Governor Josh Green recently praised the Alana Ola Pono tiny home village in Honolulu as “a community of hope and support” for individuals transitioning out of homelessness during a blessing ceremony for the 43-unit project. However, just weeks later, residents in the Iwilei neighborhood have raised concerns regarding noise and emissions from the village’s generator, prompting a community meeting set for Thursday and inquiries from the local City Council representative.
John Mizuno, the state’s homeless coordinator, has criticized Alana Ola Pono as a misstep in the push for tiny home communities, primarily due to the high operational costs associated with being off-grid—lacking direct connections to municipal electricity, water, or sewer systems. For instance, it is reported that the energy costs for a single 100-square-foot off-the-grid home can be significantly higher, four to five times the average costs for regular-sized homes in O?ahu. An independent analysis found that a 20-home village aimed to provide temporary housing in Honolulu incurred charges exceeding $21,000 a month, resulting in monthly costs reaching over $8,600 per resident.
Although Mizuno has been an advocate for the kauhale initiative, arguing it’s ultimately more cost-effective to house individuals in tiny homes rather than leaving them homeless, he voiced concerns about launching Alana Ola Pono without its utility connections fully operational. “I’m very worried about off-grid kauhale,” emphasized Mizuno, who directs the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions.
While Green has not commented on this specific issue, House Finance Committee Chair Kyle Yamashita mentioned that the kauhale program is under review within budget discussions. The governor is seeking $50 million in funding for the kauhale initiative in this year’s budget. During a recent tour of the village, Mizuno noted the noise and nuisance caused by the generators as well as the additional expenses for fuel and managing wastewater, which the state is currently transporting by contractor. “This is one reason why it may end up costing taxpayers significantly more,” he added.
Green declared a state emergency regarding homelessness in 2023, with a focus on quickly constructing kauhale villages to address the crisis, which reported over 6,223 homeless individuals on O?ahu, with a significant portion living outdoors. His objective is to establish 12 kauhale villages statewide, with around 40 homes sharing facilities like kitchens.
To expedite the construction process, Hawai?i opted for a sole-source contractor, HomeAid Hawai?i, bypassing competitive bidding to help realize Green’s Kauhale Initiative, aimed at fostering affordable living environments. It is crucial to maintain operational costs and keep rents around $500 per month to promote affordability in these communities. Green has also expressed aspirations to expand the number of these villages from 18 to 30 by 2026; however, it remains uncertain how many of them will be off-grid.
While Green’s emergency measures have eliminated certain regulations to facilitate rapid development, challenges around connecting to essential infrastructure persist, leading to escalated costs for those facilities set up without such connections. HomeAid Hawai?i’s Kimo Carvalho countered Mizuno’s claims regarding the off-grid model, asserting that the solutions in place, including generators, are meant to be temporary while the village works towards establishing connections with Hawaiian Electric Co.
Carvalho stressed the critical importance of getting individuals off the street instead of being overly focused on the associated costs of interim infrastructure solutions. “Our governor has articulated many times that the cost to keep people unsheltered is significantly higher than providing them with housing—even with interim infrastructure,” he stated.
As part of ongoing evaluations of the kauhale initiative, the state enlisted the Institute in Violence, Abuse and Trauma to review the program’s efficacy. An analysis of approximately 20% of the villages indicated that the operational costs for the off-grid Ho?okahi Leo Kauhale were around $8,629 per bed, which is notably higher than that of serviced facilities like ?A?ala Respite, which costs approximately $6,165 monthly per person due to the range of services offered.
The study’s author remarked that connecting facilities like Middle Street to sewer, water, and electricity could save the state between $250,000 to $300,000 in operational expenses annually. Invoice records from the facility revealed substantial costs, including $21,032 in fuel and equipment for powering the homes and communal facilities over a single month, highlighting the disparity between these costs and those of traditional residential homes.
Heather Lusk, the director of the Hawai?i Health & Harm Reduction Center, which oversees the Middle Street kauhale, provided some candid insights on the challenges faced, though she did not respond for further comment. Carvalho from HomeAid indicated that connections for the Middle Street site could potentially be finalized within months but acknowledged that current recommendations emphasize the necessity of securing essential services before opening such facilities.
Challenges associated with constructing off-grid kauhale continue to be evident, as many sites struggle with limited resources. At Alana Ola Pono, only 18 of the 43 units were occupied recently due to the shared shower and bathroom facilities being inadequate for demand. Moe Atuatasi, with the Institute for Human Services, mentioned that the inability to take in new residents stemmed from these limitations.
Nevertheless, HomeAid’s Carvalho remained optimistic, stating that the presence of individuals in the village represented fewer people experiencing homelessness on the streets, particularly highlighted during bad weather conditions.
Some kauhale projects, however, have reported significantly reduced costs, such as the Paepae Hou Kauhale, which operates at approximately $1,300 monthly per resident, showcasing the potential for more economically sustainable models. Throughout Green’s initiatives, the intention has been to follow the example of community leaders who exemplify best practices in providing care and support while creating cost-efficient, low-impact housing solutions.
While the kauhale initiative is noted as a progressive model worth observing at a national level, experts are urging improvements, especially concerning procurement processes to ensure competitive pricing. Local leaders and community representatives are hopeful that solutions to address noise and infrastructure issues at Alana Ola Pono will be resolved soon. Scheduled community meetings aim to foster discussions around the growing concerns, as the city representatives seek to ensure a mutually beneficial coexistence between the tiny home villages and their surrounding neighborhoods.
