Housing aid
renters to gather
at Capitol

D.C. speakers will address
a Save Our Homes parley

By Leila Fujimori
Star-Bulletin

About 150 residents of federally subsidized rental housing will convene at the state Capitol on Wednesday to learn how to avoid losing their units.

The Save Our Homes Conference is part of a national campaign to arm tenants with knowledge on how to organize themselves and keep their low-income housing.

Two national advocates will speak at the conference -- Michael Kane, executive director of the National Alliance of HUD Tenants, and Dushaw Hockett of the Center for Community Change in Washington, D.C.

Federal and state low-income housing in Hawaii is in danger of being lost as more than 5,000 units of publicly supported low-income rental housing in Hawaii could be sold, demolished or converted into high-end rentals. That's according to the Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance, the Hawaii nonprofit coalition organizing the event with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii.

Until now, only those with a low or very low income were qualified for public housing, said Kathleen Hasegawa, Alliance's executive director. But low-income tenants are being displaced by allowing moderate-income tenants into public housing. And housing projects in disrepair are being demolished and not replaced.

Hasegawa said,"Those with a moderate income need a hand in Hawaii. But not nearly as much as those low-income people."

The state is losing about half a million dollars a year in subsidized housing, Hasegawa said.

But changes from the 30 percent income-based rent to flat rent will really hurt those on a low income, she said.

Sign-waving will follow at 4 p.m. in front of the Capitol.

Call 845-4565 for information.