A Lesson That Guides HCDA
One of the most valuable lessons in the Hawaiʻi Community Development Authority’s (HCDA) nearly 50-year history came from listening.
As HCDA expanded beyond its original role in revitalizing Kakaʻako, it has taken on communities with very different histories, priorities and visions for the future. From transit-oriented development (TOD) and Pūlehunui, to Banyan Drive and Hālawa, listening to the people who know and care for these places has become an important part of how HCDA approaches community development.
That lesson took root in Heʻeia.
In 2011, the Legislature established the Heʻeia Community Development District, bringing approximately 400 acres of wetlands on Windward Oʻahu under HCDA’s oversight. Unlike the urban landscape of Kakaʻako, Heʻeia called for an approach centered on agricultural preservation, wetland restoration and the continuation of traditional Hawaiian practices.
HCDA recognized that supporting Heʻeia’s future would require local knowledge and strong community partnerships. The agency partnered with Kākoʻo ʻŌiwi, a community-based nonprofit dedicated to cultural restoration and sustainable agriculture. Together, they have supported efforts to restore wetlands, revitalize loʻi kalo (taro patches) and develop infrastructure that supports agriculture while respecting the land and its cultural significance.
Heʻeia demonstrated that community development is not a one-size-fits-all process. Each community has its own history, needs and aspirations; meaningful development begins by understanding them.
That experience became a valuable lesson for HCDA as its responsibilities expanded. The agency’s work today encompasses a broader range of communities and challenges, from housing and infrastructure to cultural preservation, agriculture and climate resilience.
As HCDA approaches its 50th anniversary, Heʻeia remains an important part of its story, a place that helped shape not only what the agency does, but how it listens, partners and works with communities to plan for the future.
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