Major Land and building Assets expansion, Capacity Building
For 18 years, Ho’oku’āina has been transforming land back to ʻāina momona (fertile land that feeds) growing both kalo and community. The organization currently stewards a 7.6 acre parcel, 3 of which are in lo’i kalo and producing over 30,000 lbs annually, with 20% of production served for distribution to houseless ‘ohana and kūpuna in the community. Ho’okua’āina has a historic opportunity to acquire 116 acres of adjacent lands known as Pālāwai, part an intact traditional Windward Oahu hydrological system that includes the po’owai (headwaters) of the Maunawili kahawai (stream) system. This will bring these lands into permanent ecological, cultural and community stewardship. My work with the Ho’okua’āina includes
Due diligence and pre-development
Financial projections and funder development (private philanthropy and government resources)
Navigating confirmation and permissions from/for:
Conservation Easement with Hawaiian Islands Land Trust (HILT) + City & County of Honolulu
Special Management Area, Dept of Planning and Permitting (SMA, DPP)
Stream Diversion Works Permit, Dept of Land and Natural Resources, Commission on Water Resources Management (CWRM)
Various stream works, Army Corps of Engineers
Concurrence from State Historic Preservation Department (SHPD)
Coordination of consultants for concept design and preliminary costs estimates for
Clearing, grading and securing site
Archeological conservation plan and monitoring
Design and permitting to restore a historic ‘auwai (traditional irrigation diversion) connected to Maunawili Stream
Staff/work crew baseyard facilities
Strategic support for farm and agroforestry operations scaling
Restoration of 10-12 farmworker housing units
Community Resilience Hub to aggregate kalo processing, poi mill, commercial kitchen for value-added products, cold-storage, visitor/volunteer gathering area, staff offices and community resilience structures and programs in the event of natural disaster or widespread health crises.
