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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.

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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. Mahalo nunui!

Pathways of ʻĀina Protection

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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.

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Below is a list of hoʻoponopono practitioners on Kauaʻi who are willing to serve as a resource for ʻohana:​

  • J. Kauʻilani Kahalekai - Lihue (808) 652-1012  

  • Gwen Cardijon - Kekaha (808) 651-4749

  • Momi Kaiakapu - Hanapepe (808) 651-3811

  • Carol Lovell - Anahola (808) 635-1125

  • 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. 

  • Website: https://keoinc.org/services/mediation

  • Phone: (808) 245-4077, extension 234

  • Email: mediation@keoinc.org

  • Location: 2804 Wehe Road, Lihue, 96766

  • 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

  • Cost of session is on a sliding scale, based on income 

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The Mediation Center of the Pacific

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Dispute Prevention and Resolution Inc.

  • Website: https://dprhawaii.com/

  • Phone: (808) 523-1234

  • Location: 1003 Bishop St. Pauahi Tower Suite 1155. Honolulu, HI 96813

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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.

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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​.​

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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).

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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.

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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

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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/

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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/​​

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Samuel K.L. Suen

Estate Planning, Probate 

1575 South Beretania Street, Suite 205, Honolulu, Hawaii  96826  

Phone: (808) 282-4411

Website: www.sklslaw.com

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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

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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

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Sheryll Bonilla

Estate planning, Uncontested probate

Honolulu

Phone: (808) 670-6177

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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/​

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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

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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

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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

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545 Queen Street, Suite 100

Honolulu, Hawaii 96813

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Intake by phone: Call (808) 528-7046, Monday-Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm

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Intake in person: Monday-Thursday, 9:00am - 12:00pm

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General office number: (808) 528-7050

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Click to view VLSH Flyer

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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:

  • Partnering with a land trust or ʻāina organization to place a Conservation Easement on ancestral ʻāina

  • Forming a descendant-led nonprofit organization to hold and mālama ʻāina

  • 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

  • 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

  • Creating stewardship agreements with other owners, community partners, etc.

  • Partnering with an ʻāina organization to host community work days and educational programs on ʻāina

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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.

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Below are issues that can be addressed with legal expertise:​

  • Clearing title (probate, quiet title)

  • Partition action defense

  • Enforcing trust obligations (Lands Trust, Hawaiian Home Lands)

  • DHHL leases

  • Protecting traditional and customary practices

  • Kuleana land rights

  • Water rights

  • Access rights

  • Easements

  • Iwi kūpuna/Burial protection

  • 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​

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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.

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Below are basic steps for researching your genealogy and more detailed videos from our partners at Huliauapaʻa.

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I. From any search engine, type in www.ulukau.org

  • Click on Māhele Database, search by Name/Claimant

  • Browsing the collection, click on Kauai, click on moku, LCA, etc

  • Can search by claimant name

II. From any search engine, type in www.familysearch.org

  •  This is a free site. Create a user name and password.

  • Click on Records, type in any name

  • Click on Family Tree, type in any name

  • Go to Catalogue, type in Hawaii, scroll down to Voting Register 1887

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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.

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For an explanation of all tax exemption options and downloadable applications, visit: https://www.kauai.gov/Government/Departments-Agencies/Finance/Real-Property-Tax/Assessment

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Kuleana Land Tax Exemption

Resources  for Homeowners

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Hawaiʻi Community Lending offers a Homeowner Assistance Fund (closing May 1, 2024). Click on the flyer for details or visit https://hawaiicommunitylending.com/haf/

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Hawaiian Community Assets offers homebuyer and homeowner assistance, as well as financial counseling services. Visit https://hawaiiancommunity.net/

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