WASHINGTON, D.C. -- United States Senator Daniel K. Inouye was personally assured by the Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Andrew Cuomo, that Hawaii's HUD Area Office will continue to be an autonomous fully staffed area office.

Senator Inouye said, "I am extremely grateful to Secretary Cuomo for his serious concern for the housing problems in the State of Hawaii."

Under HUD's "2020 Management Reform Plan," Hawaii's HUD Area Office was scheduled to become an "outpost" office, serving only as a conduit to HUD's regional offices in Santa Ana and San Francisco, California. All single family housing decisions would have been made from Santa Ana. There would be no one available in Hawaii to provide technical assistance to the public. All multi-family housing decisions would be made from San Francisco. There would be some Hawaii staff available to provide technical assistance to the public. In addition, the Hawaii Area Office's involvement in complex issues that are indigenous to Hawaii and the Pacific Region, i.e. leasehold, land reform, Native Hawaiian rights, ceded lands, and entitlements, would be curtailed.

"I am concerned that the services by HUD will severely diminish if major decisions are made on the mainland by individuals who have no knowledge or understanding of the unique and complex issues that are indigenous to Hawaii and the Pacific Region," said Senator Inouye.

After an exchange of communications and discussions with Secretary Cuomo, the Secretary agreed that the Hawaii Area Office should continue to be an autonomous fully staffed area office. Secretary Cuomo further assured Senator Inouye that the Hawaii Area Office will not only continue its full service operations, but will be provided with additional resources.