HILO — A place to wait for the bus, a rock wall sign proclaiming the entrance and picnic tables for community events and socializing will soon be coming to Na Kahua Hale O Ulu Wini, a transitional housing complex in Kailua-Kona.
HILO — A place to wait for the bus, a rock wall sign proclaiming the entrance and picnic tables for community events and socializing will soon be coming to Na Kahua Hale O Ulu Wini, a transitional housing complex in Kailua-Kona.
North Kona Councilwoman Karen Eoff expedited the improvements by using money from her share of the County Council’s contingency relief account. The expenses were approved unanimously by the council on Wednesday.
Eoff praised the county’s work on the housing complex, which she said is often a last hope for families who would otherwise be homeless.
“Families who need some help, get some help,” Eoff said. “We need to do what we can to make this a model in transitional housing.”
The entryway and picnic tables are expected to cost $13,000 and the bus shelter is expected to cost $10,000.
Currently, residents stand at an unmarked spot at the end of the guardrail on Hina Lani Street, said Sheila DeSimone, Ulu Wini on-site manager. A bus shelter could provide additional safety, a place to sit and protection from the elements.
She said the families like to socialize, and having picnic tables outside would help them get together.
“We’re looking forward to getting these benefits,” DeSimone said. “They will be put to good use.”
The Homes at Ulu Wini, built in 2011 by the county’s Office of Housing and Community Development, provides 96 two-bedroom units — 24 transitional housing for homeless families, 71 affordable housing dedicated to low-income families and one unit for the resident manager.
“It’s a major asset,” said Assistant Housing Administrator Ken Van Bergen. “The funds that she’s giving us at Housing, and the bus shelter, is a big benefit for this project.”
The housing facility offers case management, mail and computer access and an array of on-site social services, including employment and life skills training, mental health services, counseling and childcare. Hawaii Affordable Properties Inc. took over management of the project last year from HOPE Services Hawaii.
Each council member at the beginning of the fiscal year received $100,000 on a contingency relief account. The money can be distributed to county departments and nonprofits, but each allocation must be approved by the council.