Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 1, 1 January 1987 — Hawaiians at Lanakila Face Eviction Jan. 18 [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiians at Lanakila Face Eviction Jan. 18

The plight of Hawaiians living in low rental housing has onee more surfaced with the recent announcement that more than 40 families, a majority of them Hawaiian adults and children, must vacate their present quarters at the old three-complex two-story Lanakila Hotel on N. School almost directly across from Lanakila Field. Eviction notices to the tenants were sent out Nov. 17 whieh directed them to vacate no later than Sunday, i Jan. 18. The letter said there will be no exceptions. lt further notes that anyone caught on the property beyond that day will be guilty of trespassing. "Circumstances beyond our control force us to shut down the property," the letter explained. The Hawaiian tenants went to the Oahu District Council, Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, for assistance. The matter was then referred to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Human Services Specialist Sam Holt who met with the tenants.

Norma Kaolelopono Sanay, a 100 percent native Hawaiian serving as spokesperson for the group, asked Holt and Ka Wai Ola O OHA the one burning question that's been on their minds: "Where ean we go where the rent is low." Sanay said that despite their cubby hole aeeommodations at the Lanakila, the rent has been affordable. It ranges from $125 to $135. Everyone in the three eomplexes uses one community kitchen, bathroom and shower. The dining areas are usually the lanais or in individual rooms. "We don't want to end up on the beach," Sanay exclaimed. Virtually all the tenants are receiving some form of assistance from the Department of Social Services and Housing.

Sanay said they have been somewhat encouraged in talks with state and county officials and state and county politicians who pledged their support and assuranee they will be doing everything in trying to resolve the situation. "This is fine but we still don't have any where to go eome Jan. 18. We don't even have any idea if well have low rent housing," Sanay laments. According to Sanay, the owner of Lanakila Hotel couldn't get liability insurance "or something like that." She said they had asked the state in October to inspect the buildings so they could get certificates of displacement. The report they got back was that the buildings were in repairable condition but the owner insisted on having it torn down. Sanay herself lives there with four of her six children, ages 17, 7, 6 and 4 and grandchildren ages 2, 1 and two months. Two other children live with family members. Francis Kamai, another native Hawaiian who was born on Niihau to Cecilia Papiahuli and Nicholas Koleau Kamai, fell from a roofing job in 1984 and is now totally disabled. He fractured his collarbone, shoulder bone, ribs, back, wrist and knee. It is the knee whieh limits his mobility. While he tries to maintain a spirited outlook, Kamai also knows he faces an uncertain housing future. "I don't know," he said, "we ean only hope, wait and see." Sanay, who works together in this battle with Lynn Lopes, shares the same view as Kamai. "Hopefully," she concluded, "we ean get relocated at the kind of' rent we ean afford." She holds on to a tenacious hope that something good will evolve from their plight. Holt, meanwhile, contacted several agencies and officials in seeking kokua for his fellow Hawaiians. Like them, he has received assurances of help. However, it remains a waiting game and what kind of help will be forthcoming, if any.

Two At-Large Trustees from Oahu, A. Frenchy DeSoto at left and Kevin (Chubby) Mahoe accepting congratu!ations from those attending the reception.

These are the five Trustees who were elected Nov. 4 tō serve a four-year term ending in 1990. From left to right are Kevin (Chubby) Mahoe, Rodney Kealiimahiai Burgess III, A. Frenchy DeSoto, all At-Large; Manu Kahaialii. Maui; and Clarence F. T. Ching, Oahu.

Norma Kaolelopono Sanay and Francis Kamai are among two Lanakila Hotel Hawaiians facing uncertain housing and accommodations.