About the State Preservation Plan
The Hawaiʻi State Historic Preservation Plan serves as a guiding document for protecting and stewarding our islands’ historic and cultural resources. Required by federal law, every state must maintain a current preservation plan to remain eligible for funding from the National Park Service. The State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) is responsible for developing and implementing this plan, which reflects the priorities, values, and needs of communities across Hawaiʻi. It identifies preservation goals, outlines strategies for protecting historic sites, and supports local capacity-building, education, and collaboration. With growing threats from development, climate change, and limited resources, this plan is essential to ensuring that historic and cultural places—particularly those significant to Native Hawaiians—are preserved for future generations.
The 2026–2031 update to the plan seeks to center community voices, strengthen partnerships, and align preservation with the unique values of Hawaiʻi, including mālama ʻāina and kuleana to place. SHPD has contracted Honua Consulting, LLC, a Native Hawaiian-owned cultural resource management and consulting firm, to support SHPD in completing the plan.
Hear more from the State Historic Preservation Division at the podcast provided below.
The Project Team
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Jordan Kea Calpito, M.A.
SHPD, History & Culture Branch Chief
Jordan Kea Calpito began serving as SHPD’s Historic and Culture Branch Chief in early 2025 and now oversees coordinating burial protections, cultural consultation, and compliance with HRS 6E across Hawaiʻi’s historic and cultural landscapes.
Susan Lebo, PhD
SHPD, Archaeology Branch Chief
Dr. Susan Lebo is SHPD’s Archaeology Branch Chief, leading archaeological compliance, permitting, and site protection efforts across Hawaiʻi with decades of experience in Pacific Island archaeology. Formerly with Bishop Museum, she brings extensive experience to her position.
Mary Kodama, D.Arch
SHPD, Architecture Branch Chief
Mary Kodama joined SHPD following a career in federal service and a brief tenure with the City and County of Honolulu’s Department of Planning and Permitting. She now serves as SHPD’s Architecture Branch Chief, overseeing the identification, documentation, and preservation of historic buildings and architectural resources statewide.
Our values
The State Historic Preservation Division (SHPD) brings a deep commitment to integrity, transparency, and community-centered planning in the development of the Statewide Historic Preservation Plan. Grounded in its legal responsibilities under HRS Chapter 6E and the National Historic Preservation Act, SHPD upholds the value of protecting Hawaiʻi’s unique cultural and historical resources. The agency prioritizes collaboration with Native Hawaiian communities, lineal and cultural descendants, preservation professionals, government partners, and the public to ensure that diverse voices shape the plan’s goals and actions. SHPD is dedicated to improving communication, increasing accessibility, and building trust with the communities it serves. Through this plan, SHPD aims to promote equity, accountability, and stewardship while advancing effective preservation strategies that are responsive to both longstanding concerns and emerging challenges such as climate change and overdevelopment. The resulting plan will serve as a tool for shared kuleana and long-term protection of Hawaiʻi’s heritage.