Windward Oahu lawmakers plan to meet with the Department of Land and Natural Resources today to discuss the long-term fate of six families being evicted from Kahana Valley.

Department Director Laura Thielen said yesterday the state plans to move forward with the evictions but will give the families more time.

Evictions were supposed to begin Monday, but Thielen said no such action would be taken this week.

“;We will give the six families a bit more time to prepare to move, and we will bring additional transition service providers this week to provide assistance to help with this transition,”; Thielen said in a written statement released yesterday. “;I recognize that up until last summer the families and the department thought there would be an opportunity to issue three leases, and that the families need more assistance and time to prepare themselves.

“;We met with the families earlier this year to discuss the decision and brought service providers to assist them in their move, but I can understand that they were not prepared to accept the decision at that time.”;

Thielen said she would be willing to meet today with Rep. Colleen Meyer (R, Laie-Kahuku) and Sen. Clayton Hee (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe).

“;I will also be seeking a meeting with the six families to talk the matter over with them directly to see if there is any additional assistance the department can provide,”; Thielen said.

Thirty-one families with ancestral ties to the land are living legally in Ahupuaa O Kahana State Park under leases with the state. Another six have ancestral rights to live in the valley but didn't obtain leases. The department had told the six families on June 20 that they would have to leave the park because their leases had expired 13 years ago and the Attorney General's Office said new leases cannot be issued.

Meyer said she is hopeful the families can stay until lawmakers can find a solution.

“;I realize they have known for some time that the department was working toward this, but they kind of hoped against hope that it wouldn't happen,”; Meyer said. “;Now we know we have to change the law to make it work. ... I would hope that they could stay there until the next legislative session is over. All I can do is suggest that and just try to allay their fears.”;

She said one of the biggest challenges is moving the people because of their possessions that have accumulated over the years.

“;The department has the right to ask them to get out,”; she said, “;but because they haven't carried through with it for so long - and then there was this false hope that some of these residents were going to get a lease - it led people to feel that they really didn't have to move.

“;I think any of us would feel if we didn't really have to move we wouldn't move if we liked where we were.”;