Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 5, 1 May 1992 — Housing crisis from page 3 [ARTICLE]

Housing crisis from page 3

giving small portions here and there we should work out a plan," says Kaulukukui. Established last fall, he says the committee "hasn't yet found the answer" to the housing dilemma. And he points out that not only funding requests have flooded the group. Proposals to construct low-cost housing, including one from Queensland, Australia to build-your-own-house with parts out of a box, also have to be considered by the committee, Kaulukukui says. "We're listening to all the people, looking at the proposals and then we'U eome up with a plan," he says. Meanwhile, Paglinawan says that while Hawai'i has not managed to escape homelessness, the state's shelters have fared better than those in some Maiinland cities. The administrator says he and a member of the State Homeless Task Force were shocked during a

tour of San Francisco shelters several years ago. "We were appalled at the long lines. They have to turn people away. And those who were admitted into the shelter had to be frisked for weapons and drugs," he remembers. Yet Paglinawan's frustration about housing, homelessness and Hawaiians is clearly visible. He advocates increasing the number of shelters and also specializing the facilities for cases of spouse and child abuse. Programs to rehabilitate the homeless are also needed, the administrator believes. "We cannot just warehouse people." And he reiterates that providing housing on the Islands requires the attention of more than one group or government agency, particularly regarding Hawaiians. "It is everybody's problem. And one of the problems seems to be communities saying 'Not in my backyard,'" Paglinawan says. "We are not talking about non-residents. We are talking about our people, Hawaiians."