ANAHOLA — U.S. Congressman Ed Case told Native Hawaiians and residents yesterday that he would like to see federal dollars used to support “Project Faith.” The project, planned for development by the Anahola Homesteaders Council on 20 acres located mauka
ANAHOLA — U.S. Congressman Ed Case told Native Hawaiians and residents yesterday that he would like to see federal dollars used to support “Project Faith.”
The project, planned for development by the Anahola Homesteaders Council on 20 acres located mauka of Anahola town, is aimed at helping Native Hawaiians become economically self-sufficient.
“We are trying to get the federal government to support Project Faith,” Case said. “To line up resources with the needs of the Anahola people. And it is my job to support the application.”
Case, D-rural O’ahu-Neighbor Islands, representing 600,000 residents, made those comments during a meeting with 25 Hawaiian religious, educational and business leaders from Anahola residents at the Agriculture Research Center.
The Anahola-based center is home base for Project Faith, a proposed multi-million-dollar cultural and business center to promote Hawaiian culture and history.
James Torio, a business and community leader from Anahola who has aligned himself with the Anahola Homesteaders Council has taken the lead in advancing the project.
The project is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Brownfields Initiative,” a nationwide program to support the cleanup of polluted sites for redevelopment.
Torio’s project is the only community-based Brownfields’ project in the state. Torio has wrangled a long-term lease with the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands to use the 20-acre site.
Cleanup of the site is expected to start next month.
With support from the EPA and government agencies, Torio plans to secure future funding for development on the site.
In addition to throwing his support behind Project Faith, Case said he would support efforts to help the operators of the Kanuikapono Charter School find a permanent home.
Torio’s daughter, Ipo Torio and Kamahalo Kauhane currently rent space at the All Saints Church in Kapa‘a for the charter school.
“We are trying to line up assets with schools to see if we can get some help to the charter schools,” Case said.
Case said while not all public school officials support the charter school concept, he has. “I am a very strong supporter of charter schools, and I have been for a very long time,” he said. “I will do everything I can (to help the Kanuikapono school and other charter schools).”
Ipo Torio said she hopes to have a school building constructed on a three-acre site that is currently leased from the DHHL. The site is located makai of the Project Faith site, Kauhane said.
“We are so doable,” he said. “We have been in operation for three years, and we have been running programs for seven years. It is good for the community.”
Case also said he has worked to bring more federal funding to his congressional district to try to improve educational opportunities for Native Hawaiian children.
He said $30 million has either been “paid for” or is available for “Native Hawaiian education,” and that It is my job to get that funding.”
At times, federal agencies are not aware of the educational needs of Native Hawaiians, and Native Hawaiian groups are not aware that federal funding is available to support their programs, Case said.
He said he feels he can be the conduit between the two groups to bring funds to benefit Native Hawaiian children. “I want to match the programs with the needs,” he said.
Ipo Torio said she hasn’t always believed in what other politicians say, but praised what she said was Case’s strong commitment to helping Hawaiian children and Native Hawaiians.
“What he has done has been appreciated … You are a very good man,” Torio said.
Related to Hawaiian issues, Torio and Case voiced different perspectives over whether or not the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act has helped put more Hawaiians into homes and onto leased agricultural lands managed by DHHL.
The act was supposed to have put more DHHL beneficiaries on the land, but “my feeling is that it (the law) is not working,” Torio said.
“Can’t you introduce a bill to revise the act, have an assessment and do changes?, asked Torio in addressing Case. “It (the current conditions in the act) is something that is frustrating to Hawaiians.”
Case said he believes the act is not perfect, and “is not providing the results as has been hoped for.” “The model of the act is not flawed, but the implementation has been a problem,” he said.
Case said more homes have gone up on DHHL lands than were put up 10 years ago, “but it is all relative,” and the situation is “shameful.”
DHHL officials, however, have pointed proudly to ongoing projects that are springing up on Kaua‘i and in Hawai‘i or are planned.
Case said, if possible, he would like to see management of the DHHL transferred from the state government and to a Native Hawaiian group or Native Hawaiian-based government that can manage DHHL, and that he would give the concept further thought.
“It (having DHHL lands put in the hands of a Native Hawaiians), would be good, but when?” Torio said after the meeting.
“With due respect to him, he is talking about it, but I want to see action moving on it,” he said.
Torio also suggested that any proposed amendment of the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act take the place of the Native Hawaiian Recognition Bill, also known as the Akaka bill.
Lester Chang, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 225) and mailto:lchang@pulitzer.net
