Eight miles from Kaunakakai, at the island's narrow mid-point, is Hoolehua, the site of the island's main airport, Molokai Airport. Regularly scheduled interisland flights mingle with private plane traffic.

Hoolehua and neighboring Palaau were declared Hawaiian Homestead land in the 1920s. A significant number of Hawaiians settled in these areas on 40-acre agricultural homestead lots acquired under the Hawaiian Homestead Act. In order to be granted a land lease in Hoolehua and other similar Hawaiian Homestead land, tenants are required to be native Hawaiians with at least 50% Hawaiian blood.

Although the leases were low, the dry terrain and scarce water for irrigation made farming the land difficult. During the 1920s and until the practice was declared illegal, many of the homesteaders leased their land to the pineapple plantations. Farming became easier once the Kualapuu reservoir was built and many of the homesteaders are now into diversified farming.