Partnership with Hawai’i Community College Results in 44th Home

Partnership with Hawai’i Community College Results in 44th Home

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2011

HILO, Hawai‘i – A home built by students in the Hawai‘i Community College (HawCC) students Model Home Program was dedicated today in the homestead community of Pana’ewa.

“This partnership combines real-life, hands-on training with the opportunity to provide well-made, affordable homes for our beneficiaries and as a result, everyone comes out a winner,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chairman Alapaki Nahale-a. “Today we celebrate the completion of a well-made product and the beginning of a new life for a new homesteader.”

The three-bedroom, two-bath home will be turned over to Hawaiian Home Lands selectee Lorcardia M. Gouveia.

The model home program at HawCC provides instruction in drafting, welding, carpentry, electrical, and landscaping while subcontracting outside work to local community builders that is not taught at the community college. Students built the home at a cost of$159,000.

DHHL provided space and funding which allowed the students to acquire on-the-job skills in home construction while helping DHHL to fulfill its mission of putting more native Hawaiians on the land. Since the model home program’s inception in 1965, over 3,360 drafting, welding, carpentry, electrical and agricultural students have participated in the program.