Civil Beat has asked candidates for the Hawaiʻi General Election on Nov. 3 to answer a survey about where they stand on various issues and what their priorities will be if elected.

The following comes from Shelby Billionaire, nonpartisan candidate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs at-large trustee.

His opponents are Adrian Kealiʻi Akina, Ikaika Anderson, Karl Baker, Jackie Burke, Michelle Costello, Kanekoa Crabbe, Brickwood Galuteria, Clifford Kauaula, Brendon Kalei’āina Lee, Philip Martin, Ronald Nihipali, Kalena Parish, Keoni Souza and John Waiheʻe IV.

Go to Civil Beat’s 2026 Elections Guide for general information, and check out the other candidates on Civil Beatʻs 2026 Hawaiʻi Primary Ballot.

Why are you best suited for the job of OHA trustee? And why do you want the job?

I bring fiscal discipline, systems thinking and community-first leadership. I focus on cost of living, housing and economic self-sufficiency for Native Hawaiians. I want this role to ensure OHA resources directly improve real outcomes: housing stability, economic opportunity, cultural preservation and long-term sovereignty through practical governance.

What do you see as the most pressing problem facing Native Hawaiians, and what is the first thing you would do to address it in the first six months after being elected?

The most urgent issue is the erosion of housing stability and cost of living pressure. First six months: expand housing access pipelines, strengthen DHHL coordination and redirect OHA resources toward immediate housing, food security and workforce programs while accelerating land-based economic development.

Here’s a question from a constituent: What are your plans to economically uplift more Hawaiians? Protect the ʻāina?

Expand Native Hawaiian entrepreneurship, workforce training and land-based enterprises (agriculture, aquaculture, clean energy). Protect ʻāina by prioritizing stewardship over extraction, supporting conservation partnerships and funding community-led restoration tied to economic opportunity.

OHA Trustees received a salary increase of 62% last June. Do you support the raise, and what will you do to ensure you are worth the money?

I support fair compensation aligned with responsibility, but it must be justified through measurable outcomes. I would ensure accountability through transparent reporting, performance benchmarks and prioritizing beneficiary impact over administrative expansion.

What should OHA advocate for as negotiations continue over Army training land leases?

OHA should demand fair compensation, environmental safeguards and cultural protections. Prioritize reduced training impact, expanded access where safe and reinvestment of lease revenues into housing, health and land restoration for Native Hawaiians.

OHA dropped two lawsuits last year over Mauna Kea and decided that those resources would be directed to stewardship of that mountain. What types of activities or programs should those funds support?

Funds should support cultural stewardship, environmental restoration, education and Native Hawaiian-led science and training programs. Prioritize healing impacts, restoring trust, and ensuring long-term mountain protection and cultural continuity.

A new 12-member authority that includes members of the protest movement who opposed the TMT, as well as astronomers is set to take over stewardship of Mauna Kea by 2029. Could the new management structure help resolve long-standing disputes? And how do you see OHA working with entities that have interests in Mauna Kea, including major landowners at lower elevations?

Yes, if it includes real shared governance power for Native Hawaiians. OHA should ensure accountability, cultural authority and environmental protection while engaging constructively with astronomy, landowners and local communities to reduce conflict and increase stewardship balance.

For decades, OHA believes the state has shortchanged its beneficiaries on payments from the use of public lands. The Legislature has cleared a way for a working group to determine an annual amount of revenue due to OHA. What do you want to see come out of that process? And what should OHA allocate any additional revenues toward?

I want full, fair compensation reflecting historic underpayment, with transparency and legal clarity. Additional revenues should go directly to housing, healthcare, education and land-based economic development benefiting Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.

OHA has attempted to develop residential towers in Kakaʻako Makai. However, those efforts have been repeatedly rejected by the Legislature, stalling any development for the last 20 years. How should OHA move forward on lands it owns in this area?

Move forward with community-centered development prioritizing affordable housing, mixed-use spaces and cultural preservation. Ensure projects are not stalled by politics but are aligned with beneficiary needs, legal authority and long-term economic return for OHA.

Last year, the Hawaiʻi Supreme Court ruled that OHA trustees are subject to the state ethics code that governs the conduct of state employees and is intended to prevent things like nepotism, fraud and conflicts of interest. How would you, as a trustee, uphold the ethics code and ensure transparency at OHA?

Strict compliance with state ethics code, full financial disclosure, open decision-making and independent audits. I would strengthen internal ethics training and ensure all OHA actions prioritize beneficiaries over personal or political interest.

There has often been tension between the Board of Trustees and OHA administrators. In just the latest example, the current chief executive officer has sued the board. What can be done to ease those tensions between administrators and trustees?

Clarify governance roles, improve communication protocols and establish structured conflict resolution processes. Align trustees and administration around shared performance goals focused on beneficiary outcomes rather than institutional politics.

Are there ways for the office to work more collaboratively with the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to address the housing shortage for Native Hawaiians?

Strengthen joint land development, shared infrastructure planning and coordinated housing pipelines. Align funding and policy to accelerate housing delivery for Native Hawaiians through faster approvals, shared data and co-developed projects.