free health insurance for kids - state of hawaiims. maile cummings hale ohana o kapaa resident...

Applications832-5960

Fair Housing Officer832-6003

Homeless Programs832-5930

Property Managementand Maintenance Services

Branch832-6034

Resident Services Section832-5900

Volume 3, Issue #7Inside this Issue

* Oahu Work Links* Free Health Insurance for KidsPage 2* Executive Director’s Message* Beach Safety* Toll Free Numbers for Neighbor Islands.Page 3* Oahu Work Links (continued)* Needs Assessment Survey* Resident Service and Satisfaction Survey* Ka Hale Kahaluu RemodernizationPage 4* Resident Advisory BoardPage 5* Getting to Know...Mayor Wright Homes* What’s going on with....Hui O’ Kalakaua Resident AssociationPage 6* Kindergarten Registration* 4th of July Word Search

July 2006

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Did you know your child may get free health insurance even ifyou work? QUEST and Medicaid cover regular check-ups, doctor vis-its, emergency care, eyeglasses, immunizations, counseling, prescrip-tion medicines, and dental care. Eligibility is based on household sizeand income. Currently, a family of four can qualify if their incomedoesn’t exceed $46,008 per year. Med-QUEST’s application for chil-dren and pregnant women make it easy to apply and you don’t have toreport an absent parent.

Parents and guardians can get more information, including anapplication, by calling 211 (free phone call from all islands) or visit-ing www.coveringkids.com.

Free Health Insurancefor Kids

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Oahu WorkLinks is a partnership of coop-erating agencies, organizations and private busi-nesses dedicated to workforce development onOahu. Oahu Work Link’s goal is to empower indi-viduals to meet the current and future needs of ex-isting and potential employers. One-stop resourcesare available to everyone in the community - jobseekers, employers, educators, students andagency partners. There are seven one-stop cen-ters on Oahu located at Dillingham, Honolulu,Makalapa, Kaneohe, Waialua, Waianae, andWaipahu to assist with your job search.

Some of the services that Oahu Work Linksprovides are listed on page 3.

. Hawaii Public Housing Authority

Bringing People Together to make Housing Dreams Come True

Executive Director’sMonthly Message

TOLL FREE NUMBERSNeighbor Island Residents may call

State Offices on Oahu toll free by dailing:

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HAWAII - Dial 974-4000; listen for the dial tone, enter thelast five (5) digits of the State number and press the # key.

MAUI- Dial 984-2400; listen for dial tone enter the lastfive (5) digits of the State number and press the # key.

KAUAI - Dial 274-3141; listen for dial tone, enter the lastfive (5) digits of the State number and press the # key.

MOLOKAI/LANAI - Dial 1-800-468-4644; listen for dialtone enter the last five (5) digits of the State number , andpress the # key.

You may have noticed that thisnewsletter now comes from the Ha-waii Public Housing Authority (HPHA).As of July 1, 2006, the Housing andCommunity Development Corporationof Hawaii (HCDCH) separated intotwo agencies – the Hawaii PublicHousing Authority (HPHA) and the Ha-waii Housing Finance and Develop-ment Corporation (HHFDC). HPHAwill manage federal and state publichousing programs and HHFDC willwork to develop and finance low- andmoderate-income housing.

Separating into two agenciesis a difficult task but everyone involvedrecognizes that this separation is agolden opportunity for both agenciesto redefine themselves, focus on spe-cific goals and attack our state’s hous-ing challenges with fresh ideas andnew resolve.

A recent news report causedmany residents to think that HPHA willbe without a leader at this critical time.That is not true as I will remain incharge of HPHA through December2006 or until a successor is found.Currently, the Board of Directors hasformed a search committee and ismoving quickly to fill the HPHA Execu-tive Director position.

HPHA will continue to fulfill theduties and obligations to which it isbound under state and federal law.With your support, the agency can ac-complish much, much more.

Stephanie AveiroExecutive Director

Summer is here so that means that many people will begathering at the beach for some sun, surf and relaxation. If you andyour children are planning some beach outings this summer, here aresome beach safety tips from the American Red Cross that you shouldtake.

1. Never swim alone2. Check the surf conditions before you enter the water.3. Check to see if life guards have posted any warning flags for

potential hazards or severe water or beach conditions.4. If you are caught in a current, gradually swim across the

current to get out of it.5. Protect your skin by wearing sunscreen with a UV rating of

at least 15. Limit your direct contact with the sun betweenthe hours of 10:00am and 4:00pm, when the sun’s rays arethe most intense. Prolonged exposure to UV-rays can leadto skin cancer.

6. Keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water regularly andoften.

7. Watch for signs of heat stroke, which include hot, red anddry skin, changes in consciousness, rapid, weak pulse andrapid shallow breathing. Heat stroke is life threatening due tothe rising of body temperature, which can cause braindamage and death .

8. Wear eye and foot protection to protect from the dangerousUV rays and the hot sand.

Keep these tips in mind and it will make your outing to the beach apleasant one.

Beach Safety Tips

Hawaii Public Housing Authority .


Job Seeker ServicesFor those looking for employment or thetraining needed to qualify for higher-payingjobs, Oahu WorkLinks provides a wide rangeof opportunities at no cost to the individual:

· Job Search Assistanceo Resume writingo Building interview skillso Internet access to job leads -

searchable by specific skills, per-sonal interests, career goals or bycompany and industry

· Personal Career Planning Serviceso Self-service computerized

assesments to identify skills andtraining needs

o Plan development for career suc-cess

· T raining Opportunitieso Computer Trainingo Job Skills Training for occupations

in demand· Complimentary Office Services

o Telephones and message centero E-mail, fax machines, copy ma-

chineso Use of personal computer - online

labor market and career planningresearch, cover letter and resumewriting, Internet job search usinglocal and national job banks andadditional job search engines

· Library Resource Centero Daily and Sunday newspaperso Books, magazines, brochures and

job search/training tipso Reference material and education

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Ka Hale Kahaluu-Remoderization Project Update• Renovation start date is targeted for October 2006.• Completion date is targeted for October 2007.• Relocation plan for residents to be implemented between July

– August 2006.• For more information contact Earl Nakaya, Resident Ser-

vices Section at (808) 832-5900 or toll free at 974-400(listen for dial tone, enter 23837, and press # key).

Oahu Work Links, Continued from Page 1○

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Needs AssessmentSurvey

The Resident Services Section is working withFAQ Hawaii (FAQ) to conduct a needs assessment sur-vey among public housing residents throughout the stateof Hawaii starting in July. The purpose of the survey is tofind out what types of services, such as job training, youthprograms, and life skills activities, the residents feel areneeded to improve their lives.

Residents will be randomly selected to participatein the survey and will be contacted by letter by HCDCH.The survey will be conducted by FAQ ,who will be work-ing closely with your resident associations and the resi-dent managers in providing information and getting theresidents to participate in this important survey. For more

information, please call Resident Services at 832-5900.

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The U.S Department of Housing and UrbanDevelopment’s Real Estate Assessment Center hassent a customer service and satisfaction survey torandomly selected households to evaluate the hous-ing agency’s performance The survey will measureyour satisfaction and experience with your living con-ditions concerning maintenance and repair, services,communication, safety, neighborhood appearance.Remember if you received a survey, please completeand return it in the enclosed envelope. Residentparticipation is essential to the survey’s success.Your opinion is very important to HCDCH and HUD!

Resident Service andSatisfaction Surveys



The Hawaii Public Housing Authority (HPHA) would like to take this opportunity to thank the Resident Advi-sory Board (RAB) for their hard work in assisting with HCDCH’s 2006 5-year and Annual Public HousingAgency Plan. RAB members worked diligently and met from August 2005 to March 2006 to provide valuableinput and recommendations.

HONOLULU DISTRICTMs. Theresa Cummings Mayor Wright Homes Tenant AssociationMs. Sa Aiolupotea Kalihi Valley Homes Resident AssociationMr. Libert Weatherholtz Kamehameha Homes Tenant AssociationMr. David Yaw (Chair Person) Kaahumanu Homes Resident Association

WINDWARD DISTRICTMs. Dolly Keama Koolau Village Resident Association

CENTRAL DISTRICTMs. Marsha Rodrigues Kauhale Nani Resident AssociationMr. Amalau Lauti Wahiawa Terrace Resident Association

LEEWARD DISTRICTMr. Douglas Allen (Vice Chair) Waimaha Sunflower Resident AssociationMs. Monique O’Campo (Secretary) Puu Hale O Nanakuli Resident Association

KAUAI DISTRICTMs. Maile Cummings Hale Ohana O Kapaa Resident AssociationMs. Arde Long-Yamashita Hui O Hanamaulu Resident Association

MAUI DISTRICTMs. Yolanda Jetnil Kahekili Terrace Resident AssociationMs. Alice Lu‘uloa Kahale Mua Resident Association

BIG ISLAND DISTRICTMr. George DeMello Lanakila Homes Resident AssociationMs. Rodelle Smith (Sgt-At-Arms) Ka Hale Kahaluu Resident Association

We would also like to extend our thanks to all the resident associations who also provided their insight andsuggestion.

Listed below are two recommendations that the RAB made to the 2006 PHA Plan.The RAB recommended that:1. HPHA consider a site based waitlist and selection process to eliminate delays and avoid applicants from declining a unit and being pushed back to the end of the waitlist.2. HPHA improve communication with working families on options available should hardship occur in paying their rent.

Hawaii Public Housing Authority .


Resident Associations

The reputation of Mayor Wright Homesmay not be the best but for the Mayor WrightHomes Tenant Association (MWHTA), it’s thisdesire to “transform our image that fuels ourfire”, says President Hana Eliapo. “We areall about making positive changes in the com-munity,” echoed Secretary Saipeti Lafaeleand Treasurer Theresa Cummings. Changessuch as the filling of pot holes in the parkinglots, interaction among the different cultures,and creating a safer environment for the resi-dents are just a few successes that theMWHTA executive board is pleased with.“Actually seeing it happen before our veryeyes is very rewarding,” says Theresa.

Events such as the annual Cultural Fairand voluntary neighborhood patrol create apositive energy that is felt throughout the com-munity. “What makes representing MayorWright Homes so enjoyable is being able tolearn thru interaction and listening to the resi-dents”, says Hana. “And don’t forget theyouth, adds Saipeti. The youth group hasadded to the upbeat atmosphere with theirwillingness to become involved in variousevents/activities sponsored by the associa-tion.

Mayor Wright Homes Resident Associa-tion would like to recognize the recent passingof Vice President Tovia Fatu. His kindness, gen-erosity and love for the community will never beforgotten.

The Hui O’Kalakaua Resident Associationheld a father’s day art activity for the children on June14, 2006. The task at hand was to design a pictureframe out of crafty material, picking from variousdesigns, letters and shapes that were available fortheir use. The children let their creative juices flowas they created their own unique picture frame.

Tenant Resident Advisor, KamalaniRodrigues, was also on hand to assist in taking andprinting out pictures of the children to put in their newlycreated frames.

According to Association President KeahiMamala, this is the first time that the resident asso-ciation has coordinated an activity for Father’s day.She mentioned that this activity is a small way forthe children to show their fathers that they are im-portant to them. On June 16, 2006, the children alsohad the opportunity to spend some time with theirfathers at a community movie night activity.

Congratulations to the Resident Associationfor coordinating a very successful Father’s Day Ac-tivity.

What’s going on with....Hui O’Kalakaua Resident Association

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(l to r: Secretary, Saipeti Lafaele; Treasurer, TheresaCummings; and President, Hana Eliapo)

Getting to Know........Mayor Wright Homes



The new school year is right around the corner soif you haven’t already registered your child for kindergar-ten, the time to do it has arrived. For the past couple ofmonths, public school officials have been strongly encour-aging parents of children born in 2001 to register their chil-dren for kindergarten now. Parents who wait until the lastminute might also find their children missing immunizationor legal documents that will prevent them from startingschool on time.

To find out which school your child will attend,call the elementary schools in your neighborhood to deter-mine whether your street address falls in that district.

KindergartenRegistration

Documents required for registration include1. Health Records: (Form 14) Children musthave a physical examination, written documen-tation of required immunizations and tuberculo-sis clearance to enter school on the first day.2. Birth certificate: An original or certifiedcopy is required to verify a child’s age.3. Legal Documents: If there were changesto the child’s name, custody arrangements orguardianship.4. Proof of local address: a document suchas an electric, telephone or cable bill, or a hous-ing or rental agreement that shows the addressof the child’s home.

For More Information, call the nearest elementaryschool or visit http://www.doe.k12.hi.us/parents

4th of July Word Search

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority wishes you a Happy and Safe 4th of July.

BLUECONGRESSENGLANDFLAGFREEDOMJULYKINGLIBERTYPARADEREDSTATESUNITEDWHITE

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