County to spend $650,000 on homeless micro-units while old buildings sit vacant

Broken glass, food containers and spray paint cans are among the leavings on the excrement-smeared floor of a little building that once represented big plans to combat homelessness in Puna.

The building is one of 19 moved 85 miles across the island five years ago from the former Kawaihae transitional housing facility because the county said they weren’t needed there.

The County Council signed a resolution in 2010 sponsored by former Puna Councilwoman Emily Naeole authorizing the Department of Housing and Community Development to transfer the buildings at an unspecified cost to taxpayers. Further council resolutions paved the way for the Pahoa development by exempting it from land use and zoning restrictions.

Boarded-up, festooned with vines, highlighted with graffiti and slowly being swallowed by tall grass, the 465-square-foot units now sit behind the Sacred Heart Catholic Church waiting for renovation. And waiting.

Meanwhile, the county is planning to spend $650,000 to prepare 32 micro housing units for chronically homeless in West Hawaii. Bill 136, adding that project to the capital budget to be paid from bond proceeds, fund balance and other sources, is on today’s council agenda.

The micro-unit housing, which could be shipping crates gussied up with basic amenities or some other kind of housing, will be paid for by the county in anticipation of getting operating funds from the state. They’re planned for an area near the Friendly Place in Kaloko.

“Once we get this thing up, the county could be eligible for state funding for operations,” said county Housing Administrator Susan Akiyama.

Gov. David Ige, in proclamations declaring a homelessness emergency signed in October and December, pledged $1.3 million statewide to extend homeless outreach through July.

Contracts must be signed by Feb. 23 in order to qualify for state funding.

“While this project may not be the answer to all of our homeless problems, it is a step forward in the right direction,” said North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff, who sponsored Bill 136 to appropriate the money.

Neither Eoff nor Akiyama were in their current positions when the old units were moved to Puna.

Catholic Charities Hawaii, which ran the Kawaihae facility, closed it because of the deteriorating condition of the buildings and the fact that the county was building replacement housing at Na Kaulana Kauhale O Ulu Wini in Kaloko.

The Pahoa Sacred Heart Low Income Elderly Housing Project was the brainstorm of Carol Ignacio, executive director of the Office of Social Ministry, Diocese of Honolulu. Ignacio did not return a voicemail message by press time on Thursday.

The Sacred Heart Parish has many volunteers, including professional builders, standing ready to pitch in to make the units livable for the kupuna, and will provide for some of the seniors’ needs such as transportation and maintenance on a continuing basis, Ignacio said at the time. But the overall renovation requires a level of work and funds not readily available for the project.

“The county actually gave the units to Hope Services,” Akiyama said Thursday, adding her agency has no control over what happens next.

Puna Councilman Greggor Ilagan has been pushing for completion of the project, even starting an online petition three months ago urging Hope Services CEO Brandee Menino to finish the project. He garnered 141 names on the petition at change.org.

Ilagan said this week that Menino has restarted the project, which he said could have been delayed by the 2014 lava flow and waiting for a building permit.

“Now they’re saying they’re moving forward and I’m happy that they made a commitment to make that happen,” Ilagan said.

Menino, reached late Thursday, said the project is indeed ongoing.

She said construction bids came in higher than expected, but Hope Services will continue with plans to open at least some of the units by the end of this year.

“The funding we’ve received, so far, is all private funds,” Menino said, adding that the project has more flexibility without the government money.

She said people interested in donating time or money should contact Hope Services as the project proceeds.

The Hawaii Legislature named homelessness the most critical issue facing it as it started its regular 60-day session Wednesday.

The most recent point in time study of homelessness in the state, conducted last year, shows an increasing problem across the islands, but especially on the Big Island.

The island’s total homeless count of 1,241 individuals for 2015 represents a nearly 43 percent increase over last year alone, and a 123 percent increase over 2013, when the island total was 557 homeless. While Hawaii County added 372 new homeless in 2015, Oahu, which has a total population almost five times bigger than the Big Island’s, added only 191.

Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.