Report Title:

Project Faith

 

Description:

Making an appropriation for Project Faith, Anahola, Kaua`i. (SD1)

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

878

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

MAKING AN APPROPRIATION FOR PROJECT FAITH.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The Hawaiian community of Anahola, Kaua`i, is seeking a creative, innovative way to revitalize itself through the creation of a Hawaiian commercial cultural center project called Project Faith. Project Faith, as envisioned by the Anahola Homesteaders Council, will develop an economic development and infrastructure master plan to form a community based commercial-cultural center to benefit native Hawaiians who reside on homestead lands in Anahola. The project will help develop solutions to combat high unemployment, social depression, rising elderly population in need of care, and community deterioration.

The expected outcome of Project Faith will be to provide long-term jobs, native business entrepreneurial opportunities, and job training for youths, and enhance cultural relevance and preservation for native Hawaiians. Project goals include the building of a one hundred-bed capacity elderly nursing care facility, a twenty-unit studio apartment facility for independent living for the elderly, an early education and child care facility, a fire station, commercial office space, a cultural pavilion, a post office, and a convenience store.

These initial components have received strong support. According to the department of Hawaiian home lands, it is committed to leasing the seventeen-acre parcel identified for use by Project Faith to the Anahola Homesteaders Council. The community, business, and governmental support for Project Faith is widespread, and it has received support from Bank of Hawaii, the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development in Hawaii, Queen Lili`uokalani Children's Center, the Kapaa Business Association, the Small Business Development Center Network of Kaua`i community college, the Kaua`i Business Assistance Corporation, and the Kaua`i county council.

The purpose of this Act is to appropriate funds to assist with the implementation of Project Faith.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $125,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2001-2002, for the purpose of funding Project Faith through the Anahola Homesteaders Council.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of Hawaiian home lands for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2001.