We are MAHA

The Molokaʻi Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA) is a grassroots, community-powered organization dedicated to uplifting the Native Hawaiian homesteaders of Naiwa and supporting families across Molokaʻi. Rooted in aloha, laulima, and mālama ʻāina, we work to create pathways to dignity, stability, and opportunity through affordable housing, agricultural development, and empowerment programs.

We are guided by the belief that every ʻohana deserves the chance to thrive on their homestead lands and to build a strong foundation for future generations.

OUR MISSION

OUR MISSION

Our mission is to uplift Molokaʻi’s homestead ʻohana by providing accessible, high-quality affordable housing solutions, increasing access to nutritious foods, and delivering construction and agricultural training programs that strengthen economic stability. Through values of aloha, resilience, and community stewardship, we empower families to live with dignity, purpose, and long-term security on their ʻāina.

Our Work

MAHA’s efforts are focused on addressing the urgent needs of Native Hawaiian homesteaders and low- to moderate-income families facing housing instability and food insecurity. Our key initiatives include:

  • Supporting homesteaders with land clearing, agricultural education, resource access, and food security strategies rooted in mālama ʻāina.

  • Providing kupuna with safe, dignified, affordable housing through custom-designed tiny homes paired with garden space and essential support.

  • Offering hands-on instruction that builds skills, mobilizes residents toward greater economic opportunities, and strengthens community resilience.

  • With support from organizations such as the Naiwa Agricultural Subdivision Alliance, Hawaiʻi Peoples Fund, Hawaiʻi Women’s Fund, Re-Use Hawaiʻi, Hawaiʻi Community Lending, Nareit Hawaiʻi, Operation Tiny Home, Makaha Learning Center, and KUPU Hawaiʻi, MAHA continues to advance vital projects that uplift and empower the Naiwa community.

  • This project, led by IEEE, aims to improve energy equity for Molokai Native Hawaiian homesteaders through innovative nano-grids. By utilizing renewable energy technologies, it provides reliable and affordable energy solutions to underserved communities. The initiative empowers residents to control their energy needs, reduces costs, and enhances their quality of life. Through community engagement and collaboration, this project serves as a model for sustainable energy solutions that can be replicated in similar regions.

Nā Kānaka Behind the Work

  • Liliana Napoleon

    Volunteer MAHA President

    As MAHA’s Volunteer President, Liliana leads with clarity, compassion, and kuleana. Her work spans homestead advocacy, business leadership, and empowering local ʻohana through education and opportunity.

  • Lanre Kekoa

    Volunteer MAHA Director

    Lanre brings the heart of the community into MAHA’s mission. As a domestic violence advocate and proud Molokaʻi resident, she works to ensure every family feels seen, safe, and supported.

  • Kevin Napoleon

    Volunteer MAHA Secretary

    With deep ancestral ties to Naiwa, Kevin lends cultural grounding and commitment to MAHA’s vision for stability, dignity, and growth for homestead families.

Our volunteer board is made up entirely of Native Hawaiian homesteaders and community advocates from Molokaʻi. Each member carries firsthand experience of the challenges faced in Naiwa—limited infrastructure, generational burden, and the shared desire to provide a better life for their keiki and ʻohana. Together, they embody the values of aloha, kuleana, and resilience as they guide MAHA’s mission.