw.com
Website: http://www.kauaiestatelaw.com
Dawn Murata | Law Office of Dawn N. Murata LLLC
Estate Planning, Trust Administration, Probate, Contracts, Real Estate
2970 Kele Street, Suite 205, Lihue, HI 96766
Phone: (808) 245-4572
Website: https://www.kauailawesq.com/
Michael D. Scarbo (Kauaʻi-based) | McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon ("M4") LLP
Estate Planning, Uncontested Probate
Five Waterfront Plaza, 4th Floor, 500 Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone: (808) 529-7300
Email: Joy Clemente (jmc@m4law.com) and Vera Tabe (vtabe@m4law.com)
Website: https://www.m4law.com/
Samuel K.L. Suen
Estate Planning, Probate
1575 South Beretania Street, Suite 205, Honolulu, Hawaii 96826
Phone: (808) 282-4411
Website: www.sklslaw.com
Okura & Associates
Estate Planning, Probate
Oʻahu office: Interstate Building, Suite 760, 1314 South King St. Honolulu, HI 96814. (808) 593-8885
Hawaiʻi Island office: 155 Wailuluku Drive, Hilo, HI 96720. (808) 935-3344
For probate inquiries: Call the Probate Line (808) 937 9510 and fill out their question form to receive a quote.
Website: www.okuralaw.com
Yuka Hongo
Estate Planning, Probate
2155 Kalakaua Ave #410, Honolulu, HI 96815
Fluent in Japanese and English
Phone: (808) 204-4700
Website: www.hongolaw.com
Sheryll Bonilla
Estate planning, Uncontested probate
Honolulu
Phone: (808) 670-6177
Sterling & Tucker, LLP | Kanani M. Makaimoku
Estate Planning
Oʻahu office: 201 Merchant Street, Suite 950. Honolulu, HI 96813. (808) 531-5391
Maui office: 2158 Main Street. Suite 109. Wailuku, HI 96793. (800) 807-3820
Hawaiʻi Island office: 614 Kilauea Avenue Suite 8 (first floor). Hilo, HI 96720. (800) 807-3820
Website: https://www.sterlingandtucker.com/contact-us/
Law Office of Keoni Souza, LLC | Keoni Souza
Family Estate Planning, Planning for Children, Special Needs Planning, Asset Protection Planning, Estate Tax Protection Planning
Monday - Friday: 9 am - 5 pm, by appointment only.
Services are provided exclusively online.
1188 Bishop Street, Suite 2706, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: (808) 725-3456
Email: team@keonisouzalaw.com
Website: https://www.keonisouzalaw.com
Volunteer Legal Services Hawaii (VLSH) www.vlsh.org
Providing free legal services to those whose household incomes are at or below 250% of the Federal Poverty Level for the State of Hawaii.
Call Intake 528-7046 to qualify for services
Divorce, Child Custody/Visitation, Child Support, Guardianship of a Minor, Adoptions, Adult Guardianship, Veterans Disability Benefits, Private Landlord/Tenant, Collections, Small Claims, Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Estate Planning: Power of Attorney, Advanced Health Care Directive & Wills
545 Queen Street, Suite 100
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Intake by phone: Call (808) 528-7046, Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm
Intake in person: Monday-Thursday, 9:00am - 12:00pm
General office number: (808) 528-7050
Conservation Tools
Blend Western conservation tools with Hawaiian values to protect and care for ʻohana ʻāina with community kākoʻo.
Some examples of conservation strategies that ʻohana can use to protect and mālama ʻāina include:
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Partnering with a land trust or ʻāina organization to place a Conservation Easement on ancestral ʻāina
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Forming a descendant-led nonprofit organization to hold and mālama ʻāina
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Working with a land trust to identify a conservation buyer to acquire and protect your ʻāina, as you work to buy it back over time
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Partnering with a land trust to purchase and protect your ʻāina, ensuring that it is not sold on the open market and that it may be a community gathering place and piko for ʻohana
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Creating stewardship agreements with other owners, community partners, etc.
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Partnering with an ʻāina organization to host community work days and educational programs on ʻāina
If you have questions about what conservation strategies could work for your ʻohana ʻāina, please reach out to us through our contact form. We are always happy to connect you to our partners at other conservation organizations like The Trust for Public Land and Hawaiʻi Land Trust who may be aligned with your goals.
Legal Services
Navigate title, access and other challenges related to your ʻāina with support from legal experts
Challenges tied to ancestral ʻāina in Hawaiʻi can feel overwhelming and difficult to navigate, especially when numerous owners are involved. Many of these ʻāina issues stem from historical and ongoing colonization in Hawaiian communities. Increasingly, we are seeing landowners take legal action (e.g., quiet title and partition action lawsuits) that dispossesses long-time families of their ancestral lands. Kīpuka Kuleana is not a legal service provider; however, we support ʻohana who are unified in their vision to protect ʻāina and connect them to legal service providers who can support their goals.
Below are issues that can be addressed with legal expertise:
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Clearing title (probate, quiet title)
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Partition action defense
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Enforcing trust obligations (Lands Trust, Hawaiian Home Lands)
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DHHL leases
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Protecting traditional and customary practices
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Kuleana land rights
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Water rights
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Access rights
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Easements
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Iwi kūpuna/Burial protection
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Subdivision and consolidation of lands
Referrals:
Native Hawaiian Legal Corporation (NHLC)
1164 Bishop Street. Suite 1205 Honolulu, HI 96813
info@nlchi.org 808-521-2302 www.nativehawaiianlegalcorp.org
Genealogy
Learn about your ancestry and proactive measures to protect iwi kūpuna
In 2023, we launched a series of moʻokūʻauhau (genealogy) workshops guided by volunteer genealogist Uncle Milton Ching that offered personalized genealogy research services to ʻohana working to keep their lands. We hope to resume these small group workshops in the fall of 2024.
Below are basic steps for researching your genealogy and more detailed videos from our partners at Huliauapaʻa.
I. From any search engine, type in www.ulukau.org
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Click on Māhele Database, search by Name/Claimant
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Browsing the collection, click on Kauai, click on moku, LCA, etc
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Can search by claimant name
II. From any search engine, type in www.familysearch.org
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This is a free site. Create a user name and password.
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Click on Records, type in any name
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Click on Family Tree, type in any name
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Go to Catalogue, type in Hawaii, scroll down to Voting Register 1887
Financial Resources
Stay rooted to ʻāina amidst escalating land values on Kauaʻi
Tax Relief
There are several tax relief options for homeowners on Kauaʻi. In addition, homeowners can set up a payment plan with the tax office if they need to address backtaxes.
Contact the Real Property Assessment office and they can guide you through options: (808) 241-4224
Location: 4444 Rice Street, Suite A-454 Līhu‘e, Hawai‘i 96766
Front Counter Hours: 8am - 4pm (Mon-Fri, except for Holidays)
The deadline for filing tax exemption applications applied to the next year is September 30.
For an explanation of all tax exemption options and downloadable applications, visit: https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Finance/Real-Property-Tax/Assessment
Kuleana Land Tax Exemption
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Minimum property tax rate ($150/year)
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Only 20 ʻohana on Kauaʻi receive this exemption (as of 2023)
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Contact us (admin@kipukakuleana.org) if you need genealogy assistance
Home Exemption
Disability Exemption
Disabled Veteran Exemption
Resources for Homeowners
Hawaiʻi Community Lending offers a Homeowner Assistance Fund (closing May 1, 2024). Click on the flyer for details or visit https://hawaiicommunitylending.com/haf/
Hawaiian Community Assets offers homebuyer and homeowner assistance, as well as financial counseling services. Visit https://hawaiiancommunity.net/