'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism.
Leaders of a Maui homeless shelter are pushing back after Island News reported residents were dying, doing drugs, and behaving violently.
KAHULUI, Hawai'i (Island News) -- Management at a Maui homeless shelter on Thursday cleared the air over a few deaths, alleged drug use, and violence reported at the facility following Island News coverage of the incidents last week.
When asked about the claims at the Pu'uhonua o Nene facility in Kahului, Dept. of Human Services Deputy Director Joseph Campos responded, "I think it's important that while we mourn those who have been lost, we continue to encourage healthy lifestyles and ensuring that they (residents) can have self-sufficiency.
Unlike other shelters, the pu'uhonua, which was established within two weeks to house the pre-disaster homeless after the fires, employs a "housing first model."
According to campos, the "well-respected and accepted" method allows unsheltered people struggling with substance abuse to stay at the site without having to get clean first.
The idea is to provide unsheltered individuals with housing, stability, and healthcare so as to empower them to improve their lives.
"These are the individuals that are the hardest to house that other places will not take because of their current or past circumstances," said Darrah Kauhane, executive director of Project Vision Hawai'i, the organization that manages the shelter.
"But I think everyone deserves to have food on the table and a safe place to sleep, have an ability to have a voice and be part of a loving community."
Conflicts at the pu'uhonua are resolved with what is referred to as a "harm reduction philosophy."
"It's more of a how can we support each other through issues versus how can we punish the individuals," Kauhane explained. "That's a different framework that might be hard for some people to understand, but we have to try something new to make changes."
However, the facility does enforce strict policies, prohibiting drugs on the grounds and violence. The pu’uhonua prioritizes safety too, with 24/7 security and surveillance.
The Maui Police Department confirmed there have been four deaths reported at the site since it opened about 10 months ago.
Kauhane pointed out that the life expectancy for unsheltered people is much lower than the greater population, at about 53 years old.
The majority of pu’uhonua residents are older than 50 and many of them are kupuna.
"Can you imagine if those individuals were to, because of their comorbidities, because of their different mental health conditions, passed alone on the streets?," Kauhane added. "We're absolutely trying to combat that by giving folks a comforting place to be so that they can live with dignity even if it is for their last days."
In the meantime, Campos said they are aiming to begin and complete construction on 125 permanent kauhale style tiny homes in about five months to replace the tents residents are currently living in.
There are about 120 people staying at the site, but many more have benefited from it.
"We've really helped impact the lives of over 400 unique individuals who have stayed at the shelter and who have been able to develop a path forward," Campos shared.
Kauhane listed several positive outcomes she and other employees noticed among residents.
A workforce program at the site employs 30 residents to help them develop skills and save funds to eventually obtain employment and housing elsewhere.
Kauhane recalled one man who was living without a home in Lahaina before the fire who stayed at the pu'uhonua. While he is no longer there, Kauhane said he returns to volunteer because of his connection to the site and other residents.
Many residents, Kauhane added, began seeing a doctor again after not doing so for years. Others are finally addressing mental health issues with onsite professionals.
Workers at the facility are able to maintain rules with the help of a kupuna council and alaka'i, or leaders. Residents even established their own neighborhood watch program.
Kauhane mentioned "residents have taken ownership of this community," by contributing their own "kuleana" to it and to the wellness of fellow residents.
A part of the approach at the pu'uhonua, which means a "place of refuge" in Hawaiian, is to encourage residents to adopt coping skills that they did not learn because of traumatic experiences or severe mental illnesses.
Ultimately, Kauhane is confident the sense of community fostered at the facility uplifts residents and motivates them to make better choices.
"Some of my favorite stories are about our residents being reunified with their families after years and years of being estranged," Kauhane said. "We've been able to work with them and to have them move back with their families and what greater way to heal than to be back with your 'ohana."
Demand for a spot at the shelter is consistently high, as Kauhane shared that each time a bed is open, it is quickly re-occupied.
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'A'ali'i is a reporter with KITV. He was born and raised on the island of Maui and graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor's degree in Journalism.