The legislature finds that:
(1) It is in the best interest of the State to bring about a diversification of opportunities in all aspects of life for the residents and communities of the State;
(2) Community-based enterprises play an important part in providing a diversification of opportunities for Hawaii’s residents and communities;
(3) Community-based enterprises are characterized by their interests not only in profits but in community empowerment, that is, building the community to enable it to be more self-reliant, which encourages diversification of opportunities for Hawaii’s residents and communities;
(4) Community-based enterprises have the potential to increase self-determination, provide employment opportunities, strengthen community identity, retain and create community cultural anchors, and reinforce community social, cultural, economic, and spiritual values, and are thus of crucial importance in securing the diversification of opportunities;
(5) Programs to develop community-based enterprises have the potential to increase self-reliance and provide employment opportunities to Hawaii’s people;
(6) Conventional financial institutions traditionally do not provide loans to establish or expand community- based enterprises;
(7) No present state agency or program has the authority to financially assist community-based enterprises; and
(8) The State should initiate a program to assist community-based enterprises through loans, grants, and technical assistance.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish a program of technical and financial assistance for community-based organizations to assist the establishment and development of community-based enterprises in the State.
