City needs a housing agency - Hawaii Editorials

The real problem is that the churches are no longer stepping up to help the homeless.

We need another government agency just as much as a hormone laden teenager needs another pimple. Are there not already enough tributes to Caesar being paid by the masses to choke a hippopotamus? Where does the good intentioned Rev. think the bucks come from, the Fairy God Person?
He seems to blame the weak economy for the current situation, so would it not make sense to fix the economy to solve the problem? The way that is done is by cutting taxes, not raising them. Downsizing government, not expanding it.
The way for him and the others in the group of FACE to help is to get their own flock to contribute as they see fit. The taxpayers are already overcooked and working for relief for their families, and friends. Given the choice between giving a dollar to government or to a church or charitable organization, the choice is self evident.
Praise the Lord and pass the basket.

The City and Couty of Honolulu has had a sad history of corruption and cronyism with housing projects. Going back to the bad old days is not the answer. Have we forgotten Ewa Villages and the on-going tragedy of Kahuku Villages? Housing advocates should look to alternative models instead rather than recreating an agency within city government. I must respectfully disagree with my old friend Bob Nakata on this.

Sorry Reverand we don't have the money to do everything. Maybe you're going about it the wrong way, you seem to have a neve ending stream of clients who never succeed.

We are tired of these programs taxing our limited City dollars for something that will never show a return and will always be a cost.
These militant tactics by Rev. Nakata show his lack of understanding of the process. That is probably why he was an unsuccesful lawmaker. These grandstanding tactics don't help and don't address the problem. Another layer of government is not the answer. I don't want my taxpayer dollars to go to pay for this - do you?

No, it would just become anther corrupt mis-run beaurocracy that the rest of us will have to pay for. No.
I still say make the churches step up and use some of their wealth and property, they are tax free and do not have the burdens we do. To those very few churches who do take in several families and help them I say thank you. As for the rest just handing out meals and canned food does not cut it. You must take in the bodies, the people, and shelter and house and feed and clothe them. This means the single drug addled ones too that you lure to your church for free meals and then tell them to go away. Churches have many rarely used buildings, kitchens, bathrooms, many places to lay mats, etc.
We the general public who pay our own way and are having bad times now are now tired of dealing with it.

This guy is just an Abercrombie supporter using the housing issue and his gullible followers to attack Mufi. Expect much more of this if Mufi runs for governor. Clamoring for more bureaucracy does not a housing policy make.

"the failure to create new affordable housing"

The answer is simple, convert to communism so we can all be equal, we all work for the government (yes I said WORK) and they in turn build us nice apartment blocks...row after row after row of them.....open government food stores where we all wait in ,in line for our pound of beans and loaf of bread...we all get nifty uniforms..yeah there is your answer.

Want to help the homeless? Raise funds to fly them OFF the island where they might stand a better chance of finding a job AND afordable housing.

Bob Nakata is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. Unfortunately his politics stinks. Big government. Take from the rich and give to the poor.

Bob has a lot of friends in high places in Washington, who have said that a crisis is a wonderful opportunity that should not be wasted. A crisis gives us a chance to get major changes made.

So let's use this crisis to make permanent cuts to the size of government, eliminate programs that don't work, get government focused on its essential functions like police, fire, traffic etc. A city housing department should be at the bottom of the list of priorities. If every do-gooder like Bob would open his own home to someone who is homeless, there would be no need for government housing programs.

There already is a housing agency. It is a state office. If Nakata is unhappy with it's performance, take that issue up with the state. Another city agency is not needed or warranted.

Kalli wrote:

Sorry Reverand we don't have the money to do everything. Maybe you're going about it the wrong way, you seem to have a neve ending stream of clients who never succeed.

true and if these agencies did solve the problem, they would be out of business. So, the problem predictably continues. What a deal!

Defeating the "homelessness industry" before it gets a grip on Hawaii
http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/main/ArticlesM...

That's how they did it in Chicago!
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/barack-obama%E2%...

alice wrote:

<quoted text>true and if these agencies did solve the problem, they would be out of business. So, the problem predictably continues. What a deal!

true

councilmemberholmes wrote:

The City and Couty of Honolulu has had a sad history of corruption and cronyism with housing projects. Going back to the bad old days is not the answer. Have we forgotten Ewa Villages and the on-going tragedy of Kahuku Villages? Housing advocates should look to alternative models instead rather than recreating an agency within city government. I must respectfully disagree with my old friend Bob Nakata on this.

Why do you insist on still calling yourself "Council Member"...didn't you lose? It's not a title for life. And, did you already leave the Islands again? Just curious.

The good reverend fails to show how the lack of a city department is somehow undermining the River Street project, or how more bureaucracy would solve any problems.

If his real agenda is to object to long-standing plans to sell city housing to nonprofit groups that must continue to operate it as subsidized housing for low income residents, he should just say so and explain why. His article doesn't even come close to doing so.

If he wants more subsidized housing to be built, he should explain how the creation of more bureaucracy will accomplish that. The national model has been moving in the other direction for quite some time, for good reason.

in my opinion churches and local middlemen should not decide who gets housing, only the federal government is in a position to actually imrpvoe u.s. housing system

why should they ?
The Gov't has all control now .
just call the white house and ask Blue Lips to print some more money.

wacos101 wrote:

The real problem is that the churches are no longer stepping up to help the homeless.

Oh brother wrote:

This guy is just an Abercrombie supporter using the housing issue and his gullible followers to attack Mufi. Expect much more of this if Mufi runs for governor. Clamoring for more bureaucracy does not a housing policy make.

Mufi's Rail will bankrupt many home owners causing more homeless. He'll probably appoint his brother Gus Hanneman to be its director!

wacos101 wrote:

The real problem is that the churches are no longer stepping up to help the homeless.

That's the silliest thing I ever heard - the churches are the ONLY people helping the homeless!

BYUH Causes Worse Housing Crisis!

Almost 700 New BYU Transfer Students were brought in this Sept Semester by New BYUH Prez Wheelwright! They are causing an even worse Afforbable Housing Crisis!
(see BYUH Student Newspaper & Article Below)
http://kealakai.byuh.edu/index.php...

We very, very concerned about the HUGE influx of new BYU-H transfer students, their spouses & children into the Koolau Loa Area. These new students & their families have been a terrible strain on Koolau Loa's already severe Affordable Housing crisis! It is now even harder for the most vulnerable in our Community to find housing! These students are taking-up more and more of the low-rent housing Hau'ula, Laie & Kahuku, etc.

FYI: In a financial crisis most all Colleges will increase Alumni outreach to expand Alumni donations & Fundraising. However, it our understanding that under new BYU-Hawaii President Steven Wheelwright, BYU-H has:
i-Cutback their Alumni Office
ii-Cut their Alumni Association
iii-Cut Alumni Events

(Some think that the new BYU leadership is just squeezing the local community to accept their new large Envision Laie Plan www.envisionlaie.com to build a brand new town in Malaekahana/Gunstock Ranch.....?)

President Wheelwright & the Envision Laie proponents say that their plan will create more Affordable Housing in the area; but bringing in 700 new transfer students & their families, without building more dormitories, has dramatically worsened our Affordable Housing Crisis in Koolau Loa!

Where are our Politicians ? Where is our Media ?....zzz?$$$?....