Most Reverend Larry Silva | Diocese of Honolulu
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, together with Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and local leaders, held a blessing ceremony on August 27, 2025, to mark the opening of Hale Ulu Lehua in Honokaʻa. The new facility provides supportive housing for kūpuna by transforming a former convent house into 10 permanent, affordable rental units.
The renovated property is intended to address the need for senior housing in Hāmākua. It offers residents single-occupancy units, upgraded shared bathrooms, an expanded communal kitchen and dining area, and on-site laundry. Accessibility improvements include an entry ramp and widened doorways. HOPE Services Hawaiʻi will provide case management and tenancy support services at the site.
Local officials attended the event, including Hawaiʻi County Mayor Kimo Alameda, Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness & Housing Solutions Jun Yang, and State Representative Matthias Kusch. The ceremony highlighted collaboration among church members, non-profit groups, government agencies, businesses, parishioners, and donors.
Dr. Kalani Spain, Director of Supportive Housing for HOPE Services Hawaiʻi and program overseer said: "Our kūpuna deserve a safe place to call home, and we are so excited to finally offer this service in Honoka’a. We are grateful to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish for hosting us, and to the funders and sponsors who recognized the importance of providing affordable housing for our kūpuna living in rural communities.”
Jun Yang stated: “Hale Ulu Lehua Kauhale provides other options to assist our elders find permanent housing solutions, build a sense of community connection, and live safely without the threats and challenges of being on the street each day." He added: “Community connection is one of the primary indicators for personal and collective resiliency.”
Walter Silva—a resident at another HOPE Services kūpuna housing project—spoke at the event: “Living… at Sacred Heart Affordable Housing Project is not only a blessing, but it's a miracle in my life.” Silva also performed the ceremonial untying of the maile lei during the blessing.
Brenda DeLuz from Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Parish explained: “What began as a need to strengthen our Parish finances became an opportunity for something greater. In our search for solutions to what had become an underutilized nuns’ convent with lots of history, we chose to partner with HOPE Services—a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals who are unsheltered and in need.” She continued: “This partnership not only helps our church sustain itself, but also allows us to live out our faith in a real and impactful way. By working with Hope Services, we’re meeting both the needs of our Parish and those of the community around us.”
HOPE Services Hawaiʻi operates as an affiliate nonprofit organization of the Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii. Its mission is focused on making homelessness rare or brief across Hawaii Island through services such as outreach programs, shelters with 168 beds island-wide, behavioral health care initiatives, prevention strategies like diversion efforts or case management.