For some, it’s an exotic vacation getaway—worth paying to stay in. For Hawaiian officials, it could be an affordable solution to a growing homeless problem. It’s the traditional grass structure called a hale (pronounced hah-LAY).
Daniel Anthony spent the night under the thatched roof of a hale with the sound of rain lulling him to sleep. "This is the sound of aloha," he says. Anthony, along with some lawmakers, is pushing to revive the basic home structure of Hawaii’s indigenous people. He believes the huts can be built inexpensively to provide shelter for those who have none.
Anthony says he can construct the thatched homes with environmentally sustainable methods. He wants to use local trees and plants—focusing on varieties that are deemed invasive. That will keep costs down and help restore a proper ecological balance.
“If we can use invasive species, which we’re saying is out of control, to construct housing in an area where they say we’re in a housing crisis, how is this not a solution?” Anthony asks.
Presently, most building codes throughout Hawaii don’t recognize the hale as a legitimate structure for human residence. But that has been changing since 2010—slowly. Maui County developed the first government-approved building requirements for a hale. The first was used as a community gathering space. Ever since, a revival of hale building has led to dozens of the structures throughout the islands—for gatherings, canoe storage, and teaching about cultural traditions. Anthony and others want to see more restrictions lifted to allow for individual and couples occupancy.
Anthony believes he can build a hale for just about $1,000. The money would buy parachute cord to secure the frame and thatching. The wood and grasses he would harvest from nature. He does not specifically state how he would pay for labor to gather materials and construct the homes.For comparison’s sake: Honolulu recently used converted shipping containers to provide housing for the homeless on Sand Island. A 72-square-foot room for a couple cost $9,117.
If codes do change to allow hales for shelter, there will still be safety restrictions. No cooking, open flames, electricity, extension cords, or generators can be permitted in a traditional hale.
Sen. J. Kalani English pushed Maui County to adopt its hale building code. He co-sponsored legislation to encourage officials to set aside land for hale building. So far, state agencies and the Honolulu planning department have opposed the bill.
All the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths and lived in the booths. . . . And there was very great rejoicing. — Nehemiah 8:17
