In a recent development regarding the tiny housing units at Hawaii Cedar Church in Kalihi, the state’s Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions has issued a directive demanding the church either return or pay $20,000 for each of the 20 units installed on their property.
These units, installed in the church parking lot, currently shelter kūpuna and families who were previously unhoused.
The request was communicated in a letter from Jun Yang, the governor’s homelessness coordinator, to the church’s pastor. Yang indicated that the church was not authorized to utilize the units and must cease using them immediately.
The installation of these units was completed in August of the previous year, during the administration of Yang’s predecessor, John Mizuno. The units were created using donated contracting services from various organizations and were part of a broader initiative to address homelessness in Hawaii.
Governor Josh Green has prioritized tiny homes in the state’s strategy to tackle persistent homelessness, aiming to establish 30 kauhale villages as a key commitment. His goal is to reduce Hawaii’s homeless population by half by 2026. Speaking about the importance of collaboration, Green emphasized the need for “continued partnerships” during the inauguration of another kauhale in December.
The Cedar Church kauhale was highlighted in a presentation given by Governor Green and Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi in May as one of the projects slated to open among a total of 17 being tracked for development.
However, it has been confirmed that neither the state nor the church entered into a formal agreement regarding the installation of the tiny homes, which appears to have complicated the situation concerning the church’s use of the housing units.
In response to inquiries about this matter, Yang did not provide an interview but released a statement explaining that the letter was initiated in anticipation of a management and performance audit of the Kauhale Initiative. This audit is mandated by a bill that was passed in the latest legislative session and is awaiting the governor’s approval.
Yang’s statement did not delve into specifics about contracting standards or the nature of the kauhale services, simply outlining the conditions for either returning or purchasing the units.
Pastor Rev. Duk Whan Kim was reportedly taken aback by the letter, as communicated by the church’s attorney, Ernie Martin. Kim believed there was a mutual understanding in place concerning the units and their purpose on church grounds, having collaborated closely with the homelessness office during Mizuno’s tenure.
Martin noted that he is in dialogue with Yang’s office in hopes of resolving the misunderstanding. The state has provided a deadline of May 27 for the church to respond; failure to do so will result in the immediate removal of the units, yet as of a recent update, the tiny homes remain in situ and are still occupied.
Mizuno, who suddenly resigned as the state’s homelessness coordinator this past February and is now serving as a special advisor to the governor, did not respond to requests for comments regarding the matter.
In efforts to provide more formal oversight for its kauhale partnerships, Rep. Lisa Marten—chair of the House Committee on Human Services and Homelessness—expressed hope that the issue could be resolved. Marten acknowledged the church’s dedication to assisting vulnerable populations after her site visit, asserting that they could potentially expand their services.
While recognizing the state’s initiative to establish more structured contracts with its partners, she highlighted a lack of data on current residents and the absence of clarity regarding who accesses the church’s services. A more formal agreement could pave the way for the church to secure additional state funding, which could broaden their service offerings, including medical care.
The 20 housing units were procured by the state from HomeAid Hawaii for their initiative dedicated to building tiny homes. HomeAid’s CEO, Kimo Carvalho, confirmed this acquisition, including details that construction competitive bidding was waived due to an emergency housing proclamation issued by Governor Green in September.
According to Carvalho, HomeAid has been the exclusive supplier for these tiny homes, producing over a thousand units for the Kauhale Initiative with approximately 273 allocated for the islands of Oahu and Maui.
Carvalho clarified that while HomeAid had contributed to delivering the units to Cedar Church, they were not responsible for all installation aspects. The grading of the church site as well as utility connections were executed through donated efforts from another construction company, Prometheus Construction, although no representatives from Prometheus were available for comment at the time of reporting.
Hawaii Cedar Church occupies a significant parcel of land that includes a parking lot—having purchased the 30,000-square-foot property for $1.34 million in December 2011. The church has a longstanding commitment to community service, engaging in food relief and emergency housing initiatives, and is known for operating the Waiʻanae Cedar Farm—a project that provided low-cost housing solutions through the use of small shed-like structures.
The relationship between Mizuno and Pastor Kim stretches back over a decade, since Mizuno once served as the state representative for Kalihi, before he resigned to take on his responsibilities as the state’s new homelessness coordinator.
Mizuno succeeded James Koshiba, who had briefly held the same position prior, and set foundational plans for Kauhale projects, including the Cedar Church initiative, which emerged publicly in discussions around April of 2024.
During a neighborhood board meeting in July, Mizuno referred to the Cedar Church development as “the first Kūpuna Kauhale intended for homeless kūpuna over 60 years old, alongside those potentially transitioning from emergency rooms or needing post-medical respite.”
After its completion, Mizuno showcased the Cedar Church kauhale via a video walkthrough posted on Facebook, detailing the amenities, such as showers, laundry facilities, and individual gardening plots.
Several months later, Mizuno had begun publicly addressing issues surrounding the financial sustainability of running certain state-funded kauhale locations before stepping down from his position in February, subsequently taking on a new advisory role.
Rep. Marten highlighted the ongoing conversation at the state legislature regarding the funding and oversight of kauhale units, which has involved examining the potential costs associated with these housing alternatives and reviewing the effectiveness of previous funding contracts with HomeAid, which have raised concerns about a lack of documentation regarding substantial state expenditures.
Legislators ultimately made the decision to enhance the Kauhale Initiative, allocating a $50 million funding resource through 2026 and 2027’s budgeting cycles. This funding package also mandated quarterly expenditure reports from Yang’s department as well as a management audit of the Kauhale Initiative, paralleling the issues raised in the correspondence to Cedar Church.
As the situation unfolds, it remains uncertain how the church will navigate the intricate dynamics of state oversight and their commitment to the community they have been serving.
image source from：https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/06/state-housing-czar-demands-church-return-housing-for-homeless-elderly/
