HAWAI‘I RELIEF PROGRAM FAQs – SUPPORT FOR HOUSING AND UTILITY PAYMENTS

Posted on Oct 29, 2025 in Main

HAWAI‘I RELIEF PROGRAM FAQs – SUPPORT FOR HOUSING AND UTILITY PAYMENTS

  1. What is the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  2. What type of help can a family receive through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  3. What is considered a “family” for the purposes of the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  4. What are the eligibility criteria for the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  5. What are the income limits to qualify for payments through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  6. What is considered a “financial crisis” or an “episode of financial need” for the purposes of the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  7. Does a family need to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, financial assistance, or other types of government assistance to qualify for the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  8. How can a family apply for housing or utility payments?
  9. Is a family able to apply for both the housing and utility payments?
  10. How will an eligible family receive housing and utility payments?
  11. Who is administering the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?
  12. How can a family get more information about the housing and utility payments and the Hawaiʻi Relief Program? 

 

  1. What is the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

The Hawaiʻi Relief Program is a new statewide program that provides non-recurring short-term housing and utility payments to help families with dependent children who are in financial crisis, or are experiencing an episode of financial need resulting from an unexpected event such as involuntary loss of employment, natural disaster, displacement from a damaged home, or involuntary reduction in earnings or financial resource.

Pursuant to the Governor’s Emergency Proclamation Relating to Homelessness, the Hawaiʻi Relief Program is another initiative developed by the Department of Human Services in an effort to help homeless families secure and maintain stable housing — and to prevent families from becoming homeless.

 

  1. What type of help can a family receive through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

An eligible family may receive help with the following:

  • One-time housing deposit, actual cost up to a maximum of $6,000
  • Housing payments, actual cost up to the maximum of $6,000, for up to four months
  • One-time utility deposit, actual cost up to $3,000 for each utility source (electricity, water, gas)
  • Utility payments, actual cost up to the maximum of $2,000, for up to four months

 

  1. What is considered a “family” for the purposes of the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

A “family” includes an adult specified relative, (e.g., natural and adoptive parents, stepparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc.), who resides with a dependent child under the age of 18 years, for whom they provide care and parental control. A family may also be a pregnant woman without a dependent child, who is in the third trimester of pregnancy.

 

  1. What are the eligibility criteria for the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

The Hawaiʻi Relief Program is targeted at assisting families who are experiencing an episode of financial need or are in financial crisis and need help with housing or utility costs. A family may be eligible if:

  • The family includes an adult specified relative and a dependent child under the age of 18 years, residing in the same household, or a pregnant woman without a dependent child who is in the third trimester of pregnancy;
  • All family members are residents of Hawaiʻi;
  • There is at least one family member who is a U.S. citizen; a qualified non-citizen; or is a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau and is lawfully residing in the Hawaiʻi under the Compacts of Free Association (COFA);
  • The family’s total gross income is below the eligibility guidelines for the program (see question #5 below);
  • The family demonstrates an episode of need or financial crisis; and
  • The family has not received other housing or utility payment assistance that may duplicate the payments provided through the Hawaiʻi Relief program.

 

  1. What are the income limits to qualify for payments through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

To be eligible for the housing and utility payments through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program, a family’s total gross income must be at or under 300% of the 2025 Hawaiʻi Federal Poverty level for the applicable family size.

 

Family Size Annual Monthly Family Size Annual Monthly
1 $53,970 $4,497 7 $167,910 $13,992
2 $72,960 $6,080 8 $186,900 $15,575
3 $91,950 $7,662 9 $205,890 $17,157
4 $110,940 $9,245 10 $224,880 $18,740
5 $129,930 $10,827 For each additional $18,990 $1,582
6 $148,920 $12,410 Family member

 

  1. What is considered a “financial crisis” or an “episode of need” for the purposes of the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

A “financial crisis” or an “episode of financial need” is when a family has an impending eviction or disconnection of a utility source because they are in arrears with their housing or utility payments or are currently homeless. The financial crisis or episode of financial need may have resulted from an unexpected event that caused the family’s financial instability. Examples of an “unexpected event” may include, but are not limited to:

  • Involuntary loss of employment (e.g., layoff, reduction in workforce, etc.)
  • Involuntary loss of income (e.g., furlough, reduction in work hours by employer, work-related injury, etc.)
  • Medical emergencies (e.g., unforeseen medical issues, unexpected illness, etc.)
  • Natural disaster
  • Life events (e.g., death of a wage-earning family member, divorce, etc.)
  • Displacement from a damaged home due to fire, flooding, etc.

 

  1. Does a family need to receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, financial assistance, or other types of government assistance to qualify for the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

No. A family does NOT need to receive SNAP, financial assistance or other government assistance to qualify for housing or utility payments through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program. However, a family may not qualify if the family is currently receiving other government or private-funded housing or utility assistance that duplicates the housing or utility payments from the Hawaiʻi Relief Program.

 

  1. How can a family apply for housing or utility payments?

Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi and Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc., are contracted to administer the Hawaiʻi Relief Program for DHS, which accepts electronic and hard-copy applications. Electronic applications are accepted online through their website or via email. Hard-copy applications may be dropped off in person or mailed to the office

 

  1. Is a family able to apply for both the housing and utility payments?

Yes. A family that is in financial crisis or experiencing an episode of financial need, based on its current needs, may apply for the housing payments, utility payments or both.

 

  1. How will an eligible family receive housing and utility payments?

If a family is determined eligible to receive housing or utility payments, or both, the payments will be sent directly to its designated third-party payee, which may be a landlord, property manager or owner, mortgage company or financial institution, or utility company, on behalf of the eligible family.

No payments will be issued directly to the family. This is to ensure that the payments will not be counted as income should the family apply for SNAP benefits, financial assistance benefits, child care subsidies or other means-tested public assistance programs.

 

  1. Who is administering the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

DHS has contracted the following community-based agencies:

Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi to administer the program on the islands of Kauaʻi, Oʻahu and Hawaiʻi Island.

Maui Economic Opportunity, Inc. to administer the program on the islands of Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi.

 

  1. How can a family get more information about the housing and utility payments through the Hawaiʻi Relief Program?

For more information and updates regarding the new statewide Hawaiʻi Relief Program, please contact the following:

 

Catholic Charities Hawaiʻi, for residents on Oʻahu, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island

Telephone Number: 808-521-4357, press “1” for financial assistance, and press “1” again for the Hawaiʻi Relief Program (HPR) Team.

Email Address:  [email protected]

Website:  https://www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org/hawaii_relief_program/

Online Application QR Code:

Honolulu Office
1822 Keʻeaumoku Street
Honolulu

Leeward Oʻahu Office
86-082 Farrington Highway #255
Waiʻanae

Kauaʻi Office
4373 Rice Street #1
Lihuʻe

West Hawaiʻi Island Office
73-5618 Maiau Street
Kailua-Kona

East Hawaiʻi Island Office
58 Kinoʻole Street, Suite 104
Hilo

 

Maui Economic Opportunity Inc., for residents on Maui, Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi
Telephone Number:  808-243-4357
Email Address:  [email protected]
Website:  https://www.meoinc.org/

Online Application:  https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/3d429f59d6874122baedf6fb19d85913

Maui Office
Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Family Center
99 Mahalani Street
Wailuku

East Maui Office
Hāna Neighborhood Center
5060 Uakea Road
Hāna

Molokaʻi Office
380 Kolapa Place
Kaunakakai

Lānaʻi Office
1144 ʻIlima Avenue #102
Lānaʻi City

Please do not call or walk into the DHS Processing Centers regarding questions about the Hawaiʻi Relief Program, as the Hawaiʻi Relief Program is separate from SNAP and other financial assistance programs and will not be processed through the DHS Processing Centers.