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 Ikaika Anderson, nonpartisan candidate for Office of Hawaiian Affairs at-large trustee.

His opponents are Adrian Kealiʻi Akina, Karl Baker, Shelby Billionaire, 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’m best suited to serve as an OHA Trustee because I bring proven leadership and a record of delivering results. As former chair of the Honolulu City Council, I managed complex budgets and built consensus. I’m running because I believe OHA can improve beneficiaries’ quality of living by maximizing its assets to provide legal assistance, college tuition waivers, prescription drug vouchers and opportunities for housing, education, economic self-sufficiency and cultural preservation.

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 greatest challenge facing Native Hawaiians is the high cost of living. OHA must create opportunities that allow beneficiaries to remain home in Hawaiʻi. In my first six months, I would aim to inventory OHA’s land and asset portfolio to identify underutilized properties for their highest and best use, unlocking the value of OHA’s existing assets to directly improve beneficiaries’ quality of living through housing, education, economic opportunity and cultural preservation.

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

To economically uplift more Hawaiians, OHA must unlock the value of its existing assets and put more resources directly into beneficiaries’ hands through housing, education, entrepreneurship and direct benefits. Protecting the ‘āina means responsible stewardship — preserving it while potentially developing when appropriate in a thoughtful manner where it creates opportunity. We can honor our culture while ensuring beneficiaries can afford to remain home in Hawaiʻi.

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?

The raise was recommended by a volunteer Salary Commission. We should support its conclusion that competitive compensation can attract a more qualified and diverse pool of candidates. Working people understand that when we invest in attracting and retaining quality employees, we expect quality work in return. Ultimately, voters decide whether a candidate’s qualifications merit election at the established salary. OHA beneficiaries deserve excellence, accountability, and results.

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

OHA should advocate for enforceable protections of cultural and environmental resources, meaningful Native Hawaiian and OHA leadership in land stewardship, and greater public access where appropriate. Any agreement should ensure accountability, transparency and tangible benefits for beneficiaries through housing, education, economic opportunity and conservation, while preserving these lands and honoring our kuleana to future generations.

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?

OHA has chosen to redirect resources from litigation to stewardship of Mauna Kea. Beneficiaries deserve to know exactly how much funding is being reallocated so we can understand its impact. OHA should provide a clear plan, measurable outcomes, and regular public reporting to ensure every dollar delivers results with potential investments in watershed restoration, native habitat protection, cultural education and support for cultural practitioners to preserve the Mauna for future generations.

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?

The new authority can help resolve long-standing disputes if it builds trust through transparency, collaboration and accountability. OHA should be an active partner, advocating for beneficiaries while working with the authority, landowners, scientists and community stakeholders to protect cultural and natural resources and strengthen stewardship. The preservation of Mauna Kea and Hawaiian culture must never be compromised as practical solutions are pursued for future generations.

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 the working group to fairly determine and recommend the full amount owed to OHA under the law. If additional revenue is secured, it should directly improve beneficiaries’ quality of living through housing, college tuition waivers, and other direct benefits. Combined with maximizing OHA’s existing lands and assets, OHA can expand programs that produce measurable results and help beneficiaries remain and thrive in Hawaiʻi.

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?

OHA needs a trustee who understands land use and development policy with the skillset to maximize assets for beneficiaries. It is fundamentally unfair that U.S. mainland developers can build residential towers in Kakaʻako while OHA is denied the same opportunity. OHA should be allowed to pursue the highest and best use of its lands, including residential and mixed-use development, because Native Hawaiians should not be discriminated against or held to a different standard.

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?

Trustees must lead by example. I will fully comply with the State Ethics Code, avoid conflicts of interest and make decisions based solely on the best interests of OHA beneficiaries. This means embracing transparency, accountability and open communication so beneficiaries understand how decisions are made and how resources are used. Holding OHA Trustees to the State Ethics Code was long overdue.

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?

The Board’s role is to set policy, establish priorities and provide oversight — not micromanage day-to-day operations. Trustees supervise one employee: the administrator/CEO. Staff should be accountable to the administrator/CEO, who in turn is accountable to the trustees. Adhering to these roles will help resolve tensions by fostering mutual respect, open communication,and shared goals while keeping OHA focused on improving beneficiaries’ quality of living.

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?

As former director-designate of DHHL, there definitely are ways for both to work together. OHA and DHHL share a common mission and should be partners, not silos. By coordinating land use, infrastructure planning, financing and beneficiary services, they can accelerate housing production and create more opportunities for Native Hawaiians to remain in Hawaiʻi. Together, OHA and DHHL can help ensure more Native Hawaiians have the opportunity to live, work, raise families and thrive in Hawaiʻi.