21st October 2010
Posted in Updates

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser published a letter to the editor today from HRI President Eric Beaver on the broad community support for creating a more sustainable community in Lā‘ie and Ko‘olau Loa.

Regarding your editorial, “Don’t skip Laie planning steps” (Star-Advertiser, Oct. 18), we certainly support appropriate steps and have been taking them, one by one, for several years now as we seek to help address the needs of the greater Laie area.

Here is the situation: Brigham Young University, Hawaii needs to grow in order to survive.

BYU-Hawaii and the related Polynesian Cultural Center have a significant impact on Windward Oahu as economic engines and community influences. There is a serious need for housing for people who live and work here, not just for those who can afford second homes.

We have undertaken, as part of Envision Laie, intense community outreach, gathering data that shows there is a high degree of support for growth of BYU-Hawaii, the PCC and for housing at Malaekahana. We have presented all of this to the city, to boards and associations in our community, to the media and others. We’ll continue to do so, and note that the Laie Community Association, Kahuku Community Association and Koolau Loa Neighborhood Board all voted to support Envision Laie’s proposal.

We live here; most of our parents are from here, and many of our grandparents are, too. We want our children and grandchildren to be able to live and thrive in this special place.

We are pleased to share our community’s needs and vision with those who are interested, and look forward to the continuing robust process.