Honolulu City Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine and the Honolulu City Council have honored the Honolulu Fire Department for exemplary service to the Wai’anae Coast for fighting the Wai’anae Valley and Makaha Valley brush fires in August.
On August 4, this year, two major brush fires erupted on the Wai’anae Coast and units from Wai’anae, Nanakuli, Kapolei, Makakilo, Ewa Beach and beyond responded as needed and without hesitation protected homes and property.
In the recognition presentation, Councilmember Pine stated, “The smoke and the fire were so widespread and fast-moving it caused the shutdown of Farrington Highway. The relentless progression of flames charred 9,000 or more acres, but the equally relentless efforts of Honolulu’s bravest once again went above and beyond the call to quell the threat and protect the people of the Wai’anae Coast”.
Those honored and representing their station houses included; Battalion Chief Craig Uchimura, Richie Mitsumoto (Wai’anae), Genji Moriya (Nanakuli), Keha Clark (Kapolei), Trevor Cates (East Kapolei), Keola Chang (Makakilo) and Cody Racoma (Ewa Beach).
The presentation took place on October 3, during the full council meeting held at Kapolei Hale.
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KYMBERLY MARCOS PINE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 28, 2018
Media Contact: Cathy Lee
Councilmember Pine’s Statement Regarding City Shifting Homelessness to Waiʻanae Coast
HONOLULU — Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine issued the following statement today in response to the City Administration’s policy of relocating homeless individuals from downtown areas to the Wai’anae Coast.[i]
“The Administration’s effort to solve homelessness in urban Honolulu by providing homeless individuals with a one-way ride to the Leeward Coast is unacceptable. Transferring homeless individuals to an unfamiliar location upends any sense of stability a homeless individual may have. Furthermore, it also reduces the level of service to the large population of homeless Leeward service providers are already caring for, all while doing nothing to solve the homeless crisis,” said Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine.
Waiʻanae residents have raised concerns to Councilmember Pine regarding an increase of homeless individuals loitering in the community. Residents are concerned that there is little follow-up after the Administration drops off these homeless individuals on the Leeward Coast, “I am concerned that the homeless from Honolulu are being transported from the Honolulu/Waikiki areas and then unloaded at the Waiʻanae shelter…those people don’t stay in the shelter but hang around in the community,” said an area resident who called Councilmember Pine’s office on Monday.
In 2015, Councilmember Pine introduced Resolution 15-325 (subsequently adopted by the City Council in a 9-0 vote) which urged the City administration to focus the procurement of homeless housing, hygiene services, and social services in the specific geographic regions where homeless people already reside. The Resolution directed Council policy to recognize that each Council district is different, and that homelessness in each part of the island needs to be addressed on a neighborhood-by-neighborhood basis, not by picking up homeless in one part of the city and dropping them off on the other side of the island.
Councilmember Pine represents residents of District One (’Ewa, ’Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Honokai Hale, Ko Olina, Nanakuli, Maili, Wai’anae, Makaha, Keaau, Makua).
[i] This was first reported in the June 24th Star-Advertiser article Rides to Shelters Help Clear Sidewalks. In the article, it was reported that the Administration’s Office of Housing Executive Director Marc Alexander stated: On May 16, plainclothes Honolulu police officers from HPD’s new H.E.L.P. (Honolulu Homeless Outreach Program) used three HPD vehicles to drive people from Chinatown to the Waiʻanae Civic Center shelter. In addition, it was also reported that on June 13th, Alexander used a city van to take two people and their dog to the Waiʻanae Civic Center during outreach efforts in Ala Moana Park, Waikiki and Old Stadium Park.
PRESS RELEASE
OFFICE OF MAYOR KIRK CALDWELL
DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
CITY & COUNTY OF HONOLULU
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, July 8, 2016
Press Office: (808) 768-5768
**Traffic Advisory**
Road work set to begin in Nānākuli area
Leeward O’ahu – Road work on various residential and collector streets in the Nānākuli area is scheduled to begin Monday, July 11, 2016 (please see maps, below).
The road work will cover 42 miles of roadway, and is estimated to be finished within a year. The project includes, but is not limited to reconstruction and resurfacing of asphalt concrete pavements, removing asphalt overlay in existing gutters and reconstruction of designated concrete curbs and gutters, adjustment of utility manhole frames and covers to grade, and installation of pavement markings.
Also included in the project is the removal of identified trees that are diseased or have damaged sidewalks and curbs, and the trimming of canopies and pruning of roots as required by a qualified/certified arborist. The allowable work hours will be from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (with possible weekend work). Residents and business owners are advised to observe and obey all traffic controls, posted signs, and special duty police officers. Drivers should anticipate delays due to detours, lane and road closures, and should allow extra travel time while driving through the work areas. Local residential traffic, deliveries and trash collection will be allowed during construction, but any illegally parked cars may be towed at the owner’s expense.
Contractor Grace Pacific LLC was awarded the $10.4 million contract. For questions regarding the project’s traffic management, contact Construction Management and Engineering LLC at 829-1902. To view an updated list of city road paving projects, please visit http://bit.ly/1UlEr9M.
In January 2013, Mayor Kirk Caldwell launched a comprehensive five-year program to repave 1,500 lane miles of city roads that were in substandard condition at the time. Since the inception of the program three-and-a-half years ago, the city has repaved more than 1,136 miles, ahead of the pace to meet the mayor’s goal.
