Members of the Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae (POW) village are moving into new, permanent homes.
POW, located near the Waiʻanae Small Boat Harbor, was built on a 19.5-acre parcel and served as a self-governing refuge of around 200 residents.
The late Twinkle Borge was the matriarch and steward of the village, whose belief that “kuleana wakes up mana” became a refrain for the community.
POW became a model of empowerment and resiliency for individuals experiencing houselessness, raising over $10 million to purchase land and build homes for their people.
The village will now be dismantled as part of an agreement between the community's leadership and the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
DLNR plans to transfer the land to the state Department of Education, which plans to expand Waiʻanae High School’s Marine Science Learning Center.
Meanwhile, members of POW are transitioning into their new homes located on a 20-acre parcel in Waiʻanae Valley, where they will have access to communal bathrooms, kitchens, and agricultural land to grow crops.
According to the DLNR, more than 80 people are already living in the Farm Village, with more to move in the coming months. The goal is to provide permanent housing for 250 people.
“I’m looking forward to the move, but I’ll be one of the last to go because I’m making sure we return this land the way we got it, if not better,” said POW leader Kaulana "Kala" Paishon in a news release. “Returning the land as they found it was one of the promises Borge made years ago to state leaders — and the community is working to keep that pledge with the supervision of DLNR.”
“We deeply respect the community that has grown at Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae over the years,” DLNR Chair Dawn Chang said in a release. “This move is about long-term stability. We are committed to supporting a smooth, respectful relocation and are proud to collaborate with POW members as they build a permanent home rooted in culture, safety and self-determination.”
