Kea`au Beach to be Discussed at Meeting on 6/10; Homeless Update

Photo and caption from a March 2010 Seattle Times article: "Bert Beaman is Hawaiian, homeless, and lives with his wife at Oahu's Keaau Beach Park: 'It's been far too long for the Hawaiian people to be suffering.'"

Aloha - Please see the notice below of a 6/10/10 meeting at Wai`anae Satellite City Hall where the potential clean up/closure of Kea`au Beach Park will be discussed. I have also included an update on homeless issues after the meeting announcement.

Waianae Coast Neighborhood Board

Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting Agenda

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Wai’anae Neighborhood Community Center

85 670 Farrington Highway

7:00P.M. - 9:00P.M.

I. Call to Order/Welcome

II. Announcements/Community Concerns

III. Previous Business Update

A. Makua Kaena State Park updates

i. Keawaula permit pilot project

ii. Primitive camping at Makua Beach Park

B. City & County Park updates to include

i. City clean up of parks and homeless

ii. Park improvements: repairs, infrastructure and continued maintenance/upkeep

C. Waianae Baseline Environmental Study

IV. Open Discussion

A. Clean up of Keaau Beach Park and unimproved beach park area known as Waikomo

B. Closure of Keaau Beach Park

C. Permit process for park closure access

V. Adjournment

THE WAIANAE COAST NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 24 IS A DRUG/ALCOHOL FREE COMMUNITY MEETING.

THE WAIANAE COAST NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 24 MEETING IS BROADCAST MONTHLY ON OLELO.

BOARD MINUTES AND AGENDAS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE CITY’S WEB SITE AT:

http: www.honolulu.gov

ANY DISABLED PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS TO PARTICIPATE AT THIS MEETING MAY CALL THE NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSION OFFICE AT 768-3790 FOR ASSISTANCE.

HOMELESS UPDATE

Homelessness remains as a significant issue on the Wai`anae Coast. Here is an update:

Ma`ili Point: The City is planning a sweep on 7/19/10. Service providers are trying to assist the homeless prior to the sweep. After the sweep, the City will conduct a clean up, and install signs of violations like all other City Parks have so that the police will be able to enforce the law, should it be broken.

Kea`au Beach: The City is enforcing Bills 7 and 8, which ban tents and shopping carts, in the developed portion of the beach. The City is working on a plan for the undeveloped portion of the park. Both local and mainland news covered Kea`au in March 2010 - click here to view KITV's coverage of a beach clean up, and click here to view coverage of how Hawaiian sovereignty and homelessness are connected.

The Legislatureate legislature passed several measures:

-- HB 2318 Establishes a $1m Housing First Special Fund, which has been successful in other states, and aims to get the chronically homeless off the street and into stable housing, where they can better address related issues such as job training, employment and healthcare.

-- SB 2469 Appropriates $23m for safety net services, including $200,000 for the Shelter Plus Care program, which provides rental assistance payments in conjunction with a program of supportive services to disabled persons.

-- HCR262/SCR206 Requests the establishment of a Wai`anae Coast homelessness task force (WCHTF), under the leadership of the Leeward Housing Coalition, which will also consist of representatives from neighborhood boards, community organizations, DHS, DOH, UH, LCC, OHA, DHHL, City, HCDA, and KSBE. The WCHTF’s aim is to submit a progress report, including findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation, to the 2011 Legislature.

Rep. Shimabukuro agrees with the goal of many in the community, including service providers, area residents, HPD, and Russ Saito of the Governor’s homeless “H.E.A.R.T.” program, that the long-term solution includes the establishment of legal campgrounds for the homeless. I believe these campgrounds should not be on the beach, and they should be located at various locations across the state. Although the Legislature considered several measures aimed at achieving this goal, unfortunately the measures did not survive. We as a community need to come to a consensus regarding the location and management of these campgrounds, and continue to push hard for this solution.

Note: Here are links to news stories about Kea`au Beach -

http://www.kitv.com/news/22651937/detail.html

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011340352_hawaiians14.html

KSBE Makaha Learning Innovation Complex & DHHL Project - Comments on Draft EA Due June 8

The draft Environmental Assessment (DEA) for the Makaha Valley Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) Residential Community and Kamehameha Schools Learning Community on the Stone Family Lands TMK: 8-4-02:05, 07, 14(por), 56, 57, 61(por), 70, 76, 8-4-23:14, 15, 8-4-24:01, can be viewed at:

http://oeqc.doh.hawaii.gov/Shared%20Documents/EA_and_EIS_Online_Library/Oahu/2010s/2010-05-08-OA-DEA-Residential-School-Makaha.pdf

The 30 day comment period ends June 8, 2010.

Address comments on the DEA to:

-- DHHL; Kamuela Cobb-Adams, LDD Admin 620-9273, Kamuela.Cobb-Adams@hawaii.gov, or

-- PBR Hawaii; Grant Murakami, Principal 521-5631, gmurakami@pbrhawaii.com

If you have any further questions, contact:

-- Kekoa Paulsen

Director, Community Relations & Communications Division of Kamehameha Schools

808.523.6369

kepaulse@ksbe.edu

-- Department of Hawaiian Home Lands

Information & Community Relations Office
808-620-9590

-- Office of Environmental Quality Control

oeqc@doh.hawaii.gov

Background information on the project:

FROM THE HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN, SUNDAY AUGUST 9, 2009

EXCLUSIVE

Partnership blesses the Leeward Coast
By Susan Essoyan


Kamehameha Schools plans to invest as much as $100 million in a Learning Innovation Complex to serve the Leeward Coast on land in Makaha Valley donated by developer Jeffrey R. Stone and the Weinberg Trust.

"It's as though a dream was coming true," said Dee Jay Mailer, chief executive officer of Kamehameha Schools, which has been working to extend its educational reach beyond its three campuses. "We are truly, truly appreciative."

Although Kamehameha Schools is the state's largest private landowner, it doesn't own any land on the Leeward side of the island, home to the largest concentration of native Hawaiians anywhere. But that is about to change.

Stone said he and the Weinberg Trust will donate a 66-acre parcel of undeveloped land west of Makaha Valley Country Club to Kamehameha Schools, probably by January. They also plan to give 234 adjoining acres, including the golf course itself, in increments over time to the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands for housing and community development.

"The land was planned to be developed originally as a resort and residential community," said Stone, president of The Resort Group, which owns Ko Olina Resort and Marina. "We looked at Kamehameha Schools' vision as being a much better anchor, a much better purpose for the entire coast, and we offered to give them as much land as they needed to build this learning complex."

"The gift is unconditional," he said. "There are no strings attached. It is from the heart."

Rather than another traditional school, the Learning Innovation Center will act as a laboratory for teachers, and as a site for project- and land-based learning. It will support education for Hawaiians from birth through adulthood, with a special focus on the youngest learners, and work with the public and private schools.

"We are building on the strength that already exists in those communities, from Kapolei to Kaena Point," said Mailer. "It is about using our resources to help build capacity throughout that coast, building up the existing schools."

A public announcement of the project wasn't expected until later, but the Star-Bulletin learned about it and the principals agreed to disclose its basic outline.

"It's a holistic approach toward building a community," said Micah Kane, director of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. "It's one combined, cohesive effort that will have a tremendous impact on the Leeward Coast. It's going to give us a chance to assure that kids have hope and pride in their futures. It's a raise-all-ships type of effort."

The news was welcomed by Leeward residents, including Kamaki Kanahele, state chairman for the Sovereign Council of the Hawaiian Homelands Assembly, which represents 28 homestead associations.

"Next to the building of the Kamehameha Schools in Kapalama Heights, this will be their greatest accomplishment in the 21st century to benefit native Hawaiian children," Kanahele predicted. "Its impact on the native beneficiaries of the trust is going to be absolutely phenomenal."

Stone's company, West Honolulu Investments LLC, bought the 18-hole Makaha Valley Country Club and surrounding land from Nitto Hawaii Co. in 2004 for roughly $5 million. The Weinberg Trust then came in as a 50-50 partner. They have since invested $2 million in improvements.

The 300-acre property, zoned for residential and preservation use, is now assessed at $8 million, Stone said.

The Makaha Valley Country Club will continue operations as usual, but eventually wind down as the project is developed over the next five to 15 years, Stone said. The plans do not involve the nearby Makaha Resort Golf Club.

Kane said it was too early to estimate how many homes would be built in the area. He expects it will offer housing for young families as well as kupuna.

"What we're hearing early on is that they would like to see a kupuna-housing component to the project," he said. "We're not sure yet if it's going to be all single-family or if there's going to be some multifamily. There needs to be quite a bit of community discussion."

There are 75,000 Hawaiians of school age in the state, and Kamehameha Schools serves 5,400 of them on its campuses.

"We know that we cannot effectively educate all Hawaiian children by only building campuses, so we need to find a different way," said Mailer, noting that the trust is prepared to spend "as much as $100 million-plus" on the learning complex.

"It will have outdoor classrooms as well as indoor classrooms," she said. "There will be early learning, from birth to 8 years old, and high school learning areas that are culturally based, and land-based. We will probably have residences on the complex so that students and teachers can stay and immerse themselves for a period of time."

The educational trust already supports numerous programs on the Waianae Coast, including birth baskets and preschools, literacy, science/cultural education, charter schools and teacher training. It is also promoting the Nanakuli Model Complex, from preschool though college, and a Leeward Coast Education Innovation Zone.

The complex is seen as a way to foster and help replicate outstanding projects such as Searider Productions, the nationally recognized video program at Waianae High School, and the Nanakuli High School Performing Arts Center.

"I'm very excited about it," said Mervina Cash-Kaeo, president and chief executive of ALU LIKE, Inc., and a lifelong Nanakuli resident. "If you look at the Waianae Coast, you have pockets of very innovative and successful projects. There really isn't any bridge between them. The center can be the glue to bring all the innovative projects into one place where everyone can access them."

"It's not only early education; they're talking about even adults," she added. "It's the whole generation, a place that we can come together."

Stone said the new plans for Makaha make far more sense than having two golf courses side by side in the valley. Senate President Colleen Hanabusa (D-Waianae) suggested to him that he consider donating the land for the project.

"I rib him a lot," Hanabusa said. "I told him, 'What's another golf course, when you can touch a whole new generation of kids?'"

Q&A: THE PROJECT
Question: What is the gift?

Answer: Jeffrey R. Stone and the Weinberg Trust will donate 300 acres in Makaha Valley to Kamehameha Schools and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Q: What will happen to the land?

A: Kamehameha Schools plans to spend as much as $100 million to build a Learning Innovation Complex on a 66-acre parcel next to Makaha Valley Country Club.

» It will serve all ages, with a special focus on the youngest learners and their families. It will strengthen schools and teaching along the entire Leeward Coast.

» The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands will receive 234 acres, and plans to develop housing and community facilities over the next five to 10 years

Q: Why Makaha?

A: The Leeward Coast is home to 30,000 native Hawaiians, the largest such population in the world.

Q: What about the golf course?

A: Makaha Valley Country Club will continue operations for now, but wind down as housing is built.

-- Susan Essoyan, Star-Bulletin

E Ala Canoe Homecoming A Success

Photo by Richard Ambo, The Honolulu Advertiser

Help urge the City to allow the E Ala voyaging canoe to be permanently dry docked at Poka`i Bay by signing on to the Petition.

To learn more about the E Ala, watch the news story from Hawaii News Now.

Other Media Coverage of the E Ala Canoe’s Wai`anae Coast Sail (April 20-May 1, 2010):

• HI News Now: click here and here
• Honolulu Advertiser: click here and here
• Hokule`a Worldwide Voyage

___________________________________________
Hawaiian News: E Ala Arrives
Posted: Apr 27, 2010 3:47 AM HST
Updated: Apr 27, 2010 7:20 AM HST

WAIANAE (HawaiiNewsNow) - Ua hoʻi ʻo E Ala i Waiʻanae ma hope o ma kahi o 30 makahiki a e paʻu mau ana ke kaiaulu i ka mâlama iâ ia ma kona home.

E Ala has finally returned to Waiʻanae after nearly 30 years and the community is doing all it can to keep her at home.

Wai'anae's double-hulled canoe E Ala is finally back home after nearly 30 years.

The next step is keeping her there. Amy Kalili is here with more on that story.

He hanana kûikawâ nô kçia hôʻea ʻana ʻo E Ala i Pôkaʻî no ia kaiâulu i ʻâkoakoa ma laila no kona hoʻi ʻana aku i kona home.

E Ala's arrival at Pôkaʻî Bay was a historic moment for the community that gathered to welcome her home.

E Ala was actually launched off of this very shore. So it's wonderful to have her back home and to feel the community pride and a sense of place and identity.

Georgette "Gege" Kawelo
President, Waiʻanae Hawaii Civic Club

Ua hoʻolana mua ʻia ʻo E Ala ma ʻaneʻi. Nui ko mâkou haʻaheo i kona hoʻi mai.

Ua kâpili ʻia ʻo E Ala i ka mh 1981 e ko ia kaiâulu a ua lilo kçia waʻa he honua koʻikoʻi no ke kaiâulu Hawaiʻi o Oʻahu komohana.

E Ala was built in 1981 as a community driven project. The canoe became an important symbol for West Oʻahu.

I think the pride is still there. The community wants her home to train our own children and to educate them in traditional navigational sailing, which is part of their heritage.

(gege)

Pono ʻo ia ma ʻaneʻi i lilo i mea hoʻonui ʻike kuʻuna holokai no nâ hanauna hou.

Nui ka pômaikaʻi o nâ ʻano haumâna like ʻole he nui wale a puni ka paeʻâina iâ E Ala i loko o kçia mau makahiki.

Students across that state have benefitted from E Ala over the years.

Bringing this canoe back to the coast will then make it accessible to even more students in Waiʻanae.

Rep. Maile Shimabukuro
D – Waiʻanae, Makaha, Makua

E pômaikaʻi kikoʻî ana ko Waiʻanae i kçia manawa.

It will give them a way to connect with the ancient ways of their ancestors. It will connect them with the ocean, connect them with the land. It will really give them a sense of pride.

(rep. maile)

He ala ia e pili ai me ke kai, ka ʻâina me ka ʻike kupuna e haʻaheo maoli ai.

He kama ʻo Sam Kapoi no Waiʻanae, ke kapena hoʻi ʻo E Ala, a nui kona pîhoihoi no nâ hanauna hou o kona kaiâulu.

Captain Sam Kapoi, one of Waiʻanae's own, is excited about E Ala's return.

The benefit that the kids can get from this with E Ala is that kind of the same thing that I went through, having a second route of education.

Sam Kapoi
Captain, E Ala

He nani ka loaʻa o kçia honua hoʻonaʻauao ma waho o ka lumi papa.

Ua alakaʻi ʻo Sam i kekahi mau holokai ʻôpio no Waiʻanae me Nânâkuli ma kçia hoʻi ʻana ʻo E Ala i kona home.

Sam led a crew made of several Waiʻanae and Nânâkuli students on E Ala's two-day journey home.

Coming in on E Ala seeing all my ʻohana just made me tear up and we started to oli it really hit me.

And then it just started streaming tears. Then came the honi and the hugs it just came even more. But they were good tears they were happy tears because cause we did something positive and good.

Anjolie Leedy
Senior, Waiʻanae High School

Pâ ka naʻau ma ka ʻike i ka ʻohana mai E Ala aku. Hû wale mai ke aloha me ke oli.

Kulu wale ka waimaka, keu ma ka puliki aloha o ka poʻe. He waimaka hauʻoli nô.

Hoʻomâkaukau ana ʻo Anjolie no 6 mahina no kçia holomoana ʻana.

Anjolie trained for the past six months to take part in the journey.

That's how we first started training: doing the sails, doing the paddles, doing the different calls, doing the steering paddles. We would also do a lot of land work with knot tying and just getting familiarized with the stars as well.

(anjolie)

Ua hoʻomaka ma ka holo, ka hoe waʻa, me ka hoʻokele. Loaʻa pû ka hana ʻâina.

Ua holo pûalu aku ʻo E Ala me Hôkûleʻa lâua me Kama Uheheu. A ʻo nâ kâpena no nâ waʻa ʻekolu, no ia ʻaoʻao Komohana nô o Oʻahu.

E Ala sailed alongside Hôkûleʻa and Kama Uheheu. Captains for all three were young Leeward Coast residents.

But it doesn't stop there we still have to make sure we maintain her. The kuleana doesn't stop by just bringing her home.

(anjolie)

Akâ ʻaʻole pau ka hana ma kona hoʻi i ka ʻâina. Pono e mâlama aku.

We're trying to push to get a hâlau there, at least a hale there for her and keep her in Waiʻanae.

(sam)

Ke paʻu nei ma ka paʻa o ka hâlau waʻa.

ʻO nâ wahi ʻelua e noʻonoʻo ʻia nei, ʻo ia hoʻi ʻo Pôkaʻî laua me ke awa kû moku ma Waiʻanae.

The two possible locations are Pôkaʻî Bay and the Waiʻanae Boat Harbor.

Right now the status is, is that we have a request in to both the city and the state to allow the E Ala to be permanently drydocked on the Waiʻanae coast.

(rep. maile)

Ke waiho ʻia nei nâ noi kûhelu me ke kalana a me ka mokuʻâina no kona mâlama ʻia ma ka ʻâina ma Waiʻanae.

E ʻimi ana ko ke kaiâulu i ka pûlima o nâ hoakâkoʻo he 1000 ma ka palapala noi no ka mâlama paʻa mau ʻia o E Ala ma Waiʻanae.

The community needs 1,000 signatures on a petition to keep E Ala in Waiʻanae.

We've got about 100 now. We just started. So anybody watching this program that supports E Ala please sign the petition.

(rep. maile)

Ua paʻa he 100. ʻAkahi a hoʻomaka. No laila, e lâkou ala, e pûlima mai.

Makemake e ʻimi aku ko nâ hanauna e hiki mai ana i ka hoʻokô a hoʻokino i ka nuʻukia a moemoeâ o nâ kûpuna.

The hope is that the next generation can carry out the vision of their kupuna.

Hopefully we can build our E Ala Educational Center on this coast, where we can actually start to train our ʻôpio and even reeducate some of our kupuna in the history of E Ala.

(gege)

Makemake e paʻa ke kikowaena hoʻonaʻauao i hiki ke hoʻonui ʻike aku i nâ ʻôpio a kupuna pû.

No ka ʻike hou aku a no ka pûlima i ka palapala noi, e kele aku iâ Maile45.bolgspot.com.

For more information or to sign the petition visit Maile45.blogspot.com.

ʻO wau no kçia o Amy Kalili no Sunrise ma Hawaii News Now. Aloha.