The sight of Hawaiians living in tents on property they owned by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands struck a deep chord in Paige Kapiolani Barber.

After visiting department lots on the Big Island in 2001, the chief executive officer of the Nanakuli Housing Corp. said she felt “;depressed, anguish, (like) I was failing our people.”;

Seeing the makeshift shelters of blue tarpaulins and scrap material moved Barber to form another branch of her company, Base Yard Hawaii, a year later. Located off Sand Island Access Road, its purpose is to collect and distribute construction materials - most of it recycled used or new surplus equipment - to these families at little or no cost.

Families who want to build or renovate their home must complete a series of free workshops to learn basic construction skills. Then they get a free tool kit, instruction manual, $150 credit for materials and follow-up training in their homes, Barber said. Prices at the Base Yard are at least 50 percent to 70 percent below retail.

Ilima Ho of Waimanalo and Desmond Keohulu of Nanakuli are attending the self-help home repair workshops, usually held at the company's Kalaeloa site.

Ho, who has had her Hawaiian Homes lot since 1995, found it hard to decide whether her soggy bathroom or electrical wiring needed attention first. The house, built in 1971, also suffers from terrible termite damage.

“;I wouldn't have had the money to do these renovations without NHC,”; she added.

She said a relative went through the renovation classes, repaired their home, later demolished it and built a brand-new house through the NHC - “;it's awesome!”; said Ho, the mom of two teens. Most of her classmates are women who bring their kids, who watch and learn along with them, Ho said.

“;I see 7- and 8-year-olds paying attention in class,”; she said. “;If I learned what I'm learning now when I was younger, I would be a different person from what I am today. It's very empowering, wonderful! I'm so thankful for their patience and their willingness to show and explain. I enjoy it.”;

Keohulu, 33, is helping his grandparents repair their old home - “;you could knock down the whole thing; they need everything!”;

His grandmother recently was hospitalized with heart problems, and Keohulu rushed to install a walk-in shower to replace the tub, which she could no longer step into, he said. A mechanic by trade, Keohulu had no home-repair experience. But he is a fast learner and is proud of finishing the project.

It would have been impossible without NHC, he said. “;It's been a big help. It (the renovation) would've been a big dent in my budget.”;

He plans to use his new skills building his own home when his homestead property is allocated, Keohulu said.