The holidays are here and, like you, we at HomeAid Hawaiʻi have been busy!
You may have seen the news about units from the medical respite kauhale, Pūlama Ola, being relocated to another site. Per the original project plan, the 12 units from Pūlama Ola will find a permanent home at the new kauhale village on Middle Street. When completed with additional units currently under construction, the site will house at least 50 formerly homeless individuals. This site has been considered for many years, so it is incredibly fulfilling personally to lead its development and see it through to completion.
This Middle Street site is just one of three kauhale villages we plan to open on Oahu in January, 2024. The other sites are nearly ready with infrastructure and service-partner plans. Units will be relocated from their staging area to the sites within the next few weeks and readied for residents just after the holidays.
Why kauhale? The model is successful because it is a permanent housing solution developed in collaboration with homeless beneficiaries who aim to rebuild their sense of connection to themselves, each other, and the community at large. Many individuals experiencing homelessness are disconnected due to grief, trauma, and loss. They often find traditional housing is isolating, making them more likely to return to the streets. Kauhale is designed to encourage community connections through shared spaces, communal kitchens and dining rooms, and programs that empower their sense of place and contribution to the community’s overall well-being. Not only have we seen thriving communities spur from the Kauhale concept, but it has also become a deeply affordable housing development option – startup homes with shared facilities, less infrastructure needs, shortening the built timeline to just a few weeks, and redeveloping underutilized public lands.
Thank you for your continued support for HomeAid Hawaiʻi. I look forward to sharing more with you soon.
Kimo Carvalho
Executive Director
HomeAid Hawaiʻi
