HCA is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency that helps low- and moderate-income Hawai’i families secure and sustain permanent, affordable housing with a particular focus on Native Hawaiians.
There are approximately 1,750 HUD housing counseling agencies in the United States, certified by HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) to deliver housing education and counseling services. HUD-certified housing counseling agencies are required to adhere to HUD compliance standards; including submission of quarterly client reports, training and certification of staff, adherence to established organizational policies and procedures, and administration of an annual HUD audit.
HCA has offices on Maui, O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island, and Kaua‘i. See our Contacts page address, phone, and email address information.
No. We serve all low- and moderate-income individuals and families living in Hawai‘i, and we are specialize in serving the housing needs of Native Hawaiians. Our philosophy is rooted in the Hawaiian concept of Kahua Waiwai – Foundation of Wealth – where the home is viewed as the kahua (foundation) and the spiritual, educational and financial assets of the family as the waiwai (wealth).
We provide Homebuyer Assistance and Homeowner Assistance programs and workshops
No. There is no cost to receive services from HCA through our Financial Opportunity Centers. We cover the costs of providing services using grants, contracts, donations, sale of our Kahua Waiwai© handbooks, and loan interest and fees generated through our community development financial institution – Hawaii Community Lending.
You can enroll in a Financial Opportunity Center by completing a client intake to access HCA’s free services. You can complete the client intake online, over the phone, or in-person. With a completed intake, you can enroll in one of our workshops. To qualify for one-on-one counseling, you will need to provide required financial documents. These documents will help HCA better serve you and your family and in determining your actual income to qualify you for grants, loans, and affordable mortgage programs.
You must complete a client intake and attend an 8-hour homebuyer workshop. The certificate will qualify you for free financial counseling which includes a credit report every 6 months as well as grants, loans, and affordable mortgage programs.
We are funded by grants, fee-for-service contracts, and donations. We also sustain our services by selling our Kahua Waiwai© handbooks and by training organizations on how to deliver financial education programs in their own communities using Kahua Waiwai©.
No. HCA is not a mortgage lender and cannot refinance home loans; however, our certified counselors present mortgage lending and refinancing options with mainstream financial institutions and, through our community development financial institution, Hawai’i Community Lending, can potentially package your mortgage loan.
We may have grants and loans that can assist you with obtaining a rental, purchasing a home, or keeping your home. We can also assist you in finding money in your existing budget. We do this by developing an affordable budget, identifying ways to build/improve credit, and enrolling you in our financial products and asset building services so you can build savings and take advantage of affordable housing opportunities.
