New transitional ‘kauhale’ village for the homeless planned for urban core

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Plans are moving forward to put in another village aimed at housing the homeless in Oahu’s urban core.

The site currently being considered is located off Middle Street near the Keehi Transfer Station.

City officials confirm plans are underway to transform the parcel into the island’s next “kauhale village” — a master-planned community intended to house people living on the street.

“So they’ll have separate living spaces, but then parts of it are communal,” said Anton Krucky, head of the city Department of Community Services.

Krucky said the city still hasn’t picked an exact design, but tiny homes with shared utilities is an option.

As for the money, Krucky says it’s already in hand.

Congressional funds to the tune of $12 million were secured by U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz.

Krucky said, “I’d like to be building this year. And sooner than later.”

Nani Medeiros, the state’s Chief Housing Officer, says the idea of building a kauhale on this piece of land is something government’s been trying to do since at least 2019.

“So we know the soil is good from the testing that we did back then,” she said. “And we have some very preliminary drawings, you know, how to lay out some of the different units.”

Krucky added, “I see these more as transitional housing. Someone can be there for a year to two years.”

It’s housing that’s desperately needed.

Just a quarter mile away, the banks of the Kalihi stream are crowded with people living under tarps and other make shift shelters.

This isn’t the only village the city hopes to build with that $12 million.

HNN has learned the plan is to build three kauhale villages with the money.

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