European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Homeless in Paradis Hawaii seeks to build shelters for Patina Rios and her seven children the Island Paradise of Hawaii is a tent in a Honolulu Park. By Bruce Dunford the associated press h Hawaii is an Island Paradise to ii bedecked tourists and Well heeled denizens a but not to its 8,000 to 10,000 homeless. Shelters Are few. And gov. John Waihee s plan to build nine temporary villages for the homeless each with about 55 wooden two room Cabins and a social services Center has drawn heated opposition from some residents. The states staggering Home prices and rental costs have forced families to double and triple up in Homes and apartments and has sent others to live on the beaches in the Parks or in cars parked on the streets Winona e. Rubin state director of human resources told the Honolulu City Council. Quot thousands of others Are always just a paycheck or two from being evicted Quot she said. The median Price of a Home runs about $345,000 and. Two bedroom apartments rent for $1,000 to $1,500 a month while personal incomes Are about the same As in most Mainland states. Monthly mortgages exceeding $2,000 Are common. The vast majority of Hawaii s homeless Are not mentally ill drunks or drug abusers but people and families who for some reason Quot or just bad Luck Quot cannot afford a place to stay Rubin said. For the children a a third of the homeless a Quot every Day they Are homeless they grow farther and farther away from a stable life Quot she said. Last year 40-year-old merlot Edwards was living comfortably in a three bedroom duplex in a Middle class suburban neighbourhood. But her marriage broke up a she says she was abused by her husband a and she and her 17-year-old son were left without a Home. She had no  situation is typical of Many of the 250 families now being housed in temporary shelters provided by private charities on Oahu officials say. Quot i had nowhere to go. My Mother already has two Brothers living with her in a one bedroom apartment and the landlord did no to want any More people staying there Quot said Edwards who was born and raised in Hawaii. Edwards is undergoing computer training and Hopes to got a Job that will pay for food and rent. She can remain in the current shelter Only for six months. Although she has been accepted for a state rental subsidy All the available units she visited have waiting lists and rents that Start at $700 a month for a one bedroom apartment in Waianae 35 Miles from Honolulu. To Edwards the homeless villages would be a godsend. Quot i would love to go. It helps out a lot to have a roof Over your head so you Don t have to live in the Park Quot she said. Under the plan the villages would be built on two acre parcels in seven neighbourhoods and would accommodate 500 families. The plan Calls for some to be finished by Christmas with the rest completed by Spring. Each Village would have five clusters of 11 Cabins surrounding a Central playground and Lawn area. Each Cabin would be about 200 Square feet including a bathroom and would rent for about $350 a month but Low and no income families would be Able to use a state stipend to pay their rent. The villages Are to be operated by three private agencies with experience in caring for and placing the homeless. A the units Are not attractive spaces to live in. They Are very cramped Quot said Bob stauffer the states homeless coordinator. Quot what is attractive is that it s a step up from living in your  the villages have had Broad support at the state legislature which appropriated $3.7 million this year for their construction. Another $3 million was donated by a private foundation. At a Community meeting in Hawaii Kai a Middle to upper class suburban Community 15 Miles East of the downtown area Many in the audience of 250 people hooted and jeered As officials explained the Village would be there Tor Only five years. Quot if you re using the word temporary its some form of obfuscation As far As in a concerned because you can to Tell me at the end of five years that there Arentt going to be any More homeless applying for that housing Quot said David Matthews who lives near the designated site. Lani Garcia one of the few who supported the Village called upon her neighbors to be More sensitive Quot i Haven t heard much Aloha spirit Here. We re sitting in our $500,000-plus Homes criticizing people who Are less fortunate than us who Are trying to get on their feet Quot she said. Quot their circumstance could be our circumstance by  the Hawaii Kai and Waimanalo communities Are being Given a Chance to come up with alternatives to the villages such As having the state subsidize families in vacant rental units or having area churches adopt families. The Waimanalo Community has drafted a plan that would set up the Cabins in the Back Yards of Volunteer residents the governor said legitimate Community concerns about the villages construction and operation will be considered but that he would t let opponents delay the project just for the Sake of delay Quot every Day that they postpone this somebody sleeps  mayor Frank fasl also has been a Strong supporter of the villages. He said they would provide shelter for at least some homeless families until government officials could coordinate the development of the Large number of affordable rental housing units that Are needed Fasi s support has a personal Side. He recalled that his own family was evicted from their $8-a-month apartment , conn., when he was a boy. Quot its a sinking feeling when you re 11 years of age when you come Home and All the furnishings in the slum area apartment that you re living in is out there in the Yard in the Snow and ice Quot Fasi said. Quot in be been there Quot he said Quot i know what it s like to be  readers action Lin educational assistance set by Active duty Date several years ago when i first entered the military there was a program called leap a veterans educational assistance program leap allowed services members to contribute funds and have them matched 2 1 by Uncle Sam unfortunately leap was discontinued and i never considered establishing a leap account being a Little older now and More knowledgeable about education and my own future i wish i d taken advantage of leap i wonder is it still possible to contribute to leap or to one of the other educational savings programs Mon Gornery go Bill ? could i make a Lump sum contribution into such an existing plan i Hope that there is some alternative for services members such As myself. Id hate to think that because of immaturity and Lack of guidance i would miss out on a beneficial program. Staff sgt. Richard d. Harris Ober Auerbach Germany it. Col. Aaron b. Rogers director of personnel programs he Safe replies veterans administration a in service educational benefits Are available to eligible military personnel based on Active duty Entrance Date personnel qualify for Only one a educational program military personnel who entered Active duty after dec 31, 1976, Are eligible under veterans educational assistance program leap. Those who failed to enrol when the Montgomery go Bill Gib replaced leap Are no longer eligible to enrol unless they Are being involuntarily discharged and eligible for transition assistance benefits. Military personnel selected for involuntary separation should Contact their servicing base education Center concerning enrolment under  to write us readers action line is the readers a court of last resort striving to answer some of the questions about life overseas in a military environment or questions about policies and guidelines when other avenues for answers Are not readily available. 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