HomeAid Hawaii

Starting this Sunday, September 1st, HomeAid Hawaiʻi will be participating in Give Aloha, Foodland’s Annual Community Matching Gifts program! You can support us by making a donation at any , Sack N Save, or store during the month of September. 100% of your gift will go directly to our organization and Foodland will match a portion of your contribution.
 
Here’s how to support HomeAid Hawaiʻi at checkout:

1. Enter your Maikaʻi phone number or present your Maikaʻi card.
2. Tell the cashier that you’d like to make a donation to HomeAid Hawaiʻi, with org code #79162. (any amount up to $249)
3. Review your receipt to confirm the organization name and donation amount is correct.

Mahalo for your support!

On this we want to honor our team, volunteers, leaders and partners who make everything we do possible. At HomeAid Hawaiʻi, we are guided by a simple truth: everyone deserves a safe and dignified place to call home.

Our work is sustained by the generosity and support of our partners and the community. These connections enable us to continue our mission of building homes and rebuilding lives for those who need it most.

Today, we celebrate the many hands and hearts that have joined us on this journey. Together, we’re creating a future where everyone has a place to call home. Mahalo nui loa!

A year has passed since the fires, and my heart remains with Maui every day.
 
Today, we took this moment of silence to honor those we lost and reflect on the hardships endured. We come together to remember and support one another as we rebuild.
 
Tomorrow, we take a step forward by welcoming the first displaced residents into the Ka Laʻi Ola interim housing community. We will celebrate the promise of a new future for those who will soon call Ka Laʻi Ola home.

Reflecting on the passing of Twinkle Borge, I’m reminded of her immense heart and unwavering dedication. Our last conversation was filled with her vision and passion for her community. Her tireless efforts to transform Puʻuhonua O Waianae into a place of hope and belonging have deeply inspired me and countless others.

Mahalo, Aunty Twinkle, for your incredible spirit and the legacy you’ve left behind. We will honor your dream and continue to work, striving every day to build a Hawai‘i that embraces and supports all its people.

Me ke aloha nui,
Kimo

Every other year, the Weinberg Foundation runs the Malia-Silva Duarte Employee Giving Program, offering its staff the opportunity to direct a grant to a local nonprofit that aligns with the Foundation’s mission. This year, Shaun Toyoma selected HomeAid Hawai’i!

Mahalo nui loa, Shaun! And mahalo to everyone who helped with tonight’s program.

125 new tiny home units have been completed!

50 of these units have already been relocated, and with our partners from the County, State, and private sectors, two new Kauhale will open by the end of this month—one in Iwilei on N King St. and another at Cedar Church in Kalihi.

By the end of 2024, we will have brought 435 new homes to our State. Next year, as we approach HomeAid Hawai‘i’s 10th anniversary, we aim to bring at least another 325 homes.

This is a huge win for Hawai‘i!

Mahalo to everyone involved—this work can only be done together.

Mahalo nui loa, Unlimited Construction Services, INC, and to all the organizations and individuals who participated in this year’s Laulima Golf Tournament at Poipu Bay Golf Course.

Your generosity directly supports our efforts to build homes and rebuild lives for Maui wildfire survivors and those experiencing or at risk of homelessness across Hawaiʻi.

We had an amazing time at Hole 7 connecting with many of you and hope to cross paths again in the near future. Remember, we were the tent serving up the banana lumpia. Aloha!

Here’s the latest from our very own Zach Manuel and Kalia McKeague, along with key partner Sam Church from . They recently joined state agencies and leaders on a visit to Community First! Village and Camp Esperanza in Austin, Texas.

Today, we enjoyed a tour around HomeAid Hawaiʻi's Shipyard, getting a closer look at the 123 new homes nearly ready for 3 Kauhale Villages across Oʻahu. Mahalo to everyone who joined us today!

John Mizuno

To all our fallen heroes, we remember and honor you today and every day.

Last week, Governor Josh Green announced the selection of HomeAid Hawaiʻi as the lead developer of the State’s interim housing project for Maui wildfire survivors, Ka Laʻi Ola.

Yesterday, alongside The State of Hawaiʻi, County of Maui, Hawaiʻi Community Foundation, and scores of community partners, we broke ground on the site. Thanks to everyone who joined us to mark this milestone and pave the way for a stable future for those still living in transition.

Read more here:
https://governor.hawaii.gov/featured/office-of-the-governor-news-release-groundbreaking-marks-the-start-of-ka-lai-ola-a-major-housing-initiative-for-maui-wildfire-survivors/

Thank you, Builder and Developer Magazine for featuring HomeAid Hawaii in the March edition! 🌺

In this edition, the magazine shines a spotlight on HomeAid Hawaii's impactful partnership with Hawaii Governor Josh Green, where we're housing Hawaii's most vulnerable, one village at a time, through our innovative "Kauhale" program. 🏠

Kauhale, meaning "village" in Hawaiian, embodies a commitment to creating safe and dignified housing solutions for those in need. Together with Governor Green, we've launched a transformative initiative, resulting in the creation of a 36-unit village now managed by U.S. Vets.

But that's not all – our vision extends beyond a single village. With plans to build 12 Kauhales throughout the state by 2026, we're paving the way for a brighter future for Hawaii's homeless population.

Stay tuned for inspiring stories, updates, and insights on how HomeAid Hawaii is making a difference in the lives of individuals and families across the islands.

Read more about the feature by clicking here and turn to page 48: https://bit.ly/3wMMokW

As part of our development life cycle, one of the first steps in building a Kauhale is to listen. What does each county and neighborhood need? Being proactive in engaging with the community first helps us to understand the issues we're facing and how to best work towards a solution together.

On our latest trip to the Big Island of Hawaiʻi, we discovered two promising sites, each with great potential for future Kauhale.

Stay tuned as we bring this vision to life, site by site, island by island, ensuring that the spirit of Aloha extends to every individual and family experiencing homelessness in Hawaii.

Before this year's ULI Housing Opportunity Conference, we took a tour around Community First Village in Austin, Texas to understand the workings of this 51-acre master-planned community that houses more than 350 neighbors who were formerly experiencing homelessness.

From a cinema & amphitheater to an organic farm to their Entrepreneur HUB, Community First! Village was designed to create connections between neighbors, fostering a sense of belonging — one of the fundamental principles of Kauhale, here in Hawaiʻi.

Mahalo for the tour, Mobile Loaves & Fishes! Your work and vision are inspiring for us all!



Kimo Carvalho HomeAid Austin Adrian Kamali'i

"Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected."

These words from George Washington ring as true today as they did centuries ago. At HomeAid Hawaii, we see beyond the meaning of this statement reflected in the eyes of every individual we help to build a home for.

For those facing or at risk of homelessness, happiness begins with a community, a sense of belonging, and a safe place to live.

So today, we take a day off to remember and recognize you, Mr. Washington. Happy Birthday. We honor your legacy by committing to our moral duty — to build homes and rebuild lives.

Happy Presidents' Day, from all of us at HomeAid Hawaii.

We hope everyone had a great Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Yesterday at Windward kauhale, we witnessed the true spirit of aloha. Another amazing group of volunteers came together to clean units, setup beds, install hangars and planters, and much more.

We wanted to send a special shoutout to the TEKsystems Hawaii team, , ., James Dela Cruz and the Na ʻOpio o Koʻolau Hula Halau, Chris Dotson, Lama Chang, and COL. Ronald Cole and friends. Mahalo for coming out on this holiday and showing us the power of community! Oh and mahalo to Family Promise of Hawai`i for lending us your van!

You never know who you'll meet when you volunteer with Homeaid Hawaii.

Over the last three days, we've had the honor to work alongside with various organizations and exceptional individuals, including the recently named and . We want to extend a heartfelt mahalo to everyone who dedicated their time, resources, and effort. We couldn't do this without you.

HomeAid Hawaii is the State of Hawaii's lead development partner focused on building deeply affordable housing solutions for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Middle Street kauhale was the first of many projects planned in 2024, but next, we'll shift our focus to the Windward kauhale where we'll be hosting 3 more volunteer days on Monday, Jan. 15, Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 17.

Ready to be a part of this amazing journey? Visit https://form.jotform.com/233477005377156 to sign up.

Lama Chang Alani Apio Householder Homes Staging Leilani Teocson Mores James Koshiba Jill Pulver Wright Maddison Amiyah Moliga

Mahalo nui loa to our incredible volunteers! Today marked the first of our volunteer days at the Middle Street kauhale, and what an inspiring day it was.

Here's the progress we made:

✅ Cleaned units
✅ Assembled planter boxes
✅ Installed plant hangers
✅ Moved in mattresses and supplies
✅ And more!

We're looking forward to two more days of volunteering at the Middle Street kauhale – tomorrow and Thursday. Let's keep this momentum going! And next week, we're excited to continue our efforts at our Windward kauhale on Monday, Jan. 15, Tuesday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 17. We need your kokua!

Sign up to volunteer by going to https://form.jotform.com/233477005377156

As we say goodbye to 2023, I can't help but reflect on the journey it's been since stepping into the role of Executive Director at HomeAid Hawaii in March. What a year of growth, challenges, and, most importantly, community!

From the moment I joined, I felt the weight and privilege of this position. Each step, from breaking ground on a new kauhale site to seeing the joy in our community's eyes as they find a place to call home, has been deeply humbling.

To everyone that has joined in this journey, mahalo. Your support, trust, and commitment have been the driving forces behind our achievements. As we look to 2024, I'm filled with anticipation and resolve. There's much work to be done, but together, we're doing more than building homes; we're rebuilding lives and restoring dignity.

Here's to continued partnerships and to a future beyond homelessness. Happy New Year, and may it be as impactful as the love and dedication you've all shown.

We’re opening a call for volunteers who can help set up each of the new kauhale sites and ready them for move-in. Volunteer activities will include a variety of projects from making beds to assembling furniture. All activities will take place in January 2024.

Click the link below to sign up and volunteer!

https://form.jotform.com/233477005377156

The holidays are here and, like you, we at HomeAid Hawaii have been busy!

Our latest project involves relocating and building additional units to a new village on Middle Street, providing homes for at least 50 formerly homeless individuals. This is one of three new kauhale villages on Oahu coming in 2024!

Read more in our December 2023 newsletter: https://www.homeaidhawaii.org/news/december-2023-newsletter

HomeAid Hawaii December 2023 Newsletter — HomeAid® Hawaii | Building A Future Without Homelessness The holidays are here and, like you, we at HomeAid Hawaii have been busy!   You may have seen the news about units from the medical respite kauhale, Pulama Ola, being relocated to another site. Per the original project plan, the 12 units from Pulama Ola will find a permanent home at the ne

We're participating in Give Big Hawaii! Donate today and Southwest Airlines will give you 25 points per dollar donated (up to 10,000 points)! See www.givebighawaii.com for more information and to donate!

This Thanksgiving, remember that the simple things are actually the big things – the stability of home, the community where you live and work, the company of family and friends. Keep in your thoughts the people of Maui whose lives were upturned in the blink of an eye this August and for whom the simple things are no longer so simple.

The road to recovery for our neighbors on Maui will be long, but the community is strong and has many supporters around the globe. Read on for why Kimo, our Executive Director, has hope for the future of The Valley Isle, and how HomeAid Hawaii is working to help.

You can read the full guest blog here: https://bit.ly/3QLwgXe

Visit www.homeaidhawaii.org to learn more about our work or to donate.

Imagine waking up in your house surrounded by a lifetime's worth of personal treasures. Then, imagine going to bed 12 hours later, homeless with nothing but clothes on your back, knowing everything you’ve worked so hard for was taken away at a moment's notice.

Don’t think it could happen to you? Neither did the 17,069 individuals on Maui for whom that nightmare scenario became all too real on August 8th, 2023.

When we think of homelessness, we often think of people who struggle with mental illness or substance abuse or who are unemployed.

But homelessness can truly happen to anyone when circumstances thrust them unwillingly into the streets to the point it turns their lives completely upside down.

HomeAid Hawaii was on the ground in Maui within days of it being declared safe, meeting with landowners, all levels of government, and the community to begin collaborating on a pathway toward stable housing for those displaced.

Since then, we have convened landowners to offer the best available land options for short-, mid-, and long-term housing solutions, and we have helped federal, state, and county governments access a considerable amount of funding to pay for infrastructure and developments.

In early 2024, we will break ground on two sites consisting of about 170 acres. This effort will provide housing relief to displaced Maui residents and cut the County’s homeless population in half. Should all go as planned, we project our first site to be ready as early as August 2024 and the second by September 2025.

Click here to read the full article: https://bit.ly/3QLwgXe

If you want to support our initiatives for those displaced in Maui, then you can donate directly to support the cause here: https://bit.ly/40Pb5Ii

It's an exciting time for HomeAid Hawaii as we embark on developing 12 Villages across the State of alongside our government and community partners. We are looking for support to manage our nonprofit housing development organization, and currently have two openings:

Business Manager: Provides strategic direction and oversight for the organization's internal operations, financial infrastructure, human resources, and contract compliance.

Administrative Coordinator: Plays a crucial role in providing project-based support and day-to-day operational assistance to ensure the continued success of our mission.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining our team, please check out the job descriptions at https://www.homeaidhawaii.org/careers.

Feel free to reach out to Samantha Church at [email protected] if you have any questions or would like to express interest!

It has been just over a month since the deadly Maui wildfires. Emergency management teams have quickly deployed disaster response solutions to house displaced residents in hotels and bnb’s as a short-term measure to ensure everyone’s comfort and safety. As we shift now from response to recovery, efforts must focus on both short and longer-term housing solutions – places where people can live after they leave hotels, and until permanent housing can be built.

HomeAid Hawaii has been on the ground partnering with government and community stakeholders to evaluate and plan these housing options. Considerations include land availability and feasibility, materials and labor, financing, and, most importantly, the needs and desires of the community.

Rebuilding Lahaina will take time. Rebuilding lives shouldn’t have to.

To learn more, visit our website at homeaidhawaii.org

Post-fire housing solutions on Maui not easy or clear Lahaina fire recovery efforts hit their one-month mark Friday, and are now at what Gov. Josh Green calls a pivot point to provide longer-term housing for several thousand displaced people until they can rebuild or replace what they lost.

Mahalo to Board Members First Hawaiian Bank's Executive Vice President & Chief Risk Officer + HomeAid Board Treasurer Ralph Mesick and A&M Development's President Alan Wong. Alan served as our building captain donating more than 80 service hours. These two were part of 9 board members who helped to bring this project to life.

Albert C. Kobayashi President Michael Young and his team provided nearly $20k of valued in-kind labor, material, and supplies for Pulama Ola, including building our ADA-accessible ramps, planter boxes, and all the steps into each unit to make the facility operate. We are most grateful to our board members and partners who joined us in our journey to develop and open Pūlama Ola.