Thanks to donations, Hawaii’s largest homeless camp a step closer to a permanent home

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii's largest homeless camp has raised enough money to make an offer on new land.

But they need the community’s to get the deal done.

Through fundraising and private donations, Puuhonua o Waianae says they have come up with $800,000 to move the camp at the edge of Waianae Boat Harbor to a 20-acre parcel of agricultural land off Waianae Valley Road.

But in order to begin operating on that land debt-free, the group needs to raise another $650,000.

“If we can get that chunk of funds in before year’s end what will enable village to do is close the deal on land with sufficient time and maybe even give us a leg up on the next phase of project, which is infrastructure and building,” said James Koshiba, a volunteer with the group.

The new encampment ― dubbed Puuhonua o Waianae Mauka ― will be home to 250 people with rent capped at $250 a month.

The next 3 phases of the project are estimated to cost $3 million.

For information on how to donate and stay updated with the project, click here.