Office of Hawaiian Affairs

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) is a state agency governed by an elected board of trustees with a mandate to improve the well-being of Native Hawaiians through the administration of lands and funds held in trust. It funds programs in education, housing, health, economic development, and cultural preservation, and advocates for Native Hawaiian rights in legislative and legal forums. OHA manages the income from its ceded lands trust and directs those resources toward beneficiary programs.

Native Hawaiians are the direct beneficiaries of OHA's programs and trust assets; all Hawaii residents have a stake in how this constitutionally established agency manages its public trust obligations.