HONOLULU — The state Board of Land and Natural Resources on Friday set aside nearly 11 acres of Department of Land and Natural Resources land in Waimanalo for a kauhale housing project.
Aunty Blanche McMillan currently provides housing for 80 individuals at the community homeless shelter Hui Mahiʻai ʻĀina that has been on the site since 2020 without BLNR approval. However, a news release stated, “DLNR expressed a willingness to have nonprofit entities engage in helping occupants obtain proper authorization to be on the land.”
The main concern is that the location of the homeless shelter sits in a flood zone.
A topographical study has been done and aio Foundation will build the new housing project. Following discussions with McMillan, aio Foundation, and state and county authorities, an elevated area within the same property has been selected to develop the kauhale project. The remaining areas of the property will be put to agricultural use to support the community village.
“The department is in full support of this project. Under the collaboration with aio Foundation, DLNR was reassured that our concerns were addressed. More importantly, when I visited Aunty Blanche’s Hui Mahi‘ai ‘Āina in Waimanalo, I was moved by the sense of community the residents felt for each other, for the place and for themselves,” stated DLNR Chair Dawn Chang in the release.
With the set-aside, the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions and nonprofit aio Foundation will build the village off of Oluolu and Hilu streets. The proposed project will have 32 single units, 18 double rooms, six family units and two units for cancer patients. There will be a shared kitchen and bathroom facilities, laundry room and classrooms.
This type of public-private partnership created the 144-unit community Kahauiki Village built by aio Foundation that houses nearly 700 adults and children near the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport.
Because the property is under a set-aside with the City and County of Honolulu, the city issues a lease to the aio Foundation.
The same approach will be in place for the Waimanalo property in which aio Foundation will obtain a lease from SOHSS. The BLNR will have to consent to the lease at a future meeting when more specific terms and conditions are available, according to DLNR.
The DLNR also states that Chapter 343 Environmental Assessment of the project was suspended by Governor’s Proclamation dated Jan. 23, 2023, “to the extent necessary to expedite the provision of housing for homeless persons.”
Affectionately known as Aunty Blanche by those she has helped over the last five years, McMillan is excited for the future as new tiny homes will eventually be built and the existing area will be converted to food production for the community.
Most important is “sharing and how to give back and how to love our people,” said McMillan. “Taking care of the houseless, our kūpuna and even sick folks with stage 4 cancer is my style. I love it and I love teaching other people how to care. I believe that everything is going to fall in place.”