VA is opening doors for Native Hawaiian Veterans

After serving in the Army for 20 years, living in many locations around the world and then retiring from a second career in business management, Wailana Kamau’u’s dream was to return to his home of Waimea, Hawaii. Today, he is one of more than 550 Veterans and service members who have used the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program throughout the Native Hawaiian, Samoan and Marshall Island region.

The NADL program helps eligible Veterans and service members secure low-interest mortgage rate loans (currently 2.5%) and then stands by them each step of the way through purchase or construction.

As a Native Hawaiian, Kamau’u had previously secured land in Waimea through the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920, which set aside 200,000 acres of land for Native Hawaiians and offered 99-year leases on the land. But, while the land was waiting for him and his wife, Kathy, in this tropical paradise, building a home in one of the nation’s most expensive places seemed out of reach for the hopeful couple. In addition to the cost, they only found one mortgage company that would lend to those who wanted to buy or build a home on the Hawaiian Home Lands.

“Building a primary residence on the Department of Hawaiian Homes Land (DHHL), the Native American Direct Loan (NADL) program was critical in helping us bring our dream to fruition,” said Wailana.

“When we discovered NADL, we thought it was too good to be true,” Kathy added.

From loan pre-approval to construction completion

VA’s NADL team helps Veteran borrowers overcome obstacles, including getting water and electricity run to their newly built homes, or finding appraisers to assess homes they are seeking to purchase. The Kamau’u’s worked with the NADL team over a period of three years, from loan pre-approval through construction completion, and they finally opened the doors to their “28^th and last home” earlier this year.

“Our NADL loan officer, Craig Filbeck, was right there for us, from assisting with completing paperwork to ensuring our general contractor did the work before we paid him,” said Kathy. “He became a friend.”

With their home nestled in the mountainous region of the tropical island, the Kamau’u family added little touches to it, like built-in bookcases, a gourmet kitchen and a large family room to accommodate their 16 grandchildren, who love to visit them. They added environmentally sustainable features, like solar tubes and automatic blinds, as well. “We built this home to never leave,” said Kathy. “Every day, we wake up and say how much we love our home,” she added.

Who can use the NADL program?

In 1992, Congress passed Public Law 102-547, which established the NADL program. Unlike other VA home loan programs, VA directly funds these loans to help Native American Veterans and service members buy, build or refinance homes on Federal trust lands. Under the Native American Programs Act of 1974, “Native American” includes Native Hawaiian, Alaska Natives, Pacific Islanders, American Samoa and the people of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands and Guam.  

Generally, eligible Native American Veterans must belong to a federally recognized tribe that has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with VA.

VA NADL staff are actively working with many other Native American Veterans to help them secure the loans they need to buy and build their forever homes.

Learn more at the NADL website, or visit: https://www.va.gov/housing-assistance/home-loans/loan-types/native-american-direct-loan/.