The Hawaii Public Housing Authority is working with the tenants associations of Kalihi Valley Homes and Kuhio Park Terrace to implement a temporary curfew in an effort to stem a series of violent incidents between residents of both state housing projects.

The curfew was in effect from Tuesday at Kalihi Valley Homes and requires residents to stay in their units or on their lanai while they are on the property from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m., and nonresident guests are not allowed during those hours.

“;What we're trying to do is quell the violence and make people safe,”; said Denise Wise, executive director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. “;It's not a punishment. It's a protection.”;

Taiaopo Tuimalealiifano, president of the Kalihi Valley Homes Residents Association, said only one person complained about the curfew.

“;It was very good. It was a big change,”; Tuimalealiifano said. “;All of Kalihi Valley was so quiet.”;

Wise said she is working with the Kuhio Park Terrace Residents Association to come up with rules for a curfew at that housing project.

Leva Alualu, Kuhio Park Terrace Residents Association president, said residents do not want a curfew.

“;We don't want to stop people from going on with their everyday life,”; Alualu said. “;We feel we can work as a community with the police, the people.”;

Wise said the goal of the curfew at both housing projects is to be able to quickly identify outsiders who shouldn't be on the grounds.

The American Civil Lib- erties Union has some concerns about the curfew.

“;Beefing up the police and security presence at the public housing projects is the appropriate way to handle violence, as opposed to the extreme and potentially unconstitutional measure of instituting house arrest for all residents,”; Laurie Temple, an attorney for the ACLU, said in a statement.

Toni Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the Human Services Department, said the attorney general has approved the curfew, citing a state law that allows agencies to make temporary rules without public hearing if they are required to protect public safety.

The curfew comes after a 19-year-old man was shot in the face early Monday at Kalihi Valley Homes. He was initially reported in serious condition from shotgun pellet wounds.

Police said the shooting may be part of an escalating cycle of retaliation following a fight involving a Kuhio Park Terrace resident about 10 days ago and a stabbing of a 20-year-old man last week Thursday. All the incidents happened at Kalihi Valley Homes.

Kalihi District Police Maj. William Chur said since the incident, police have maintained a visible presence at both housing projects. “;We haven't had other flare-ups, but that's not to say the potential for a flare-up can't happen at any time,”; he said.

The state is also adding private security guards at night. “;They are an extra set of eyes so that if there are people on the grounds who shouldn't be there, they can call 911,”; Wise said.

After a voluntary curfew Tuesday night at Kalihi Valley Homes, Wise said residents called her and thanked her for the action.

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Man charged in Kalihi Valley Homes stabbing

Authorities say a stabbing at Kalihi Valley Homes public housing earlier this month was gang-related.

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment yesterday charging Moses Bebe Moses, 18, with attempted murder in the March 18 stabbing of a 20-year-old man. His bail is $100,000.

Moses lives in Kuhio Homes public housing in Kalihi next to Kuhio Park Terrace. The victim is from Kalihi Valley Homes.

The victim told police he went to move his parked vehicle after he had heard that a group of males from Kuhio Park Terrace had damaged several vehicles near his residence.

He said he recognized the males as members of a rival gang and that two of them assaulted him, first a juvenile male who was later joined by an older male, said Vickie Kapp, deputy prosecutor.

Patrol officers who went to Kalihi Valley Homes to respond to reports of males damaging vehicles arrested another 18-year-old man, two 17-year-old boys and a 15-year-old boy for criminal property damage. The 18-year-old lives at Kuhio Homes. Police said they found five damaged vehicles.

They arrested Moses for attempted murder March 24 after a witness identified him as one of the males who assaulted the victim. The juvenile, a 16-year-old boy, turned himself in to police Sunday. — Star-Bulletin staff