Volume 1 Issue 2 December 7, 2007
Housing Department: By: Cindy Texeira, Housing Administrator I would like to use this opportunity to introduce the Housing Staff and their roles in the Housing Department. Melissa Razo, our Housing Assistant, has been with Lokahi Pacific since April 2007. She is a real asset to the Housing office with her computer knowledge, her eagerness to learn and her ability to absorb information. She understands the needs of our residents. She is caring and respectful but firm when necessary. Who can resist her wonderful smile and friendly personality. We are very lucky to have her at Lokahi Pacific. Marlene Peralta has been with Lokahi Pacific since July 2005. She is our “Jacqueline of all trades.” We rely on her to take care of the best as well as the worst of situations. She is compassionate and caring. The residents like and respect her. Her background in working with persons with special needs is a real plus for Lokahi Pacific. Clem “Dutch” Vianueva has been involved with Lokahi Pacific for many years under contract. In February 2007 he officially joined Lokahi Pacific as an employee. Dutch’s abilities are diverse. We rely on him to take care of our maintenance issues at all of our seven sites. At times it seems we are pulling him in every direction and asking for his guidance and advice. He takes everything in stride, never complains and always has a pleasant attitude. John Deguilmo, our newest addition, started in August 2007. He will be dedicating his time and expertise to grounds at our housing sites. He comes to us with a background in lawn and sprinkler maintenance, plumbing, construction and management experience. We are very excited and happy to have him on board.	Some of Housing’s goals are to renovate and re-roof the units at Hale Lokahi Akahi and Hale O Mana’O Lana Hou I. These units are over twenty years old and in need of an upgrade. We are reaching the half way mark in the renovation work at Hale Lokahi Elua in Kihei. We are doing complete renovations at this property which was built in 1969 thanks to grant funds received from Papa’anui LLC, Bill Frampton, David Ward and Jon Santos, principals. Their generous monetary donations allows Lokahi to continue to provide much needed housing to gap renters. Much mahalo to Papa’anui LLC!! Waiohuli Self-Help Project: By: Deanie Hasegawa, Administrative Assistant The Department of Hawaiian Homes approached Lokahi Pacific to complete 21 self help homes. Lokahi took on the project mid-stream, rebuilding trust with the homeowners and in time the homeowners realized that Lokahi Pacific had their best interests at heart. Out of the 21 homes, 3 homes remain to be completed and a few that have minor work undone. We are currently awaiting funds, from the Department of Hawaiian Home to bring the remaining homes to completion. Lokahi Pacific Rural Development, Inc.: By: Robyn Delima, Loan Operations Coordinator In April & May of this year, NADCO (National Association of Development Companies) held their Annual Convention & Training in Monterey, California. Kamaile Sombelon, Craig Swift, Robyn Delima, Michele Pagaduan, and Ray P, Wimberley, Esq. our CDC attorney, attended. Craig attended the convention and round table discussion sessions with other Certified Development Companies from all over the United States.	Kamaile & Ray attended the 504 Loan Closing update course. Robyn and Michele attended the Introduction to SBA 504 & 504 Loan Closing Courses. The SBA tracks the completion of education requirements, so all staff involved in loan closings must take the refresher 504 Loan Closing Update courses every two years. A lot of new and valuable information was learned by all. Lokahi Pacific’s Residential Lending Department: By: Patience Kahula, Residential Loan Manager Located on the 3rd floor of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Pono Center at 62 Market Street, the newly established Residential Loan Department will assist First-Time Homebuyers with down payment loan programs, leverage loans and the purchase of an affordable home within a Lokahi affordable housing project. Applicants must meet established eligibility criteria and will be processed by date of application. All down payment applications are dependent on the availability of funds. Patience Kahula joined Lokahi with over 5 years of experience in credit counseling, debt reduction and housing counseling. As an added bonus to existing First-Time Homebuyer programs, Lokahi Pacific is preparing to offer it’s very own “one-stop shop” financial literacy program offering Homebuyer Education classes and individualized housing counseling focusing on credit repair, debt reduction, budgeting and foreclosure prevention. She is assisted by the creative and energetic Veni Tatofi. Let Patience and Veni assist you in getting one step closer to achieving your dream of homeownership, by calling 442-3028 x 25, or visiting our website at lokahipacific.org to download an application.	HC & S Tour By: Deanna Kramer Accounting Assistant This summer in the middle of July, several members of the Lokahi Pacific staff were treated to a tour at HC & S. It was a beautiful summer day with the trades gently blowing. Our day started off at the Puunene Sugar Mill offices with an oral presentation explaining the history of the plant, (built in 1901) and a video on the overview of the plant operations from start to finish. Fun fact: HC & S generates all of its own electricity to run their operations and the excess electricity is sold to Maui Electric; providing at least 10% of the power to Maui. After the slideshow we shuffled off to the waiting air conditioned tour bus to begin our field tour to view the field operations process from start to finish. We were able to view (and sometimes touch) the different machinery responsible for planting and harvesting. We visited the Kaheka hydroelectric plant and a secret underground pumping well in Paia, then it was back to the Puunene mill for a much needed lunch, courtesy of HC & S. After lunch we toured the mill, to view the sugar cane process. We had to put on hard hats, eye protection and headphones with receivers, so we could listen to our tour guide’s presentation, as it’s very noisy inside the mill. We watched the unloading of the big 65 ton cane haulers (brought in fresh from the harvest), and followed the cane along the various process steps, with a stop at the computer control center to monitor the progress of the entire mill. As we neared the end of the mill tour we were able to have a taste of the hot fresh processed sugar! Our tour guide mentioned that not everyone gets to do this, as he was the nice tour guide. Following our guided tour we gathered in the meeting room for a question and answer session. Everyone at HC & S did a great job; we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would highly recommend the tour.
Molokai…The Final Frontier By: Wyatt Brown, Controller On July, 7, 2007 Lokahi Pacific staff and board members flew to the Friendly Isle for the first Board of Director’s meeting held on the island of Molokai at the DHHL office. I did not know what to expect since this was my first visit to Molokai. After spending a day on the island, I can say that everyone we meet lived up to the “Friendly Isle” moniker. Everywhere we went, people were happy to see (and feed us), and we traveled to “plenty places”. After the Board Meeting and lunch we waddled across the street from DHHL to take a peek at the current condition of the Kalaniana’ole Hall that Lokahi has been asked to help renovate. It will be nice to see a building from the “good old days” restored to its former glory. From there, we visited Aunty Dorothy Nihoa, whose new home that was partially funded by First Time Home Buyers funds provided by American Savings. She and her family opened her house to us and welcomed us with open arms, (filled with food, of course, and yes, we kept eating). Next, Board member Lynn DeCoite arranged a tour of the Lanikea Commercial Kitchen which is located across from the Ho’olehua Fire Station. This kitchen is similar to Lokahi’s Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Pono Center Commercial Kitchen project (shameless advertising). Thank goodness they weren’t cooking anything or we would have exploded! From there we cruised over to Lynn and Russell DeCoite’s sweet potato farm and processing facility. But before we left her place she loaded us up with a box of monster Molokai sweet potatoes, (they were bigger than Chihuahuas!), and bags and bags of sweet potato chips. From there we met with Yolanda Reyes of Molokai Ranch to view the future home sites of the Maunaloa affordable housing project. Before we left Maunaloa Village to meet with the Executive Director of the Molokai Family Clinic, Lynn treated us to Mocha Mamas, a chocolate mocha drink that jolted everyone awake before our final stop. (I think I had two; I couldn’t let the extra one go to waste!) The fun and smiles didn’t stop until our plane left the tarmac. As we were saying our good-byes at the airport, I noticed that Lynn had parked her car in the “Loading Zone” and left it UNATTENDED right in front of the airport! (Obviously, she has never experienced dropping off someone at the Kahului airport.)	When I warned her that she was committing a major Homeland Security Faux Pau, she politely laughed and introduced me the to the only airport security officer on duty, Charlie Keliikipi, a former Lokahi Pacific board member. Thank God for small miracles. And so it wasn’t until the end of my Molokai journey, that I realized I needed to “Slow Down, this ain’t Maui”. I truly enjoyed everyone I met. It’s good to know the Aloha is alive an’ well on Molokai. I can’t wait to go back and visit our new friends. Alu Like Program By: Sharon Castillo, Office Manager We have been having some healthy growing pains this past year and have also been blessed with our share of new employees having Hawaiian ancestry. Because of this we have been able to participate in an On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program offered by Alu Like and have watched several of our new employees, as well as those receiving promotions, benefit from this OJT program. Alu Like is a private, nonprofit community-based organization whose mission is “to kokua Native Hawaiians who are committed to achieving their potential for themselves, their families and communities”. In support of our own mission which is “to improve the quality of life, both economically and socially, of residents of Maui County and other rural Hawaii communities” we want to mahalo Alu Like for the opportunities they also provide and for the support they have given our staff through their On-the-Job Training Program. Featured Employee Veni Tatofi A 2002 graduate of Maui High School, Veni comes to us with administrative office experience as well as retail-customer service experience. She is currently serving as Administrative Assistant to Patience Kahula in the Residential Loan Dept. and says she “understands that it takes days to gain a customer and seconds to lose one” so she always keeps in mind to “do unto others as you want others to do unto you”.	Veni also has a heart for volunteering her time in other community services and before becoming a busy mom was found volunteering as a youth leader for the `Ala Lani Church, being a big sister for Summer Pals, helping senior citizens, and volunteering with Toys for Tots, Salvation Army and Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Should you have the opportunity to speak with her at our Residential Loan Dept. located at the Pono Center (62 Market Street, Wailuku) you will find her smiling, very friendly and always willing to help. Habitat experience and staff volunteer workdays. By: Melissa Razo, Housing Assistant Waiehu Kou IV is a Habitat for Humanity affordable housing project. These two and three bedroom homes will be sold to qualifying families for $80,000, with a no interest mortgage. In order to qualify each family must put in 500 hours of labor. These hours could be accumulated by the labor of the homeowner, volunteers participating on behalf of the homeowner, time spent to prepare Saturday workday meals, and child-care allowing homeowner to attend workdays. Twelve Native Hawaiian families will comprise the Waiehu Kou IV subdivision. Lokahi Pacific’s very own Marlene Peralta is one of the 12 homeowners. Marlene says, “I think it’s a wonderful program and it’s helping people like us fulfill our dreams.” Marlene’s good news began to make it around the office. The Lokahi Pacific staff also heard about “sweat equity,” the 500 hours of labor requirement. It all started with a couple of staff members volunteering their Saturday in late July. The very next Monday, word got out about their volunteer experience, which lead to a quick growing volunteer group.	The following Saturday Lokahi Pacific had an outstanding turnout of willing and able volunteers. Our construction experience varied, however, we managed to produce enough rebar contraptions to be used in the foundation of five new homes. Every week we did something different; from framing, to raising the walls, to painting, and still to come…putting up the trusses. We also had the pleasure of working with other families who expressed their appreciation for our volunteering. The staff of Lokahi Pacific has designated the second Saturday of the month as “Staff Workday.” Construction of Waiehu Kou IV began in the summer of 2007. Lokahi Pacific started volunteering their Saturdays in August. Our staff volunteers by attending the Saturday workdays and providing snacks and beverages. Marlene is very grateful for the generosity and consistency of the Lokahi Pacific “gang.” All in all the Lokahi Pacific staff found a fun and exciting way to spend their Saturdays while giving back to the community. Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Pono Center By: Elaine Javier, Operations Assistant “Catering from Soup to Nuts” chef/owner Ralph A. Giles was the first incubator with the Pono Center. Chef Ralph has been cooking professionally for 20 years and launched his Maui catering company 3years ago. Since relocating from Boston, Chef Ralph and his expert staff have been dishing up delicacies for the fashionable and famished across the island, providing top-quality cuisine with first-rate service and artful presentation. Chef Ralph describes this latest venture as “eating and entertaining at a new level of comfort”, and creates menus around personal plates, assisting hosts to realize unique and memorable events for friends and family. At a recent fund-raising event, Catering from Soup to Nuts donated a dinner for 8 at a retail value of $700. After intense bidding, Chef Ralph donated a second dinner and, ultimately, the two dinners fetched over $6000 for Imua Family Services. Chef Ralph noted that evening “Maui had been very good to us, and Catering from Soup to Nuts has made it a priority to give back to Maui.”
By: Melissa Natividad Operations Assistant On Thursday December 20th, 2007 we will be having the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA Community Express Day) which will be held in The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg “Pono Center”, 62 Market Street. Starting a business, expanding or renovating your existing business is just a few of the topics that they will be able to assist you with. They will be featuring One on One Consultations between the hours of 10:00am and 3:00pm. Pre-registration on line is recommended and walk-in clients will be assisted as time permits. To register on line go to www.sba.gov/hi By: Kamaile Sombelon Executive Director Hard to believe, a year will have gone by since becoming the new Executive Director this past January. Lokahi has grown by leaps and bounds with several new development projects to come online. Lokahi’s Board and Staff has made many adjustments to bring us to this point. Many things have been accomplished and still more projects to conquer. The main focus was bringing The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Pono Center online. After several years of unforeseen delays, the Center was finally opened on September 6, 2007, thanks to the efforts of a very supportive and creative Staff, the Center’s Development Team along with the wisdom and guidance of Lokahi’s Board. Anchor tenant Café O Lei Wailuku had an extremely successful soft opening in late October and they continue to flourish. The first of four second floor apartment tenants moved in on November 9th. The commercial kitchen has been bustling with activity, without any attempt on our part to advertise yet, along with the third floor training facility which is booked the month of December.	With six new development projects in the works, staff growth was necessary. Housing staff was increased by three new positions, Pono Center operations required three positions, the new Residential Lending Dept. created two positions, Loan Dept. added one position, and two positions in Administration. Leilani Subdivision, a seven-lot single family residential project located in Kihei will be the first development to come online. Hopefully construction can start in February and completion before the end of 2008. The three bedroom, two bath homes will be sold for $250,000 to families meeting Lokahi’s affordable housing Program income qualifications and guidelines.	The Program is aimed at meeting the needs of families that fall 80% and below of the County median income. Contractor will be Dugied Construction in partnership with Aloha Package Homes. Thanks to grant funds received from County of Maui HOME funds and Papa’anui LLC, Bill Frampton, David Ward and Jon Santos, principals, the homes could be sold at such an affordable price. O Christmas Trees By: Jasmine Waskey Administrative Assistant Lokahi Pacific Staff worked together in decorating Christmas trees for our special needs tenants. Cindy Texeira, Housing Administrator, created a list of names of deserving, less fortunate tenants. The completed trees looked so pretty, we didn’t want to give then away. We named them our “Winter Wonderland” of trees. The recipients were over-joyed to receive their trees. Merry Christmas to all & to all a goodnight!
Lokahi Pacific     1935 Main Street, Suite 204     Wailuku, HI 96793 Phone:(808)242-5761     Fax:(808)244-2057     Website:lokahipacific.org