KAKA’AKO: Houselessness & Luxury Development
Please start the tour at Ala Moana Beach Park and end at The Hawai’i Community Development Authority (HCDA). Everything in the middle is up to you! Please be respectful of the community and its residents. Houseless is a term which is used in place of homeless. Hawai’i is their home, they just don’t have a house. KAKA’AKO – Houselessness and Luxury Development
Life in Honolulu’s Kaka‘ako district stands to be exciting, welcoming, cultural, and convenient. But as the area’s dozens of towers are erected over the next two decades, what will happen to those not included in the master plans? –Tina Grandinetti Kaka’ako was once a residential community that had schools, small stores, and more than 5,000 residents. The area was rezoned for industrial use after World War II,
until recently, when certain areas were once again rezoned for residential use. Although there is a large population of houseless in the area, ironically none of the projects are aimed at resolving the issue of affordable housing. The residential developments are luxury high rise condos that the average person in Hawai’i could not afford and the “affordable” units are really not “affordable” for many. Trisha Kehaulani Watson writes, “Homelessness began with the dismantling of communities and the removal of people from their land” (Value of Hawaii 130). That’s what happened to the community of Kaka’ako when it was rezoned for industrial use. The community of Kaka’ako was dismantled for industry and the new community rising from the ashes of the old, works against houseless in Hawai’i. Luxury project developments are detrimental to Hawai’i’s communities, because so many people living in Hawai’i are one paycheck away from houselessness.
Tour Guide
Ala Moana Beach Park (1201 Ala Moana Blvd)
One of the few open space areas in town with ocean access. Utilized by local families as a low cost area for picnics, birthday parties, and other celebrations. The beach park is also used for running and various water sports. Houseless also utilize the park for restrooms or a place to sleep. A former landfill, the park has transformed into an area of mixed use and should be preserved and should always be accessible to the public. Waiea Luxury Condo (1118 Ala Moana Blvd)
KAKA’AKO 1
KAKA’AKO: Houselessness & Luxury Development
Waiea is a luxury Condo being built on a former parking lot. The Waiea units range in price from $1 million to $35 million per unit. The website for the Waiea luxury condo states, “Currently, prices begin at a little over $1M for the 1BRs, making it an extremely high entry point. For those who can make it, though, it is the chance to step onto an elevated plane of life in Hawaii.” The median income in Hawai’i is $69,592. Therefore the average person/family will not be able to afford to “make it” into the high entry point. Ward Center/Gateway Luxury Towers (1200 Ala Moana Blvd)
At the Ward Center a farmer’s Market held on Saturday’s from 8-12, support local farmers! Ma’o farms and He Mea ‘ono Poi Company are a couple of the many local farmers and vendors who participate in the market.
Future site of Gateway Luxury Condos, one bedroom units start at $1.6 million. The median income in Hawai’i is $69,592. Therefore, the average person/family will not be able to afford to live here. Gateway Park (461 Cooke Street)
Tour Guide
The houseless population at the park started to grow and at a point reached 183 tents in July of 2015. The City council of Honolulu approved Bill 6, extending the “sit-lie” ban. Mayor Caldwell vetoed the measure, claiming issues with the legality, buy the council voted to override the veto 6-3. Anthony Ching (Executive Director of the HCDA) said the city is looking at relocating the team that's responsible for enforcing the sit-lie ban to a new facility that would be built in a vacant lot adjacent to the homeless camp. This would allow the city to conduct sweeps more often, more so now that there is an agreement in place to allow city workers to “sweep” houseless from state land. The sweeps only hurt the houseless people and do not help. Children’s Discovery Center (111 Ohe Street)
The website for the Children’s Discovery Center reads, “The Hawaii Children's Discovery KAKA’AKO 2
KAKA’AKO: Houselessness & Luxury Development
Center provides a worldclass, interactive, participatory learning environment designed to inspire the young and "young-at-heart" to new heights of learning and discovery.” Also, “We want to inspire children to “dream big dreams” and to know that dreams can, indeed, come true! Here is how much it costs to get in General Admission -$10.00 Kama’aina & Military (w/I.D.) - $8.00 Senior Citizens (62+ w/I.D.) - $6.00 Children under 1 – Free HCDC Members – Free How could any of the houseless families afford to go? They could not. In 2015 Hawaii News Now reported that the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center looked to “close itself off” after problems occurred. The Children’s Discovery Center sent an email to lawmakers and the Hawaii Community Development Center, stating that, “We are desperate for a fence.” The Center was experiencing an issue with people urinating and defecating in the area. The executive director of the
Hawaii Community Development Authority said they would probably allow the fence. John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) (651 Ilalo Street)
The John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) provides a student-run free clinic. The Hawai’i H.O.M.E. project is a free clinic provided by students from JABSOM. JABSOM states, “Our program currently provides free medical services to homeless individuals at the Pai’olu Kaiaulu Shelter in Waiʻanae, the Onelauena Shelter in Kalaeloa, the IHS Men’s Shelter in Iwilei, and those that receive meals at the First United Methodist church in Honolulu.” The medical school also has a mobile health van for medical outreach services for the houseless in the Kaka’ako area. The clinic is
Tour Guide
funded mainly from donations, fund raisers, and grants. The community benefits greatly from this organization’s efforts. Mother Waldron Playground (Cooke Street and Halekauila Street)
Only playground in Kaka’ako in the 1950’s. During the construction of the playground, iwi kupuna (ancestor’s bones) was discovered and reburied in the mauka (mountain) side of the playground. The burial area is marked with a kapu (prohibited) sign and should be respected. HCDA website states that the park was built in 1937 and includes “a historic one-story comfort station, two basketball courts, a volleyball court, an open field and benches along the historic boundary walls.” However in the 1950’s, it also included a swing set, a seesaw, and jungle gym. (Marsha Gibson 83) The park was named after Margaret Waldron, a tough fourth KAKA’AKO 3
KAKA’AKO: Houselessness & Luxury Development
grade teacher at Pohukaina Elementry School and playground director who was known for transforming the youth gangs of Kaka’ako into law abiding citizens. She was fondly bestowed the title “Mother” Waldron because of the many programs that she organized for the youths. (Gibson 83) Mother Waldron was a champion for the poor and those in need. Hawai’i Community Development Authority (HCDA) (547 Queen Steet)
The Hawai’i Community Development Authority (HCDA) is a public corporation that falls under the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. The HCDA states, “As a public corporation, the Hawaii Community Development Authority is working to bring together private enterprise and government to make redevelopment happen and to establish Kakaako
as an economically and socially viable community that can provide a range of public benefits. The HCDA envisions itself to be the creator and leader to establish Kaka’ako as the most desirable urban place in Hawaii in which people can work, live, visit, learn and play.” (HCDA) Please make note that the statement just says “people”, not the “people of Hawai’i”. The HCDA does not work to serve the people of Hawai’i, because they support so many projects that sell units for millions of dollars. These “homes” cost obscene amounts of money, which most people of Hawai’i would not be able to afford.
Tour Guide
-Be safe and use good judgement before taking any pictures in the area. -Please go to the Farmer’s Market at Ward Center on Saturday’s from 8am 12pm and support local agriculture. Sources http://www.discoverycente rhawaii.org/general.html http://www.hawaiinewsno w.com/story/29459152/chi ldrens-discovery-centerlooking-for-help-ashomeless-camp-expandsin-kakaako http://jabsom.hawaii.edu/c ommunity-services/ http://dbedt.hawaii.gov/hcd a/discover-kakaako/aboutkakaako/ http://www.honoluluhi5.co m/oahu/honolulu/metro/wa iea-kakaako-condos-forsale/ http://www.oralhistory.ha waii.edu/pages/community /kakaako.html http://www.civilbeat.com/2 015/06/honolulu-citycouncil-overridescaldwell-expands-sit-lie/
-Please remember to always be respectful of the community and the land.
http://fluxhawaii.com/who se-kakaako/ Gibson, Marsha. Kaka'ako as We Knew It: Memories of Growing up in Old KAKA’AKO 4
KAKA’AKO: Houselessness & Luxury Development
Tour Guide
Kaka'ako. Honolulu, HI: Mutual Pub., 2011. Print. Howes, Craig, and Jon Kamakawiwoʻole. Osorio. The Value of Hawaiʻi: Knowing the Past, Shaping the Future. Honolulu: Published for the Biographical Research Center by the U of Hawaiʻi, 2010. Print.
KAKA’AKO 5