Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 16, Number 4, 1 April 1999 — Humane habitats [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Humane habitats

By Jayson Harper ĪOWERING MORE than six feet three inches, Millard Fuher's physical build matches his stature in the world of social service. He builds homes - 100,000 since 1978 when he and wife Linda eofounded Habitat for Humanity. Fuller recently visited Hawai'i for the groundbreaking of the largest Habitat project in the

state: 'Ele'e'le I Luna, a 95-unit subdivision in West Kaua'i. "Make the best that you ean out of a sorry simation," Fuller advised Habitat participants. The Kaua'i affihate of Habitat for Humanity was estabhshed in October 1992, one month after Hurricane 'Iniki hit. Since then, a smah staff and LaFrance Kapa-ka-Arboleda, executive director of Kaua'i Habitat, has been able to fund and finish construction of 72 homes. Habitat for Humanity is an eeumenieal ministry that, according to its mission statement, "seeks to eliminate poverty housing from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action." It does this by bringing needy and generous people together in equal partnership. Habitat has grown into an international organization with offices and projects in 45 eoun-

tries. Volunteers and donations fuel the organization. Affihates manage volunteers, money and materials by creating small armies of 'ohana, neighbors and friends to build homes for less fortunate famihes. The homes built do not eome free, but families quahfying for a Habitat home are not crippled by the cost. The average down payment for a Habitat home is $550, and $450

buys one year of homeowner insurance. Helping to keep the cost so low is "sweat equity," Habitat's jargon for the hours famihes are required to give back to the program after their homes are built. Between five hundred to seven hundred hours of sweat equity are required of eaeh Habitat family. With administrative support from OHA's housing division and funding from the board of trustees, $7 milhon was provided for the construction of Habitat homes as part of a 1 .5 percent revolving loan fund for Habitat homeowners. After Habitat affihates absorb the interest costs on the loans, they become no-inter-est loans for Habitat homebuyers. OHA also provided approximately $200,000 to Habitat affihates for construction project management, covering project supervisors and project managers.

In 1994, through its Kaua'i Affordable Housing Program, OHA gave a $60,000 grant to Kaua'i Habitat for the development of affordable housing projects for Hawaiians. Kaua'i Habitat was able to secure $2 million in additional funding from Kaua'i County Pakui Housing Program. The funds were used to build self-help homes. Ninety percent of the targeted Habitat clients are Ilawauan Homeland awardees. "We are looking at every possible avenue to provide Hawaiians with an opportunity to own a decent home," said Stephen Morse, OHA housing officer. "With our ongoing support to Habitat we ean and will provide affordable housing to Hawaiians." OHA's involvement in Habitat stemmed from the particulars of affordable housing issues for Hawaiians. Homesteaders are vulnerable to loss of their homestead awards if they are not able to build on the land. In many cases, without support from Habitat or OHA, Habitat chents, (including many OHA beneficiaries) would have had to live in overcrowded or substandard housing. The Kaua'i project is an important step in addressing affordable housing demands, but more funding is needed. "Four thousand additional homes would need to be built to really impact Kaua'i," said Kapaka. With money pouring in from many sources, including OHA, Kapaka worries that many people may see Habitat and other selfhelp projects as a way to spur the economy. "We should not create jobs on the backs of poor people," she said. Instead, Kapaka suggested the state and federal governments need to shoulder more of the responsibility of providing low-ineome housing. "The difference between faith and foolishness is that you want to get as close to foolishness as possible," coined by Fuller, the saying suggests, that in order to make a change people must be willing to reach for the unattainable. Kaua'i Habitat, like other affiliates, are examples of people reaching and finding hope for many less fortunate families. ■

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Trustee Mililani Trask, Chair Rawena Akana, Habitat Founder Millaid Fuūer and LaFrance Kapaka-Atboleda, executive director of Kaua'i Habitat, are creating housing opportunites for Hawaiian families.