niviankraft

The Kawailehua initiative was never intended to become an aggressive or punitive policing system. Residents understood from the beginning that public housing communities contain many vulnerable populations, including: disabled residents, elders, trauma survivors, neurodivergent individuals, struggling families, and people already carrying distrust toward institutional systems. Instead, the initiative focuses on: trauma-informed safety practices, de-escalation, communication pathways,...

Public housing residents have a powerful tool to ensure their voices are heard and their interests represented: the resident council. These councils are not just informal groups; they hold federally protected status under United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulations. This protection guarantees residents the right to organize, elect leaders, and participate in decisions affecting their communities. Understanding these protections is essential for residents,...

Public housing on Kauai faces a critical moment. For months, tenants have raised urgent concerns about safety, management failures, and federal compliance issues within Hawaiʻi Public Housing Authority (HPHA) properties. Despite repeated outreach to county, state, and federal officials, meaningful action remains scarce. The recent announcement of a local management retirement and the resignation of a key housing specialist have only deepened the crisis. This post highlights the ongoing...