Homelessness is not a crime and as a community, we need to be mindful of being compassionate in working with the homeless population. Many, if not most of the homeless population need help. Help with shelter, help with mental health issues, help with substance abuse and help with life.
It takes a village and many in our community are working together to find help for those that need it most and to alleviate the homeless issues facing West Hawaii.
The Friendly Place homeless shelter
The Friendly Place campus on Pawai Place is a one-stop shop providing services to the homeless population including 23 permanent supportive housing units onsite at Hale Kikaha and the West Hawaii Emergency Housing Program that includes shelter, meals, showers, laundry and case management. The Friendly Place Resource Center also provides a food pantry, meals, lockers, mail, phones, showers, haircuts, restrooms and medical screenings.
HOPE Services Hawaii under contract with the County of Hawaii does a remarkable job of managing campus and providing outreach, housing and support services. Sobriety is not required to receive services at The Friendly Place.
Pawai Place renaissance
What was once old is now new. Pawai Place is undergoing a renaissance with new construction, renovations and refurbishment.
Kona Brew Pub
Kona Brew Pub typically welcomes over 1,400 customers a day to the Pawai Place taproom. That equates 500,000 guests annually and delivers a strong $10 million economic impact to the success of Kailua Village. The Brew Pub is adding 25% more seating and they expect to attract approximately 3,000 customers a day.
Brewery Block’s $9 million investment
The transformation of Pawai Place began with the refurbishment, renovations and marketing of what’s now called the Brewery Block. Buildings have gotten facelifts, glass storefronts added with curbs gutters and sidewalks built.
New businesses are being added to the Brewery Block with Sushi Shiono, Hawaiian Coffee Company, Willie’s Chicken, and Umekes all scheduled to open later this year.
Kona Brewing Co. brewery
Kona Brewing Co.’s $26 million construction of its 30,000 square-foot brewery and canning facility is underway. The new brewery with an annual capacity of 200,000 kegs is slated for completion later this year. They are projecting $18 million per year in sales and will scale up to $30 million shortly.
Kona Night Market
Special events abound with the Kona Night Market attracting 3,000 to 4,000 to the free family event. All monies raised go to local nonprofits.
Incompatible uses on Pawai Place
As you might expect, while a homeless shelter provides many of the services that homeless require, it also brings with it a slew of issues.
Police reports have noted a high volume of crime with fights, stabbings, drug dealing, vandalism and prostitution leading the list on Pawai Place.
Local shopkeepers, employers, employees and residents don’t feel safe.
Pawai Place tenants have expressed safety concerns noting that the homeless that congregate outside the gates of The Friendly Place facility are volatile, irrational and require policing on a daily basis. Many need mental health and substance abuse help. Many are a danger to themselves and to the community at large. Many are not capable of making rational decisions.
A typical day reveals defecation issues, shopping carts in the street, tents set up outside The Friendly Place, the smell of feces and folks passed out on sidewalks and on the street.
This is definitely not the environment where you would want to own a business, work, enjoy a coffee, meal or a beer.
Kukuiola Emergency Shelter project
The Kukuiola Emergency Shelter project (formerly Village 9) on property adjacent to Kealakehe Parkway continues to move forward thanks to the leadership of County of Hawaii’s Roy Takemoto, Barbara Kossow and Sharon Hirota.
Kukuiola’s Concept Plan and an environmental assessment are now complete with funding secured for an access road and Phase 1 construction and operations.
The Kukuiola Emergency Shelter project will include an assessment center, emergency shelter (20-30 units) and an access road in the first phase. The second phase includes transitional and permanent supportive housing and affordable rentals. Subsequent phases are planned for an additional 60 to 90 emergency housing units.
Design build agreements are being negotiated for the access road and the first phase construction with completion of Phase I anticipated in late 2020.
Suggested solution: Consolidate homeless services
It’s time to start the planning process to move The Friendly Place homeless shelter to Kukuiola.
It just makes sense to consolidate homeless services and solutions at one location — Kukuiola, where the county and state are investing in homeless infrastructure and operations.
The end result will be better for the homeless population and better for those that own, work and invest on Pawai Place.
If no decision is made and nothing is done, the homeless issues that the community faces and deals with on Pawai Place will continue far into the future.
Jane Clement is president of the Kailua Village Business Improvement District
Ross Wilson Jr. is Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Committee’s chairman
