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Associated Press
5 hours ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Hawaii housing czar demands church return housing for homeless elderly
The state's Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions is demanding that a Korean church either return or pay $20,000 apiece to buy20 state-owned tiny housing units installed in their Honolulu parking lot. The demands were outlined in a letter sent to the pastor of Hawaii Cedar Church by the governor's homelessness coordinator, Jun Yang. In it, Yang said the Kalihi church was not authorized to use the units and must immediately stop. The units are occupied by previously unhoused kūpuna and families. Installation of the units was completed in August during the tenure of Yang's predecessor, John Mizuno, using donated contracting services. Gov. Josh Green has made tiny homes a cornerstone of the state response to endemic homelessness and he set a target to build 30 kauhale villages as part of his pledge to cut the state's homeless population in half by 2026. At the opening of another kauhale in December, Green talked about the need for 'continued partnerships as we work together to make lasting progress.' The Cedar Church kauhale was specifically named in a presentation Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi gave in May last year about Hawaiʻi's response to homelessness as one of 17 projects then on track to open. But Civil Beat has confirmed the state and church had no written agreement regarding the installation of the 20 units, and that appears to be where the church project has run afoul of Yang's office. Yang declined a request for an interview Friday and in an emailed statement said the letter was sent in anticipation of a management and performance audit of the state's Kauhale Initiative required under a bill approved by legislators this session and sent to the governor for approval. 'As such, we are taking steps to ensure that state property is safeguarded, state contracting standards are met, and that tiny homes like those on the grounds of Cedar Church in Kalihi, are used in accordance with state standards for kauhale services,' he wrote. Yang's letter makes no mention of contracting standards, kauhale services or safeguarding state property in the letter — and only outlines conditions for the return or purchase of the units. The correspondence took the church pastor the Rev. Duk Whan Kim by surprise, according to the church's attorney, Ernie Martin. Attempts to reach Kim directly were unsuccessful. Martin said Kim had worked closely with the state homelessness office on the project under Mizuno's leadership and believed there was a mutual understanding about the units and their intended use on church property. Martin said he has contacted Yang's office and is working to resolve the conflict. The letter gave the church a May 27 deadline to respond or the state would 'immediately arrange to remove the property,' but as of Monday the units were still in place and occupied. Mizuno — who suddenly stepped down as the state's homelessness coordinator in February and now works as a special advisor to the governor — did not respond to voicemail or texts requesting comment. Mizuno's deputy director, Eric Ford, declined to be interviewed when reached by phone. Rep. Lisa Marten, who chairs the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness, said Monday she hopes the conflict can be resolved because she is impressed by the church's commitment to helping homeless and vulnerable people after visiting the site, 'but they could do more.' Given the state's move to more formal contracts with its kauhale partners, Marten said she wasn't surprised the homelessness office was doing its due diligence. The state has no data on residents and no say in who gets to access the services at the church, she said. But the additional documentation could eventually enable the congregation to access more state funding support — including money already budgeted — that could enable them to provide additional services, including medical. Return Units Or Buy Them, State Says The 20 units on the church property off Kamehameha IV Road were purchased by the state from HomeAid Hawaiʻi as part of its production of tiny homes for the Kauhale Initiative, CEO Kimo Carvalho confirmed. Competitive bidding for the construction of the units was waived under an emergency housing proclamation issued by Green in September 2023, and HomeAid has been the sole-source supplier. HomeAid Hawaiʻi produced 1,079 of those units in 2024, according to its website. 'The former homeless coordinator took 20 of those units to Cedar Church in July, and that's the extent of HomeAid's involvement,' Carvalho told Civil Beat. But the nonprofit was not the sole-source contractor for installing all the kauhale sites, Carvalho said, adding that the grading of the church site and utility connections were completed using donated labor and materials from another company, Prometheus Construction. Prometheus VP Cliff Tillotson declined to be interviewed for this story. Ford, Mizuno's former deputy, now works for the company. Hawaii Cedar Church is a Korean congregation and sits on a 30,000-square-foot parcel — including the parking lot where the kauhale are located — purchased for $1.34 million in December 2011, county property records show. The church hosts a food pantry, and has a history of providing food relief and emergency housing, previous reporting shows. The church has also operated the Waiʻanae Cedar Farm, a 4-acre property where it placed small sheds to provide low-cost emergency housing, Hawaii News Now reported in 2021. Mizuno and Kim — the pastor at Cedar Church — have a connection dating back more than a decade when Mizuno was state representative for Kalihi, before he resigned in December 2023 after Green tapped him to become the state's homelessness coordinator. Mizuno replaced James Koshiba who had been in the state role a year and had 'set the stage' for the ambitious project, Green said. A dozen kauhale opened under Mizuno's watch, and discussions for Cedar Church began around April of 2024. Speaking to the Kalihi-Pālama Neighborhood Board in July, Mizuno said the Cedar Church project was 'the first Kūpuna Kauhale for homeless kūpuna over 60 years old and those that may be coming out of the ER, medical respite patients, or medically discharged.' In August, Mizuno posted a video walkthrough of the completed kauhale to Facebook, showing installed living spaces, amenities including shower units and laundry, and individual garden beds. Six months later, Mizuno was publicly criticizing the costs of running some of the state-funded kauhale and he stepped down from the role in February, taking on a special adviser position in the same office. He was replaced by Yang, former homeless coordinator for the state Department of Transportation. The church appears to have its fingers caught in the door now that the new state homelessness czar wants to tidy up the books. A Star-Advertiser report on July 17, 2024, says HomeAid Hawaiʻi's 100-square-foot homes cost $16,000 to produce. Carvalho is featured in the photo story, which shows housing units heading to Hawaii Cedar Church, according to the caption. Yang's letter, however, asks the church to pay $20,000 per unit if they move ahead with a plan to buy them. 'If the HCC wished to purchase the units, payment shall be made to the state within 45 days of the date of this letter.' As of Monday, it's unclear whether the church is considering that option. The cost of the housing units themselves, concerns about kauhale running costs and questions about the absence of receipts for the estimated $37 million in HomeAid Hawaiʻi contracts underpinned conference committee discussions on housing this legislative session. Lawmakers ultimately voted to expand Green's Kauhale Initiative, providing a $50 million funding base through 2026 and 2027. The funding package also included provisions for quarterly reports on expenditures from Yang's department, and the performance and management audit of the Kauhale Initiative — the one outlined in the state's May 16 letter to Cedar Church. ___ This story was originally published by Honolulu Civil Beat and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police investigating death of 3-month-old baby
Police are investigating the death of a 3-month-old baby boy, who was found unresponsive at 7 :08 a.m. Saturday in Kalihi. The boy was taken by ambulance to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. According to a police bulletin, nothing suspicious was reported, nor were there signs of foul play. Police have classified the case as an unattended death. See more : 4 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? .
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Woman rescued from roof during Kalihi house fire
KALIHI, Hawaii (KHON) — A woman is safe after a fast-moving fire tore through a two-story home in Kalihi on the morning of May 16. The Honolulu Fire Department says it received a 911 call at 10:27 a.m. reporting a building fire on Kalihi Street. Ten units, including 39 firefighters, were dispatched to the scene. The first crew arrived just six minutes later to find the home fully engulfed in flames. One resident was spotted on the roof trying to escape the fire and was quickly assisted to safety by fire personnel. She was transferred to American Medical Response at 10:47 a.m. for medical evaluation. The fire was brought under control by 10:58 a.m. and fully extinguished by 11:50 a.m. No other occupants were found inside, and no injuries were reported among fire personnel. Mark Perai happened to be driving by when he noticed smoke rising from the valley. 'I saw a lot of smoke from the valley, so I pulled over. The house was fully engulfed in flames,' Perai said. 'It was reported there were some animals inside. I said a short prayer, just hoping the firefighters could get the woman out (of the burning house) as soon as possible. Thank God she was rescued.' An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Yahoo
Oahu woman arrested, charged for meth distribution
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A 58-year-old Oahu woman has been arrested and charged, after being accused of distributing methamphetamine from her home in 2022. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news According to Acting United States Attorney Kenneth M. Sorenson, the woman distributed more than 50 grams of the Schedule II federally controlled substance in April, May and June of 2022. Kalihi attempted murder leaves man in critical condition Court documents said she arranged the sales for approximately 680 grams of meth from her Honolulu home. The drugs were delivered to a confidential source and were monitored by state law enforcement. Officials said the suspect decided to waive her Miranda rights in an interview, where she admitted to purchasing multiple pounds of meth from multiple Oahu sources. The drugs would then be distributed to individuals on Oahu and Kauai. Check out more news from around Hawaii The suspect is scheduled to appear in federal court on Tuesday, Feb. 18. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
