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Harry Kim <br />Aiqvor <br />Wil Okabe <br />Managing Director <br />Barbara J. kossow <br />1)epuoAkmaging Director <br />(1) ffi t 0 <br />25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 <br />KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 <br />(808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 <br />March 29, 2018 <br />Senator Donovan M. Dela Cruz, Chair <br />Committee on Ways and Means <br />Hawail State Capitol, Room 211 <br />Honolulu, HI 96813 <br />Senator Gilbert S.C. Keith-Agaran, Vice -Chair <br />Committee on Ways and Means <br />Hawaii State Capitol, Room 211 <br />Honolulu, HI 96813 <br />Dear Chair ReIa Cruz, Vice -Chair Ke th-Agaran, and Committee Members: <br />Re: HB 2281, HD 1, SD 1 and HB 2753, HD 1, SD 1 Relating to Homelessness <br />Hearing Date: 04/03/2018 — 10:00 am; Conference Roo H 211 <br />As Mayor of Hawaii County, I support HB 2281, HD 1, SD 1, and HB 2753, HD 1, SD 1 <br />For your information, we have already piloted a mini -version of an Ohana Zone on <br />Hawaii Island called Camp Kikaha in Kailua-Kona, and we are ready to apply the knowledge <br />gained from running that project to a larger, designated site called Village 9 in an area across <br />from our West Hawaii Civic Center, Village 9 has already earmarked funds for an <br />environmental assessment and master plan process which we expect to be completed by July, <br />2018. We are also looking at other sites in East Hawaii for possible replication. <br />Through Camp Kikaha, we learned: <br />• The importance of a thorough assessment process (Assessment Center <br />Concept), so that those coming to us are assigned to appropriate services and <br />resources to ensure the greatest possibility of success. The one stop center for <br />services is cost- and outcome -effective. The assessment center can also <br />designate the right combination of people to a village site so as not to create a <br />site heavily populated with people who would reinforce negative addictions, e.g., <br />a site predominantly composed of Crystal Meth users might be <br />counterproductive. <br />(Hawail County would like to be a site for more assessment centers. HB 2281, <br />HD 1, SD 1 is correct when it says: "This proven model (Family Assessment <br />Centers), can be replicated on the neighbor islands as an effective way to move <br />families with children rapidly to permanent housing. For example, on the island <br />County of la ai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer <br />