In the heart of Honolulu’s McCully neighborhood, the Mōhala Mai project – meaning “blossom forth” – represents a new vision for housing justice.
Opened in 2023, it is Oʻahu’s first permanent supportive housing initiative dedicated to women who have been justice- involved, along with their children. With 24 fully furnished apartments, wraparound services, and community spaces, Mōhala Mai is more than just a building – it is a place for healing, growth, and renewal.
While resident data is not public, it is understood that Native Hawaiians are among those who stand to benefit most from Mōhala Mai. Across Hawaiʻi, Native Hawaiians make up nearly 40% of the state’s houseless population, despite representing only about 21% of the general population.
The over-representation stems from a long history of displacement, economic hardship, and systemic inequities.
For many Native Hawaiian women, involvement in the justice system is tied to these same structural challenges: poverty, unstable housing, and cycles of trauma. Mōhala Mai offers a pathway to stability, ensuring that families are not only sheltered, but supported with counseling, case management, and access to schools, jobs, and public transportation.
The mission of Mōhala Mai reflects deeply held Native Hawaiian values. The emphasis on ʻohana, kuleana, and lōkahi (unity) resonates in how the project is designed – not simply to house people, but to nurture community. By creating a safe, supportive environment for mothers and keiki, Mōhala Mai aligns with the Hawaiian understanding that wellbeing begins in the home.
In many ways, the project mirrors the vision of the state’s Kauhale movement, which seeks to build small, supportive “villages” rooted in shared responsibility. While Mōhala Mai is not a Kauhale, it embodies the same principles: restoring dignity and strengthening bonds of belonging.
Supporting this vision, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has invested $180,000 to help advance these reforms.
This funding underscores OHA’s commitment to improving outcomes for Native Hawaiian women disproportionately represented in the justice system. By backing systemic change, OHA is helping to ensure that Native Hawaiian voices are heard and that culturally grounded solutions are part of the path forward.
The Mōhala Mai project was made possible through collaboration. The City and County of Honolulu owns the building, while Housing Solutions Inc. manages daily operations. The Women’s Prison Project, founded by community leaders and supported by advocates like former Gov. Linda Lingle, helped secure funding and furnish units. This blend of government and grassroots action reflects a collective kuleana to address Hawaiʻi’s housing crisis.
Mōhala Mai cannot solve Hawaiʻi’s housing crisis alone, nor can it erase generations of inequity faced by Native Hawaiians. Long waiting lists for Hawaiian Home Lands and the ongoing struggle for affordable housing continue to leave thousands of families without housing security.
Yet Mōhala Mai offers a model for progress. By combining affordable housing with supportive services, and by grounding its mission in values that align with Hawaiian culture, the project provides a path forward for those most in need.
For Native Hawaiian women and children caught in the intersections of poverty, incarceration, and houselessness, it represents a chance to truly mōhala – to blossom forth into a new season of stability and hope.
