Kali Watson Is Stepping Down As Hawaiian Home Lands Director

Kali Watson will not seek reappointment at the end of this year as director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and chair of the Hawaiian Homes Commission, state officials announced Friday. Appointed by Gov. Josh Green in 2023, Watson was responsible for overseeing the development of thousands of homes and the implementation of a $600 million state settlement with DHHL. He previously served as chair from 1995 to 1998 under Gov. Ben Cayetano. Under Watson’s leadership, the DHHL offered more than 5,300 leases. The department projects the offering of nearly 4,900 leases in 2027. “That is some of the most important work we’ve done in our first term and Kali helped make it happen,” Governor Green said in the DHHL release Friday. DHHL is tasked with administering a 100-year-old federal law guaranteeing land to Hawaiians who can prove a 50% blood quantum. Nearly 30,000 people are on its ever-growing waitlist. The department was recently sued over its blood quantum requirements.

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