FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                           January 8, 2007

Release No. M-04-07

MAYOR UNVEILS  WAIANAE COMMUNITY BENEFITS PACKAGE

WAIANAE – Mayor Mufi Hannemann today announced the City will provide $1 million in grants to 19 nonprofit organizations and an additional $1 million in supplemental park improvements as part of the Waianae community benefits package.

“These grants and projects are intended to help offset the burden the Waianae Coast bears for housing Oahu’s only landfill,” said Hannemann. “I have long advocated the need for something like this, above and beyond routine City funding and attention for a community that has all too often in the past felt it was treated as second-class.

“We announced our plan in June and established a community benefits advisory committee made up of representatives from throughout the Leeward Coast to solicit, review and recommend how best to spend the $2 million,” said Hannemann. “Under the leadership of Chairman Aimoku McClellan, the committee did a thorough, thoughtful job and I am pleased to follow through on its recommendations.”

The following nonprofit community organizations will receive grants:

·   Alternative Structures International - $100,000 to renovate Raphael House, a residential community for people with disabilities.

·   Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Honolulu - $25,000 for mentoring services for children and youth in the communities.

·   Hale Kipa, Inc. - $25,000  For direct case management services for homeless youth

·   Hawaii Family Services - $25,000 for cultural identification and peer support services for children.

·   Hawaii Foodbank, Inc. - $60,500 for the Leeward community nutrition program.

·   Helping Hands Hawaii - $61,633 for the Community Clearinghouse Program to provide material goods and financial assistance to the needy.

·   Hoa ‘Aina O Makaha - $68,365 to replace an outdated water meter and line for a five-acre agricultural parcel serving the children and youth.

·   Ho‘omanu Ke Ola - $85,850 to renovate a 16-bed transitional shelter for the homeless.

·   Ka‘ala Farm, Inc. - $35,000 for hands-on agricultural educational programs in elementary schools.

·   Kapolei Elementary School - $100,000 to construct shade covering for the school’s existing playground.

·   Ke Ola ‘Ana - $21,063 for an acupuncture detoxification program.

·   Leeward Kai Canoe Club - $15,000 to repair an existing Koa canoe

·   Salvation Army - $25,000 for transportation services to provide social services in the communities. 

·   Stedfast Housing Development Corp. - $100,000 for electrical and emergency systems upgrade in a 71-unit residential and supportive services program.

·   US Vets - $37,500 to provide food assistance for homeless veterans

·   Valley of the Rainbows - $60,000 for an educational youth conference and assist with Sunset on the Beach events.

·   Waianae Coast Coalition - $30,000 to develop and maintain an on-line community website to include information on community resources.

·   Waianae Coast Christian Women’s Job Corps - $82,088 to provide life skills and job skills to people experiencing homelessness.

·   Young Women Christian Association - $33,000 for direct service costs related to implementing their family loan program.

 “In addition, we have taken some dramatic steps to follow through on my promise to provide clean and safe parks,” said Hannemann. “They include our cleanup of Ala Moana and our ongoing effort to improve other parks, including Tracks, Maili, Pokai Bay, Waianae District Park and Nanakuli.

“Half of our $2 million community benefits package for Waianae is intended to supplement those efforts. With the help of the advisory committee I am pleased to announce I have authorized funding for several park projects.” They are:

·   Nanakuli Beach Park – $265,000 for parking and lighting improvements.

    (Planning and design = $90,000; Construction = $175,000)

·   Nanakuli Beach Park – $95,000 already allocated to complete the Canoe Halau.

·   Pokai Bay Beach Park – $120,000 for construction of play apparatus.

·   Maili Beach Park – $500,000 for the expansion of the parking lot. 

    (Planning and design = $120,000; Construction = $380,000)

·   Waianae District Park – $425,000 for the expansion of the parking lot. 

    (Planning and design = $105,000; Construction = $320,000)

These add up to more than $1 million. The committee recommended that planning and design be done for all three parking lot projects and that construction be initiated on whichever project is ready to go first.

In addition to McClellan, the Community Benefits Advisory Committee included John DeSoto, Ku‘ulei Jolonino, Georgette “Jo” Jordan, John Kaopua, John Kapololu, Neddie Waiamanu-Nunuha, Mark Suiso, Patty Teruya and Roy Wickramaratna. 

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Contact:

            Bill Brennan, 527-6928

            Mark Matsunaga, 527-5767