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IKEDA: I have a rental properties, and this is in the industrial area. And what I think
<br />was it was leased to Kanoelehua Association, and somehow, I don't know what
<br />happened, but it caught fire. So it's partly damaged. So it's been vacant for the past
<br />maybe ten years, so when the State asked me if I would be willing to exchange labor for
<br />free rental, and I said since I'm not using it I might just as well go ahead, because I
<br />kind of like the idea of having people in there, because it becomes secure. Right now,
<br />because it's vacant, there is sometimes homeless people go in the building, parts of the
<br />building. I see graffiti on the building, and so I feel that I have to put in some money to
<br />buy new materials, but this is where the State comes in, and they're going to provide the
<br />labor to bring the thing back up to a useable standard. But right now it's vacant, and I
<br />think it would be beneficial for both sides, because it will make the complex a little more
<br />secure, because I have about two acres there.
<br />ROWE: Let me add and support what he's saying. Part of our initiative here is that we
<br />will try to reintegrate the offenders, because some of them have to do community
<br />services. So what we want to do is, in kind, bring them in, have them do community
<br />service. At the same time it's a facility that they will benefit. So we have already certain
<br />construction companies in place that would be willing to come in and help guide the ex-
<br />offenders or the offenders that are inside to help us build the thing. So all we need to
<br />have is the materials on his side, purchases, and we can make it happen. Again, there's a
<br />lot of potential for us. Just imagine the facilities really, we can do a lot of different
<br />things, hold workshops continuously, we can have meetings, we can have a storage area
<br />for people that may need sofas and stoves and ice boxes, that we get donations from
<br />most important, clothing that they need, with shoes and socks and underwears and all
<br />that kind of things. We get donations from the hotels that give us shampoos and soaps.
<br />You asked me why, I said they don't have these things. Once they're- -upon release,
<br />they're on their own. So they don't realize how much it costs to try to help them out by
<br />giving them a lot of these needed items that they will need to get a job.
<br />LCM: So you visualize this as being like even having staff on site all the time,
<br />somebody there all the time.
<br />ROWE: We're also working with the faith -based organizations, non-profit agencies, that
<br />would be willing to come and put people there to supervise, to watch what's going on.
<br />Our thought process is this: that in time we can have mentorships done with the positive
<br />guys that are doing really well on the outside, and teach them how to be mentors, and
<br />they can in turn, in kind, help us to maintain and facilitate activities. We've already gone
<br />to the extent where we're noticed with , which is positive, action alliances
<br />in Puna. They do a lot of things that's all, mostly 99% ex- offenders. We have them doing
<br />networking with the people, their vendors out there, so we're trying to build this base, but
<br />we're all over. We want to try to see if we can make one area. And as you all know, to
<br />reduce recidivism, if it gets them in one location, close to the university, that's even better
<br />for us, because they can, you know, eventually go to school. With the help of the Hawai `i
<br />Community College and the Hilo Community School for Adults, we're creating adult
<br />basic ed classes, community and learning centers for computers. That's all part that is
<br />being offered now, and we're hoping to expand.
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