20230823-KapoleiNB

SENATOR MAILE SHIMABUKURO 2023 HAWAII STATE LEGISLATURE

LATEST COMMUNITY UPDATES

URGENT WAI’ANAE COAST INTERGOVERNMENTAL STRATEGY SESSION

US Congresswoman Jill Tokuda with Councilmember Andria Tupola convened a meeting with federal, state, and county agencies to specifically address a number of urgent issues specific to the westside as a tactical strategy session.

Present at the July 31st meeting at City Hall were staff from my capitol office (Chief of Staff, Keahi Renaud) as well as Dorene Eddy from Rep. Darius Kila’s office, and also members from the Mayor’s Office, Honolulu Department of Facilities Maintenance, Road Maintenance, State Department of Transportation, Dept of Land and Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

The top issue was ULEHAWA STREAM and how to promote & maintain free flow to the ocean and prevent the back-up issues of stagnation odors, garbage, and various health concerns from drainage & pollution. The following timeline below was provided.

Collaborative discussions were engaged on how best to coordinate all the agencies to meld the planning, permitting, and funding from all levels of government to implement a long term solution in the most efficient fashion at the lowest cost for all parties involved.

Additional discussion involved the negotiation of Makua Valley and the military determining if it still requires some access to Makua or not. The deadline for public comment & testimony is September of 2023.

Deliberations also entailed the Kolekole Pass as an alternate access road for the westside. The Navy may need to make road upgrades & repairs on some parts.

The last topic was about DOT acquiring Pa’akea Rd. and also having the military address the chronic flood condition from Lualualei.

MAHALO NUI to everyone for participating !! ~ Maile

In the midst of the catastrophic conflagration in Lahaina, Maui, the Legislature sent out a call to the people of O’ahu to bring food, clothes, and a variety of supplies. Nobody could have expected the most incredible outpouring of pure aloha.

Beginning on the morning of Friday, August 11, a truly tremendous amount of cars began lining up curbside to drop off donations which were then quickly sorted by hundreds of legislators, staff members, and also volunteers at ground-level

and then stored all those supplies along hallways, conference rooms, and in both capitol chambers !!

Ongoing and diligent efforts have been focused on sorting and transporting the supplies to the most needy quickly.

UPDATE: The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has opened up its 300,000 sqft Hakuone Warehouse as a central distribution hub to expedite and ship out all the priority needs. (It does not receive direct public donations)

We will be working to get these hundreds of tons of supplies to Maui. Keep them in your prayers.

https://hawaiiancouncil.org/helpmaui

The Kāko'o Lāhainā Benefit Concert is organized to support Keʻeaumoku Kapu and Nā ‘Aikāne o Maui Lahaina Cultural Center, an initiative that aims to preserve and revitalize Maui's ancient connections that unfortunately have been lost in the recent wildfires of Lāhainā. Nā ‘Aikāne o Maui Lāhainā Cultural Center was a gathering place for his community. E KŌKUA KĀKOU

A KŪKĀKŪKĀ (talk story) FOR WESTSIDE FIRE HAZARD MITIGATION

In light of the incredibly traumatic wildfires on Maui and the ongoing history of wildfires which we experience every year along the Wai’anae Coastline, the Nānākuli Library found it most timely to have a “hybrid” Community Meeting for Firewise Planning for & by westside residents on ZOOM or in persion at the Nānākuli Library this Thursday, Aug 24th @ 5-6pm. ~ Maile

US VETERANS INITIATIVE - Waianae Civic Center

Pai'olu Kaiaulu Emergency Shelter HAS OPENINGS !!!

Call 808-462-0280 for more information.

- Residents are allowed to have up to two “comfort animal” pets;

- Walk in / self-refer themselves to apply for entry into the shelter;

- Rent is a percentage of your income;

- Bed bug treatment is offered prior to entry;

- On site washing machines and dryers;

- The shelter offers assigned case managers, financial assistance, housing first placement, on-site counseling, educational services, and a host of other services to residents and non-residents;

- Accepts families with children, couples, and singles.

- Shelter is located across the Waianae Fire Station.

Tanya Brown, Exec Dir US Veterans Initiative

85-638 Farrington Hwy Waianae, HI 96792

tbrown@usvets.org

https://www.usvets.org

808-696-6770

808

Pictured, back row, L-R: Carline, Charles, Bridgette, Sen. Maile, Tanya, Jamael, Cantrell, and Sandy. Front row, L-R: Garret & Momi.

Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Here in Hawai‘i, the traditional idea of a “community” based on ‘OHANA is broadly accepted and recognized.

The neighborhood of Pu’u Heleakala was established 50 years ago with 236 townhouse units where many upstart families could purchase their first homes. Times blossomed but also faced many community challenges.

Over the last half decade, new board members and resident manager have restored the aloha & vitality of this small “village” in Nanakuli. This rebirth has come full-circle on the event of its 50th Anniversary. The best of luck to all the members of this neighborhood.

Congratulations to Pu’u Heleakala for making a community into an “ohana”!!

Maile

Leeward Coast Legislators and both Agriculture Chairs Support MA‘O Farms

Knowing that Hawai‘i is the most isolated land mass on earth as well as a critically dependent island group for food imports, means that we as a state have a critically threatened food sustainability issue.

MA‘O Organic Farms is one of the lead organizations hailing from Wai‘anae which is simultaneously improving our state’s supply of fresh organic food but they are also training the next generation of farmers.

We also recognize that by shifting to a more environmentally-friendly organic growing systems, MA’O Farms helps to protect our fragile native ecosystem.

They have recently applied for a USDA grant to help expand their land, increase their production, upgrade their processing, improve their marketing, and enhance their mentoring/internship program.

When our food improves, we all benefit. When we train well, the community thrives.

Maile

Pu‘u Heleakala Housing Association