Mission

• To improve the quality of life for those in need and the houseless in the Waimanalo community.

Vision

• To offer housing and culturally appropriate best practices, to assist the houseless in the Waimanalo community to become self-sufficient, employable and independent through collective management of their land and its resources.

Values

• Hoomau: preserve, perpetuate, continue
• Pono: to know, to feel, understand
• Kokua: help, assist, comfort, support
• Kuleana: privilege, responsibility, title, job
• Kupa’a: stand firm, steadfast
• Laulima: many hands working together
• Lokahi: unity, agreement, accord
• Mahalo: thank you
• Mālama: caring, nurturing others, to protect
• ‘Ohana: family

History

Suddenly the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic was upon us. The many homeless camping at Waimanalo Beach Park along the Highway were most affected. With the City and County of Honolulu cutting off the water at the adjacent beach park and the Sheriff patrolling the beaches as a no walk zone, they had nowhere to turn.

Hui Mahi’ai Aina immediately jumped into action. With the help of beneficiaries and through a loan agreement, nine one person cottages and two single family residences were constructed in April 2020 in addition to immediate tent housing. Two local grants of $10,000, one for a kitchen and one for a water meter and water lines, as well as $3,000 in much needed direct cash donations were also received within the next two months.

In-kind donations consisted largely of vital in-kind structural improvements inclusive of showers while six rented temporary portable toilets are a needed but costly addition. Soils and hydrology data is being further evaluated for the layout of an efficient food production aina inclusive of plots for individual residents so that this phase of self-sufficiency, also based on cultural practices.

In cooperation with the State of Hawaii, the City and County of Honolulu, the Department of Land and Natural Resources and in-house and assisting expertise, the 14-acre site is now being developed to meet the needs as outlined in the Mission, Purpose and Vision Statements.