The State Should Support Waianae’s Existing ‘Ohana Zone’
A well-established homeless camp on the Leeward Coast easily qualifies for a share of the money set aside by the Legislature for safe zones.
Just seven months ago it seemed that the homeless camp at the Waianae Small Boat Harbor was in danger of being shut down by the state.
The camp, known as聽 and home to about 200 people 鈥 many Native Hawaiian 鈥 has operated on undeveloped land for more than a decade. By many accounts, it is an orderly and organized community, even a聽potential model聽for homeless safe zones.
But officials with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources say the encampment threatens natural resources in the area. There was talk of building an education center on the site as well.
Fortunately, instead of enforcing criminal trespassing laws and tearing down the tents and makeshift structures, Gov. David Ige heeded community and concerns and announced that his office would actively look for vacant land in Waianae to relocate the puuhonua (it means a place of refuge, or peace and safety).
It鈥檚 now October, and the camp is still on its original site. The state has not announced a new location for the puuhonua. But members of the encampment are now moving forward with their own plans to create a new, self-made village to house about 300 homeless people.
With the help of area residents, the goal is to establish by the end of next year a Hawaiian kauhale 鈥 houses with shared areas for eating, cooking and bathing. It鈥檚 estimated that land and infrastructure will cost $1.5 million. It鈥檚 not clear what the homes might look like or what the total cost might be.
We are heartened to learn that state homeless coordinator Scott Morishige and DLNR officials are working with village leaders to find a suitable location. Same goes for efforts to obtain funding from Native Hawaiian organizations. Leaders from the Waianae camp have also launched a , and say that anonymous donors have pledged up to $500,000 in a “challenge grant.”
Here鈥檚 an idea: The Hawaii Legislature, ignoring the objections of the Ige administration, appropriated $30 million to build six safe zones in the state, including three on Oahu. Why not make Puuhonua o Waianae one of these safe zones, on leased or purchased state or private property?
It makes perfect sense. The , announced in April and now law, even uses the word 鈥渙hana鈥 (family, relative, kin):
Ohana is a group of closely- or distantly-related people who share nearly everything, from land and food to responsibility for taking care of children and elders.聽Members of an ohana, whether or not related by blood, treat each other as extended family and share generously with each other.聽The legislature finds that building upon this ethic of ohana presents an opportunity to improve the lives of people experiencing homelessness.
As the bill explains, the creation of ohana zones is a recognition that the Legislature believes that addressing homelessness 鈥渞equires the courage to try something new.鈥
The advantage that Waianae camp offers is that it has already demonstrated a 鈥渟ense of place鈥 so essential to a place to call home. Investing in this existing community is a good use of the money intended to establish safe zones.
The state needs to move forward on this one.
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