OHA Loans Now Available Online

Applicants looking to apply for an Office of Hawaiian Affairs loan can now apply online.

According to a release from OHA, the Malama Loan program can be used to start or expand a business, make improvements to a person’s home, consolidate debt or fund continuing education.

Kamana’opono Crabbe, OHA Ka Pouhana, said in a press release, “the Malama Loan program will help Native Hawaiians access credit to help themselves out in the long run.”

“We urge people to take advantage of the program because it can really pay dividends in the long run,” he said.

According to an OHA study, business loans have allowed Hawaiian-owned companies to make investments in their businesses, resulting in an average revenue increase of 34 percent.

Online loan applications are available anytime. If the loan is approved, funds can be given out within five to eight business days.

The loan amounts can range from $2,500 to $19,999. The annual percentage rate ranges from 4 percent to 6.25 percent and the loan term can be up to seven years.

To qualify for a Malama Loan, you must be a U.S. citizen and a resident of Hawai’i. Applicants must also be verified as a Native Hawaiian through a birth certificate for OHA’s Hawaiian Registry Card as well as other qualified verification methods.

Applicants must have a minimum credit score of 600 or 650 for a debt consolidation loan. For a complete list of qualifications visit www.oha.org/malamaloan.

Previously applicants could apply for loans at First Hawaiian Bank, but now applications can only be made online, by mail or by visiting any of OHA’s offices on O‘ahu and on the neighbor islands.