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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT
HEARING
BEFORE THE
SPECIAL HEARING SUBCOMMITTEE NO. 1
OF THE
JOMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NINETY-SECOND CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ON
OVERSIGHT INTO ADMINISTRATION OF THE
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT OF 1964
AND
CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 40, H.R. 6360, H.R. 6394,
* AND H.R. 8163
HEARING HELD IN LIHUE, KAUAI, HAWAII, AUGUST 23, 1972
Printed for the use of the Committee on Eth~cation and Labor
C~JtL D. PERKINS, Chairman
RUTGERS LAW SCHOL LIBRARY
E~~DEN, N. J. 08102
GQ~NMENT DOCUMENT
~ U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
85-77 WASHINGTON 1972
&
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COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR
CARL D. PERKINS, Kentucky, chairman
EDITH GREEN, Oregon
FRANK THOMPSON, Sn., New Jersey
JOHN H. DENT, Pennsylvania
ROMAN C. PUCINSKI, Illinois
DOMINICK V. DANIELS, New Jersey
JOHN BRADEMAS, Indiana -
JAMES G. O'HARA, Michigan
AUGUSTUS F. HAWKINS, California
WILLIAM D. FORD, Michigan
PATSY T. MINK, Hawaii
JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York
LLOYD MEEDS, Washington
PHILLIP BURTON, California
JOSEPH M. GAYDOS, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY, Missouri
SHIRLEY CHISHOLM, New York
MARIO BIAGGI, New York
ELLA T. GRASSO, Connecticut
LOUISE DAY HICKS, Massachusetts
ROMANO L. MAZZOLI, Kentucky
HERMAN BADILLO, New York
ALBERT H. QUIE, Minnesota
JOHN M. ASHBROOK, Ohio
ALPHONZO BELL, California
JOHN N. ERLENBORN, Illinois
JOHN DELLENBACK, Oregon
MARVIN L. ESCH, Michigan
EDWIN D. ESHLEMAN, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM A. STEIGER, Wisconsin
EARL F. LAND GREBE, Indiana
ORVAL HANSEN, Idaho
EARL B. RUTH, North Carolina
EDWIN B. FORSYTHE, New Jersey
VICTOR V. VEYSEY, California
JACK F. KEMP, New York
PETER A. PEYSER, New York
CLIFFORD D. CARLSON, Illinois
SPECIAL HEARING SUBCOMMITTEE No. 1
AUGUSTUS F. HAWKINS, California, chairman
JAMES H. SCHEUER, New York
PHILLIP BURTON, California
JOSEPH M. GAYDOS, Pennsylvania
WILLIAM (BILL) CLAY, Missouri
MARIO BIAGGI, New York
HERMAN BADILLO, New York
EARL F. LAND GREBE, Indiana
JOHN M. ASHB ROOK, Ohio
JOHN N. ERLENBORN, Illinois
MARVIN L. ESCH, Michigan
VICTOR V VEYSEY, California
(II)
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CON TENTS
Statement of- Page
Aokie, Sam, retired farmer 31
Choy, Walter, deputy director, Hawaii State OEO 7
Enriques, Mrs. Bernadine, resident, Hanalei, Kauai 33
Gaye, Ron, housing administrator, county of Kauai 15
Hirota, Ralph, chairman, County Council, county of KauaL 36
Lowel, Paul, chairman, board of directors, KEO, accompanied by
Peter Lee, legal services attorney, OEO 20
Nishida, Roy, director, KEO 6
Ross, Arthur, member, board of directors, KEO 34
Tobias, Mrs. Lena, guidance counselor, United Methodist Church ___ 30
Vidinha, Hon. Antone, mayor, Kauai County 38
Batchelor, Roy E., assistant director for operations, Office of Economic
Opportunity, letter to Representative Mink, dated June 16, 1972 5
Cole, Thomas H., executive director, Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc.:
Letter to Ernest R. Moretton, dated April 5, 1972 3
Letter to Representative Mink, dated May 17, 1972 4
Mink, Hon. Patsy T., a Representative in Congress from the State of
Hawaii, letter to Hon. Philip V. Sanchez, director, Office of Economic
Opportunity, dated May 30, 1972 5
Mirelez, Pete M., director, Migrant and Seasonal Farm Workers Division,
letter to Thomas Cole, dated May 11, 1972 4
Nishida, Roy T., executive director, Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc.,
letter to Chairman Hawkins, dated September 6, 1972, enclosing break-
down of agricultural and farmworkers of Kauai who meet the OEO
income criteria 11
(III)
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ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ACT
FRIDAY, AUGUST 25, 1972
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
SPECIAL HEARING SUB00MMrnEE No. 1
OF THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND LABOR,
Liltue, Kauai, Hawaii.
The hearing on the matter of poverty on the Island of Kauai, State
of Hawaii, convened at 10 :15 a.rn., on August 23, 1972, in the con-
ference room, Kauai Library, Lihue, Ka.uai, Hawaii, Hon. Augustus
F. Hawkins, chairman of the Special Field Hearing Subcommittee
No. 1, presiding.
Preseiit: Representatives Hawkins and Mink.
Staff members present: William Cable, counsel; John Warren, re-
search assistant; Martin LaVor, minority legislative associate; and
Mattie Maynard, secretary.
Mr. HAWKINS. This is a meeting of the Special Subcommittee on
Poverty No. 1, of the House Education and Labor Committee of the
House of Representatives. This is part of a factfinding tour that
the conimittee is making during this recess of the Office of Economic
Opportunity programs. We have held hearings in San Diego, Calif.,
and elsewhere in that State, and yesterday we were on a site tour
around the island. At the close of this particular hearing today we'll
make additional site inspections. The committee is very pleased to
have been received by you, and I wish `to express the appreciation of
the committee for your kindness and all the courtesies extended to us.
It was at the instigation of your Congresswoman, the Honorable
Patsy Mink, that the committee included the various islands here in
the Pacific, the 50th State, and, due to her very persuasive and eloquent
pleadings, some of us who had rather strenuous duties elsewhere put
aside those duties in order to make sure the subcommittee was heard.
The special committee is interested in the problems of those classified
as "poor" and particularly today we hope to hear testimony in con-
nection with title III, section 311 of part B, which reads: "The purpose
of this part is to assist migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their
families to improve their living conditions and to develop skills neces-
sary fo: a productive and self-sufficient life in an increasingly' com-
plex technological society." I think you recognize that that specifically
covers some of the problems we `have witnessed here on the island,
which I'm sure we'll witness again today.
I'd like to introduce to you the participants in these hearings. To my
immediate left is, of `course, your Congresswoman, the Honorable Patsy
Mink. To her left is Bill Cable, counsel to the subcommittee, represent-
ing the majority members of the committee. To my far right is Dr.
Martin LaVor who represents the minority members of the committee
and to you that means Republicans. To my immediate right is Mr.
(1)
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2
John Warren, speciai assistant to the subcommittee. In the audience
is also a young lady, Ms. Mattie Maynard, who is also identified with
the committee but she is elsewhere making the reservations for the
continuation of our hearings and flight.
First, may I, in behalf of the committee, recognize the presence of
Mayor Antone Vidinha in the audience. Mayor, we are pleased to have
you with us today and we hope that if you feel so disposed we'll hear
from you at some later time.
At this time I would like to turn the gavel, although there is only a
symbolic gavel, over to the Congresswoman representing this area in
keeping with our traditions. In doing so, may I say that there is no
member of this subcommittee of the House Education and Labor Com-
mittee who has worked more diligently in the field of education, in
the field of housing, job development, and the other subject matter
that is part of the work of the House Education and Labor Com-
mittee. This is one of the most active committees in Congress and I
think that this committee has perhaps reported more bills than any
other comrhittee; certainly those that could be classified in the poverty
group, the working group as well as the schoolchildren of America.
I think they owe a great debt of gratitude to Patsy Mink for what she
has been doing on our committee. She's the actual conscience and legal
brain to the committee and we certainly honor her and feel delighted
that we could be in this particular congressional district. At this time
I'd like to turn the chairmanship of the hearing this morning over to
the Honorable Patsy Mink.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much. It's a real pleasure to be here
again on Kauai to resume hearings which we had conducted about a
year ago covering other aspects of our poverty program and I'm
especially delighted that despite the competing requirements for the
members, the other assignments in their own districts, that Congress-
man Hawkins has agreed to be here with me today to take testimony
on a particular provision in the Economic Opportunity Act, title III,
B. specifically, for which funds have not yet been ahloted to Hawaii,
although I believe Hawaii is entitled to receive them. It's generally
referred to as the migrant farm program but as indicated by the
chairman when he read the purposes of the title, it does broadly cover
agricultural workers to improve their living conditions and for the
improvement Of their family opportunities in jobs, health, and other
educational aspects. The matter of our eligibility for title Ill-B came
to my attention early in the spring from the former director of the
Kauai economic opportunity program, and this is the reason for hold-
ing the hearings on Kauai; although the implications of Ill-B are ex-
tensive and cover the entire State. But since the initiative in raising
these questions which I think are extremely critical and pertinent
came from this island, it seemed only fitting when we began the in-
quiry that we should begin it here on this island. Perhaps at a later
point we will find it necessary to go to the other islands and the other
communities that share the problems of Kauai.
Mr. Chairman, I have a collection of correspondence dating from
April 5. which documents the inquiries of Mr. Thomas Cole referring
to his efforts to qualify for Ill-B funds and the responses which he
received from the Office of Economic Opportunity of May 11, and
I'd like to make just one brief reference to a paragraph in that response
which he received from Pete Mirelez in San Francisco, in noting the
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problems here on Kauai in the letter he said, and I quote, "I don't
doubt that the housing conditions of the Filipino cane workers are
horrendous, but a self-help housing program for them addresses the
symptom and misses the root Of the problem." He goes on to explain
why he believes that the program Ill-B is not one for which Hawaii
qualifies. Following that response, which I would like to insert into
the record also, Mr. Chairman, Mr. Thomas Cole wrote to me seeking
my assistance `because he was not satisfied with the reply that he
received from the Economic Opportunity Office in San Francisco and
in it he urged my intervention to try and clarify this question of
eligibility. I would like to also ask that this letter be inserted; this
one which I'm speaking of was on May 17. Following which I made in-
quiries of Mr. Philip Sanchez in a letter dated May 30 to the Office
of Economic Opportunity in Washington.
The. response which I received from Mr. Sanchez' office indicated
there was some question as to the accuracy of the reply which Mr. Cole
had received from the San Fraiicisco office and an invitation for me to
call upon his staff for a conference, which I did, on July 19. I met with
three officials of the Washington office of OEO in which we discussed
the various aspects of ITT-B and I was assured that from their under-
standing of my explanation of the problems and circumstances of the
farmworkers in 1-iawaii that they saw no difficulty in qualifying for
this program. That there was no doubt about eligibility but that it was
my responsibility to show that the need here in Hawaii was great be-
cause the funds granted by the Congress nationwide were limited and
we'd have to compete for these funds on that basis. So, the idea of ask-
ing the. subcommittee to come here to Kauai stemmed from that dis-
cussion that I had with the officials of OEO in Washin~ton. Yes?
Mr. HAwKINs. I suggest, since there's no objection, that all the cor-
respondence to which you have referred should be in the record at this
point.
(The correspondence referred to follows:)
APRIL 5, 1972.
Mr. ERNEST R. MORETTON,
Resources Coordination and Special Projects Division, Office of Economic Op-
port unity, Western Regional Office, San Francisco, Calif.
DEAR Mu. MORETTON: Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc., is about to embark
upon a self-help housing program, as a part of the Resource Mobilization grant.
This self-help housing program, while small in number, is designed to bring a
"track record" to this agency so that it may apply for a realistic amount of
funding to provide the necessary sponsorship for 100 or more homes via the self-
help method for the poor migrant farm workers of Kauai.
I know we discussed this while I attended the Regional Housing Task Force
Meeting on March 14th, but in reviewing the verbal response from Washington,
D.C.. and then reviewing the eligibility requirements, with the recent revisions
under Title Ill-B, I still feel that the migrant Filipino farm workers of Kauai
(and possibly in the State of Hawaii) are entitled to consideration for such
OEO funds.
Would it be possible to have a direct written response from Washington, D.C.,
on the why's and wherefore on the eligibility of Kauai for migrant OEO Title
Ill-B funds? If we can possibly mobilize this source of funding for the self-
help housing program on Kauai (or Hawaii) I feel my insistence on this matter
has paid off.
Mahalo and Aloha,
THOMAS H. COLE,
EEecutive Director.
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M~x 11, 1972.
Mr. THOMAS COLE,
Ewecutive Director, Kauat Economic Opportunity, Inc.,
Liliue, Kavai, Hawaii.
Dnun Mn. COLE: This letter is in response to your written request to Ernie
Moretton of the San Franciso Regional Office that "Washington" explain the
whys and wherefores of Kauai's eligibility (or lack thereof) for Title 111-B
(farm workers program) monies.
From your letter and your phone call of March (from San Francisco), we
understand that were you to secure 111-B funds, it would be your intention to
use them to develop self-help housing programs for Filipino contract workers.
I would be less than candid if I were to encourage you to go to the trouble of
preparing a funding request, for we cannot foresee funding such a program. The
reasons we would be unwilling to support that kind of program with ITT-B
monies are twofold:
1. Programmatic. I don't doubt that the housing conditions of the Filipino cane
workers are horrendous, but a self-help housing program for them addresses the
symptom and misses the root of the problem. Farm workers are imported from the
Philippines because the growers are unable to attract Hawaiians to the cane
fields at the wages and with the working conditions the employers want to
provide.
As a former CIA director myself, I would urge you to mobilize your agency's
efforts to preclude importation of foreign laborers, thereby impelling growers to
meet the minimal requirements of the potential domestic labor supply and simul-
taneously addressing the unemployment problem of Kauai.
2. FeasibilIty. OEO's contribution to self-help housing programs is to provide
funds for the organization of mutual self-help groups, construction supervisors to
train the members of the mutual self-help group, and assistance in preparing loan
applications. The money for the acquisition of land, the site development costs,
the materials to construct the house, and the subcontracting (of elements the
participants themselves cannot do) all comes from Farmers Home Administration
of the Department of Agriculture, whose criteria for good loans risks are so higli
(income, residential stability, community credit rating) that true domestic
migrants are consistently turned dow-n for loans. The likelihood of FMHA approv-
ing loans for non-resident aliens imported for a specific growing season, who have
low incomes, and no credit rating in the community is so remote as to make such
an endeavor unfeasible.
Sincerely,
PETE M. MIRELEZ,
Director, ]1igrant and Seasonal Farm Workers Division.
MAY 17, 1972.
Hon. PATSY T. MINK,
House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR Mns. MINK: Many times in the past 1 have written to you asking assist-
ance in poverty programs on behalf of the poor on the island of Kauai in my
capacity as the director of Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc., the community
action agency on Kauai.
Mope with your busy schedule that these repeated cries for help do not cause
you to feel that w~e are using your office to gain credits on our program. As you
know Kauai is geographically isolated from the Mainland and Kauai is by
character quite different from the outer islands in the State of Hawaii. This
geographic isolation and other characteristics of this island causes me as an
advocate of the poor to exhaust every resource possible to attempt to carry on
the programs that are so desperately needed by the poor of this island. I know,
I speak for the poor of Kauai when I say Mahalo for your past efforts and
Mahalo Nui Loa for any effort you may exert on the request that I will transmit
in this letter.
Enclosed you will find two letters, an inquiry to the Regional Office of the
Economic Opportunity. and a response from the National Office, Migrant and
Seasonal Work Division in Washington, D.C. What I am attempting to do is
to establish why Title ITT-B funds which I understand was designated by Con-
gress to be used by poor migrant farm workers, cannot be used in Kauai. With
my limited knowledge in reading the Act and the recent revisions. I feel, that
Title ITT-B migrant money can be used to the advantage of the poor farm workers
that come to the island of Kauai to work in the sugar cane industry.
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I am totally exasperated by the response from Mr. P. M. Mirelez, the director
of the Migrant Division of the Office of Economic Opportunity. His letter in
essence tells me why apply what I should be doing is causing the sugar industry
not to import the Filipino caneworkers. I cannot accept his response.
I would ask you as the legislative representative for the State in Washington,
D.C. to please look into this matter, and to cause a more comprehensive response
why does Hawaii in particular Kauai not qualify for Title Ill-B Migrant OEO
funds.
From my past experience in the State of California, in the self-help housing
program, Title Ill-B money has been used very successfully to fund self-help
housing programs for the migrant Mexican farm workers working in California.
1 cannot in my mind differentiate between the migrant Mexican workers in
California, their needs, and their rights, under the Constitution of the United
States and the acts of Congress and the migrant workers from the Philippines
that are the work force for the agricultural industry so important to the economy
of the State of Hawaii.
.1 would also like to take this opportunity in this letter to say Aloha, and as
of June 1, 1972, I will no longer be the director of Kauai Economic Opportunity.
I cannot with all good conscience go off and leave so an important a matter as
this unanswered. I therefore ask you in the name of the poor to please exert your
influence and power to at least elicit a response from OEO on this important
issue.
Sincerely,
THOMAS H. COLE,
Ewecutive Director.
MAY 30, 1972.
Hon. PHILIP V. SANCHEZ,
Director, Office of Economic Opportunity,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR Mn. SANCHEZ: Please advise me on the eligibility of the Kauai Economic
Opportunity, Inc. to use Title-B Migrant OEO funds. These funds will be used
for a project to help the migrant farm workers on Kauai who work in the sugar
industry. Also can these funds be used in any other OEO programs in Flawaii?
I would appreciate an evaluation of the eligibility for these funds in Hawaii,
particularly on Kauai. Your assistance in this matter will be greatly appreciated.
Very truly yours,
PASTY T. MINK,
Member of Congress.
JUNE 16, 1972.
Hon. PASTY MINK,
U.s. House of Representatives,
Washington, D.C.
DEAR CONGRESSWOMAN MINK: Thank you for your inquiry about the eligibility
of Kauai Economic Opportunity, Inc. for Title Ill-B (farm worker program)
funds.
Your note raises the broader issue of the allotment of those funds not just to
Kauai but to the whole State of Hawaii. We are most willing to discuss the
matter with you or your staff at your convenience.
Representative Matsunaga has also written on behalf of Thomas Cole, the
former Executive Director of Kauai Economic Opportunity; and if you would
prefer, we should be glad to arrange a discussion with both of you (or with
representatives from both your offices) together.
Please feel free to call me at 254-5590 to arrange a time convenient for you.
Sincerely,
ROY E. BATCHELOR,
Assistant Director for Operations.
Mrs. MINIc Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I think it's note-
worthy to also state for the record that the Congress of the United
States last year authorized $40 million for this ITT-B program in the
OEO authorization bill which was subsequently vetoed by the Presi-
dent in December 1971. Only recently in trying to rework the program
in accordance with the demands of the President, because we were
85-775-72--2
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again under the threat of a second veto, we have come down to the
figure recommended by the President of $36 million. And given this
figure I'm of the firm view that some portion of it should be allotted to
Hawaii. Hawaii is still an agricultural State. This is really the basic
source of our employment and there are many many thousands of
workers. I feel, who could qualify under this program and find assist-
ance not only for housing but all the other programs that could be
made available to them under the ITT-B provisions. So, I'm delighted,
Mr. Chairman, to have this opportunity to have these hearings in
Kauai and I'm deeply appreciative of your turning over to me the
privilege of presiding over these hearings this morning.
I would like to call the first witness this morning, Mr. Roy Nishida,
who is head of the Kauai Economic Opportunity program and I'll ask
him to come forward and present his views to the committee which we
shall be very privileged to hear and enter into the. record. Mr. Nishida,
if you have a list of the witnesses we'd like that also. You may proceed
in any manner that you wish.
STATEMENT OP ROY NISHIDA, DIRECTOR, KEO
Mr. NI5rnDA. This is my first hearing. I'm bra.ndnew in this area
so if I sound a little nervous it's because I probably am.
Honorable Chairman Hawkins and members of the Special Sub-
committee on Poverty, No. 1. My name is Roy Nishida and I am the
director of the Kaua.i Economic Opportunity, Inc. It gives me great
pleasure to appear before this congressional body to testify in behalf
of the poverty needs of the County of Kauai.
Along with my testimony, other residents of the areas concerned
wish to ta.ke this opportunity to express their opinion concerning the
problem at hand. During your on-site visitation yesterday to the
various plantation communities, you have witnessed the housing con-
ditions in which the agricultural poor of our county dwell.
Presently, many of the plantation employees living in these de-
teriorating and in many cases substandard dwellings are paying low
rentals. In many areas managements are not maintaining them since
they are phasing out housing and employees are encouraged to obtain
their own homes.
In some cases, however, they relocate themselves in low-cost resi-
dential subdivisions developed by the plantations who are making
some effort to provide housing for all their employees.
Housing conditions according to the State planning system com-
munity action program's survey classifies Kauai's housing conditions
at 5 percent diliapidated and 2~ percent deteriorating. This means that
approximately 2,000 homes belong to this category. Even at an aver-
age of four persons per ~arnily, 8,000 poor live in substandard housing
conditions out of a population of 28,176.
Four Headstart classes with a tot~i enrollment of eighty 4-year-old
children is presently administered by the Kauai Economic Opportu-
nity, Inc. The funding level of $118,000 for the Headsta.rt program
has been constant over the past 4 years. Additional classes are also
needed in Kilauea., Koloa, and Kaumaka.ni. The cost for these addi-
tional classes is estimated at $75,000.
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In conclusion, if Kauai is eligible to qualify for funds under title
ITT-B we would be able to help combat poverty more effectively. Thank
you. Are there any q'uestions?
Mrs. MINK. Mr. Hawkins, do you have any questions that you'd
like to ask?
Mr. HAWKINS. Mr. Nishida, in your statement you say that many of
the employees now living in substandard dwellings obtain low rentals.
What do you mean by low rentals?' Could you be specific as to the
actual amounts they are now paying ?
Mr. NI5mDA. `Can I call on Mr. Choy who has worked in this area
here to take over and help me out on this?
Mr. HAwKINS. Yes.
STATEMENT OP WALTER CHOY, DEPUTY DIRECTOR, HAWAII
STATE OEO
Mr. Ciior. My name is Walter Choy and I'm presently deputy direc-
tor of the Hawaii State OEO Office and former director on Kauai.
In reference to your question, Mr. Chairman, the employees of planta-
tions that are living in plantation camps, are living in homes that are
usually owned by the plantation and I would say the rental would be
less than $50 a month.
Mr. HAWKINs. That's two-bedroom dwellings?
Mr. Cuoy. I really can't say whether it is a two-bedroom or not.
Mr. HAWKINS. Didn't you say they relocated themselves in less costly
residential subdivisions? What would be the rents in those low-cost
subdivisions? In other words, what percentage of income would be paid
out in house?
Mr. Ciio~. Well, when they are being relocated in subdivisions it
would be something like the `Hanamaulu area which `the plantation
still sold. Those were sold 4 or 5 years ago for $15,000.
Mr. HAWKINS. Do you have any figures on `the actual income of these
farm workers?
Mr. Cl-bY. Presently, I don't have them, but I think we can get them.
Mr. HAWKINS. Is it possible to furnish the committee some factual
information on incomes being received by farrnworkers and a break-
down of how many are in a~ critical housing classification that would
qualify them under this particular act?
Mr. Cnoy. Yes.
Mr. HAWKINS. Reference is made to headstart classes with a total
enrollment of 80. Have you any estimate of the actual number of
children w'ho would qualify for Headstar~ classes if we have additional
money `available?
Mr. Cl-JOY. Right now in the Kilauea area they made a survey and
approximately 30 kids could qualify for that.
Mr. HAWKINS. Thirty additional ones?
Mr. CITOY. Right. Besides the 80 that we have.
Mr. HAWKINS. `That still sounds like a rather low `figure. Is that
the total population of 4-year-olds who are in low-income families?
Mr. NISHIDA. This is based on actual studies made and we are con-
trnuing to make studies in other areas finding out how many other
kids can qualify.
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Mr. HAWKINS. You speak of 8,000 poor living in substandard hous-
ing. I would assume that if this is so that includes a large number
of children; does it not?
Mr. NI5rnDA. Yes.
Mr. HAWKINS. Are you saying that there's oniy about 100 or a little
over 10() children 4 years old who would be eligible for `Headstart
classes?
Mr. CH0Y. I think Mr. Nishida pointed out that the only children
we have are in one or two areas, but there are other areas like Koloa
which at one time was the target area and they did not conduct the
classes due to tile economic conditions, due to a recession, and now
Koloa is again the target area with Kaumakani.
Mr. HAWKINs. Would you then revise the figure to correspond
with the total needs. We are interested in, not a particular area, but
the total island population proper.
Mr. NI5rnDA. Eighty refers to enrollment in classes now; enrollment
in 4-year-old classes.
Mr. HAWKINS. I have no more questions. Mrs. Mink?
Mrs. MINK. Pursuing tile question that Mr. Hawkins raised, I be-
lieve iii the hearing we conducted here a year ago testimony was given
at that time tilat less than one-third of the needs of young children
were being met who could qualify for Headstart classes. Could either
Mr. Choy or Mr. Nishida comment as to whether there has been any
change in that figure which was given to the committee at that time?
Mr. CHOY. I don't think tilere has been much change to it. Tile
department of education does conduct classes only on weekends Oil
Saturday and tins is a joint venture with the department of educa-
tion. This would be in the Kaumakani area and the Koloa area.
Mrs. MINK. So that what you are saying is tllat tile 80 children
that are currently in Headsta.rt classes reflect approximately a meet-
ing of one-third of the needs in terms of other children who would
qualify if there were funds available. So that probably about 240
children all total perhaps would qualify if you had conducted a survey
islandwide instead of only in tile Kilauea area.
Mr. Cnoir. Yes.
Mrs. Millk. In addition to more classes for Headstart in Headstart
areas, what other kinds of programs would you envision if it were
possible for Hawaii to qualify and, specifically, Kauai to qualify for
Ill-B money?
Mr. NISHIDA. Another program is a combination of vocational train-
ing and adult education training where people learn arithmetic, Eng-
hsh, and social studies along witll their vocation. Say a person was a
iandscaer and he learns his arithmetic by measuring and figuring on
the job. I think this will bring out more people by education being
added to their jobs.
Mrs. MINK. How many of tile poor agricultural families have mem-
bers in that family who are currently non-English speaking?
Mr. CHoY. I would say within the Headstart classes at least one-third
of tile children ill tile Heacistart classes come from non-English
families.
Mrs. MINK. So, when you are talking about the. possibility of using
funds to develop education you are talking also ill terms of perllaps
English classes for these parents who are not currently English speak-
ing, I would assume?
PAGENO="0013"
9
Mr. CEJOY. I did talk to one of the supervisors yesterday about adult
education and she had about 50-percent increase in participation but I
understand actually had no funds available.
Mrs. MINIc Yes. Federal funding for adult education has been cut
very drastically and I have also been negotiating that aspect of our
problems with the Office of Adult Education in Washington with very
little success. It seems to me that one of the areas that we could very
definitely utilize some funding would be in this area of adult education
for the parents.
What about the health conditions, is there any possibility that a
funding application under ITT-B might include some project with
reference to health?
Mr. `Cnov. I really can't speak for the health department but I
think the language and health conditions probably could be supple-
mented. There is a high rate of tuberculosis within the immigrants and
in line with health I would also suggest this supplementing adult
education.
Mrs. MINK. In talking about health I don't only mean physical
health and nutritional programs and all the things that make for good
health; perhaps I could better describe it as other health programs;
would these be of any benefit to the agricultural families if they quali-
fied as eligible under the poverty criteria?
Mr. NISI-IIDA. Yes, I think it would be. At the same time I think you
should also consider the food program. We did have a food program
years ago and we phased it out.
Mrs. MINK. I, myself, grew up in a plantation community on the
island of Maui and I know that at that time during the period when `I
was growing up much of the need with respect to the living conditions
of our farm families had to do with just simple things like toilet facili-
ties and other kinds of plumbing facilities which were not available
in the houses at that time. On my island most of the planation areas
have been relocated and the housing is moved and new houses con-
structed in places like Kahului and Wailuku. Now, what are the precise
conditions here on Kauai? I note your statement made reference to
phasing out of planation housing. What is `the schedule of this phasing
out and how many homes will be left still in the plantation
communities.
Mr. NISHIDA. I can't answer `that. Maybe when Mr. Gay comes up
since he is the county housing representative; perhaps he `can give
you information on that.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you. I'll `defer that, then. Dr. LaVor, would you
like to ask any questions at this time?
Mr. LAVOR. Mr `Choy, earlier you indicated that the average cost
for rent for individuals living on a farm was $50 a m'ont'h an'd you
indicated that in purchasing a new home the `cost about 5 years ago
was `$15,000 for a new home. What happens to an individual who
doesn't have $15,000 and he i's forced out of the plantation homes?
Is `there any place for that family to go and at what ,renta'l?
Mr. CHoY. I don't think any individuals have really been forced out
of their homes because the plantations themselves did go out of the
housing business years ago and people were asked to relocate them-
selves someplace else. I think this is where the ITT-B would come in,
probably some new `type of subdivision.
PAGENO="0014"
10
Mr. LAVOR. Let me ask you another question. If a family wanted
to move out are there places for them to go and at prices they could
afford to pay?
Mr. Cnoy. Not at the present because in Hawaii alone there is cur-
rently a shortage of homes and on this island it's a similar sitnation.
Mr. LAVOR. Is it possible if the new migrant grant does come it
would be used in the area of housing; is this something that you are
considering as a possibility?
Mr. Cnoy. Yes.
Mr. LAV0R. Thank you. Just for the record, could you describe the
`sanitary facilities in the migrant camps now, because under title ITT-B
money can be used for temporary housing and improvement of sanitary
facilities. What are the facilities?
Mr. C}roY. I think within migrant camps I would say a big percent-
age are functional, As far as sewage, I think presently the town is
planning on it and there is also a need for other types in that area.
Mr. LAV0R. That's all I have.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much.
Mr. HAWKINS. Madame Chairman, if I may, may I just direct two
specific questions to Mr. `Nishida? Tinder section 212 of title ITT-B
there~ is a. provision to make temporary and emergency housing sanita-
tion facilities available. Assuming that this section is activated and a
grant were to be made, how many such `houses could actually be used
at the present time. Have you a more specific estimate of what we are
really talking about?
Mr. NISHIDA. There is one camp, I think the Kea.lia camp, they have
been served notice that there cannot be raw sewage in the river and
that is approximately eight to nine families and if this is granted
maybe some kind of a sewage plant can be provided.
Mr. HAWKINS. In other words, you have eight or nine families at the
present time who are facing this emergency?
Mr. NISrnDA. Right.
Mr. HAWKINS. In this particular area?
Mr. NI5rnDA. Yes.
Mr. HAWKINS. Now, in your statement you indicated something like
8,000 poor people living in substandard housing. I assume that's poor
people in general, not just those living in substandard housing out of
a total population of 28,176. Are you estimating the population, the
poverty population, to be roughly about 30 percent of the total popu-
lation?
Mr. MSHIDA. About 40 percent.
Mr. HAWKINS. That is one of the highest percentages we have found,
I think, anyplace in the country.
Mr. NISHIDA. It's based on a survey made 2 years ago.
Mr. HAWKINS. Has that number increased or decreased since that
time?
Mr. NISHIDA. It's about the same.
Mr. HAWKINS. About the same as 2 years ago. In other words, there
has been no par~icular change.
Mr. NISHIDA. No.
Mr. HAWKINS. Any improvement or not?
~1r. NIsmDA. No.
Mr. HAWKINS. Do you anticipate improvement or do you think that
number may actually increase?
PAGENO="0015"
11
Mr. NI5rnDA. I think that number will increase because right now
one cannery is being phased out.
Mr. HAwKINs. So, you'll face additional problems?
Mr. NISHIDA. Yes.
Mr. HAWIUN5. Thank you very much.
(The following letter and information was submitted for the
record:)
KAUAI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC.,
Lihue, Icauai, Hawaii, September 6, 1972.
Hon. AUGUSTUS HAWKINS,
Cli aiimcn, Subcommittee on Poverty No. 1, Committee on Education and Labor,
House of Representatives, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
DEAR MR. HAWKINS: Enclosed is a breakdown of agricultural and farm workers
of Kauai who meet the OEO income criteria. This list is broken down in geo-
gra phic areas and their occupations.
There are three hundred (300) agricultural workers who meet the OEO income
criteria.
Hope that this information will help the County of Kauai in obtaining some
of the Title ill-B funds.
Malualo.
Sincerely,
Ro~ T. NISHIDA,
Ewecutive Director.
KAUAI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC., LIHUE, HAWAII
Occupation and location 1971 income
Poverty OEO
guidelines
Total number
in family
LIHUE, HANAMAULU, PUHI
Agricultural worker:
Power operator $4, 521. 00 $5, 850
Field worker 4, 000. 00 4, 400
Disabled 3,080.00 4,400
Retired 3, 160. 00 4, 400
Tractor operator 7, 200. 00 7, 800
Retired 4, 240. 00 5, 850
Unemployed 5, 500. 00 5, 850
Do 5, 124.00 7, 800
Retired 2,550.00 3,650
laborer 3, 000.00 5, 850
Retired 4,270.32 5,850
Mechanic 3,297.60 5,200
laborer 4, 111. 00 7, 800
Disabled 3, 900. 00 8, 450 10
Bell-man 4, 089. 00 5, 850 6
Maintenance 7, 117. 78 9, 750 12
Truck driver 5, 700. 00 5, 850 6
Do 4,000.00 7,150 8
Do 2,500.00 7,150 8
Unemployed 3, 316.57 5, 200 5
Truck, driver 5, 448. 53 6, 500 6
Mach ne operator 4, 205.00 4,400 4
Repairman. 1,112.25 4,400 4
Tractoroperator 10,284.00 11,500 14
Retired 6, 220. 32 7, 150 8
Knapsack laborer 5, 736. 00 6, 500 7
Do 1773.09 5,200 5
Do `773.09 3,000 2
Fertilizer laborer 3, 587. 21 4, 400 4
Do 4, 562. 22 5, 200 5
Field laborer 6, 066. 38 7, 150 8
PUHI, HAWAII
Agricultural worker:
Retired 3,000 2
Do 3,000 2
Do 3,000 2
Do 6,500 7
Do 3,650 3
Do 3,000 2
Do...... 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
See footnote at end of table
PAGENO="0016"
1')
KAUAI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC., LIHUE, HAWAII-Continued
Poverty OEO
Occupation and location 1971 income guidelines
Total number
in family
WAIMEA, KEKAHA, MANA
Agricultural worker:
Flume layer $5, 000.00 $5, 200 5
Security guard 2,643.36 8,450 9
Irrigator 4,500.00 9,750 11
Laborer 4,970.75 5,200 5
Milker 5,500.00 5, 850 6
Herbicide knacksack 5,029.00 7, 800 9
Mill tender 4,267.37 4,400 4
Utility maintenance 4,500.00 5,200 5
Crane operator 7,133.25 8,450 10
Can unloader operator 5,951.00 7,150 8
Truck service helper 4,475.23 5,200 5
Irrigation laborer 4,950.00 5,850 6
Container techniciae 4,704.60 5, 200 5
Tractor operator 6,300.00 7, 150 8
Juice processor 4,877.75 6,500 8
Truck driver 5,500.00 9, 100 11
Mechanic 5,900.00 7, 150 8
Grader operator 5,023.19 9, 100 11
Laborer 4,500.00 5, 200 5
Tire repairman 4,778.38 8,450 9
Retired (S.S.) 8,450 9
Tractor operator 6,000.00 7, 150 8
Flume layer 5,500.00 5,850 6
Tractor operator 7,405.00 9,100 11
Finger lift operator 4,520.37 7, 150 8
Carpenter 5,982.30 7,150 8
Machinist 5,041.65 5,850 6
Truck driver 6,000.00 7,150 8
Retired 5,200 5
KEKAHA
Agricultural worker:
Pension 3,879.12 5,200 5
Irrigator 4,000.00 6,500 7
Do 3,792.00 5,850 6
Truck driver 3,792.00 4,400 4
Retired 1,632.00 4,400 4
Ranch hand 2,000.00 5,850 6
Laborer 4, 156.90 7, 150 8
Do 4,000.00 5,200 5
KAUMAKANI, WAIMEA, MAKAWELI
Agricultural worker:
Cane irrigator 4,646. 34 9, 100 11
Irrigator contractor 4, 000. 00 4, 200 4
Irrigator 5,000.00 6,300 7
Do 4, 000. 00 5, 600 6
Do 4800.00 7,000 8
Do 4,500.00 7,000 8
Ranch hand 5,000.00 9,100 11
Park caretaker 4,729. 22 4,900 6
Ranch hand 5,400.00 7,000 8
Laborer 4,800.00 4,9~0 5
Camp caretaker 4,050.00 4,900 5
Truckdriver 6,099. 32 8, 400 1C
Tractor operator 3,895.00 4,900 5
Heavy equipment operator 4, 500. 00 4, 900 5
Retired 4,400 4
Agricultural worker 5,240.00 7,800 8
Do 5,560.00 7,800 8
Agricultural worker: Retired 5,850 6
Agricultural worker 5, 560. 00 6, 500 7
Do 4,700.00 6,500 7
Agricultural worker:
Retired 4,400 4
Do 3,000 2
Do 4,400 4
Do 3,650 3
Agricultural worker 4, 980. 00 5, 850 6
KAUMAKAN I
Agricultural worker:
Replanting 4,200 4
lrrigator 3,500 3
Evaporator 5,000:00 5,600 6
Tractor operator 4, 200 4
Laborer 3,500 3
Seed cutter 4. 200 3
Irrigator 4,900 5
Laborer 6,300 7
PAGENO="0017"
13
KAUAI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC., LIHUE, HAWAII-Continued
Poverty OEO Total number
Occupation and location 1971 income guidelines in family
KAUMAKAN I-Continued
Agricultural worker $4, 680. 00 $6, 300 7
Agricultural worker:
Retired (S.S.) 4, 900 5
Seed cutter 6, 000 7
Irrigator 5,000.00 5,600 6
Irrigator (D.S.S.) 7,000 8
Tractor operator 5, 000. 00 5, 525 7
Laborer 6, 000. 00 4, 975 6
Irrigator 4, 000. 00 7, 150 8
Tractor operator 5,000. 00 7, 150 8
KAPAA
Agricultural worker:
Laborer 2,500.00 4,400 4
Do 5, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Unemployed 5, 000. 00 5, 580 6
Laborer 5,020.84 7,700 9
Carpenter 4, 992. 00 7, 700 9
Truck driver 4, 500. 00 5, 600 7
Do 5,546.00 7,700 9
Warehouse Man 5,329.20 5,600 6
Equipment operator 5, 782. 00 7, 000 8
Laborer 5,100.00 5,600 6
Truck driver 3, 105. 00 4, 900 5
Caterpillar driver 5, 286. 36 5, 600 7
Laborer 3,600.00 4,200 4
Flume worker 5, 747. 18 5, 850 6
Truck driver 4,551.22 5,850 6
Laborer 4,324.50 6,500 7
Pension 5, 147.98 5, 200 5
Do 2,326.80 5,200 5
Laborer 3,420.00 5,850 6
Do 5,962.23 7,800 9
Haul cane driver 8, 000.00 8, 450 8
Tractor driver 5,008.81 7,700 9
Truck driver 6,000.00 8,400 10
Planter 3, 000. 00 3, 650 0
Ditchman 4, 779. 20 6, 200 3
Irrigator 6, 187. 07 9, 100 16
Laborer 1,834.36 5,500 6
Do 5, 000. 00 5, 850 8
Do 3,613.81 7,800 7
KILAUEA, HANALEI
Agricultural worker: Retired 1, 121. 60 3, 000 2
Do 1,800.00 2,300 1
Do 3, 069. 84 5, 203 5
Do 1,260.00 2,300 1
Agricultural worker: Unemployed 5, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Farmer: Diversified 5, 000. 00 5, 200 3
Agricultural worker: Pension 2, 853. 84 3, 650 4
Unemployed 6, 478. 72 6, 500 7
Pension 2, 216. 28 2, 300 1
Retired 1, 940. 00 3, 650 3
Farmer: Diversified 0 3, 650 3
Agricultural worker:
Retired 4, 728. 00 5, 850 6
Do 633.20 2,300 1
Truck driver 5, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Retired 1, 857. 24 2, 300 1
Unemployed 5, 300. 00 5, 850 6
Retired 1, 764. 00 3, 000 2
Do 2,105.28 2,300 1
Do 4, 277. 74 8, 450 9
Do 1,461.24 2,300 1
Do 1,251.60 2,300 1
Truck driver 5, 300. 00 5, 850 6
Laborer 5, 800. 00 5, 850 6
Pension 2,114.04 2,300 1
Retired 0 2, 300 1
Do 805.20 2,300 1
Irrigator 3,000.00 6, 500 7
Farmer: Diversified 6, 000. 00 7, 150 8
Agricultural worker:
Unemployed 4, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Retired 2,100.00 2,300 1
Do 2,000.00 2,300 1
Do 0 3,650 3
85-775-72----3
PAGENO="0018"
14
KAUAI
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, iNC.,
LIHUE, HAWAII-Continued
Occupation and location
1971 income
Poverty OEO
guidelines
Total number
in family
HAN ALEI
Farmer:
Diversified $4,000.00 $4,400 4
Do 2,000.00 2,300 1
Do 2,000.00 2,300 1
KOLOA
Agricultural worker:
Retired 2, 500.00 3,000
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300
Do 7,150 3
Do 5,200
Retired 4,000.00 4,400
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300
Do 3,000 2
Do 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
Do 4,400 4
Do 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
Retired 5, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Do 4,000.00 5,850 6
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300 1
Do 3,000 2
Do 5,850 6
Do 3, 000 2
Do 2,303 1
Do 2, 300 1
Pension 3, 000 2
Retired 4,000.00 4,400 4
Retired D.S.S.i 5 200 5
Retired 1,500.00 2,300 1
Do 5, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Do 2,232.00 2,300 1
Do 2,000.00 3,650 3
Do 1,780.00 3,000 2
Do 2,100.00 6,500 7
Do 1,320.00 2,300 1
Do 1,740.00 2,300 1
Do 936.00 2,300 1
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300 1
Do 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
Retired 3,400.00 3,650 3
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300 1
Do 2,300 1
Retired 5, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Retired (S.S.) 2, 300 1
Retired 1,104.00 5,850 6
Irrigator 4, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Retired 3,634.80 7, 150 8
Truck driver 2, 500. 00 3, 000 2
Rodent control 2, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Laborer-mill 5, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Retired 1, 132. 80 2, 300 1
Do 4, 206. 00 5, 200 5
Rodent control 6, 200. 00 7, 800 9
Retired 2, 100. 00 3, 000 2
Maintenance 3, 500. 00 6, 500 7
Knapsack sprayer 4, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Truck driver 7, 000. 00 8, 450
Retired 3, 744. 00 5 200 5
Harvester 4, 500. 00 5, 200 5
Truck driver 4, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Ground crewman 5, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Retired 4, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Do 5, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Do 4, 000. 00 5, 200 5
Do 7,000.00 8,450 10
Do 4,000.00 5,200 5
Do 4,000.00 5,200 5
Do 4,000.00 5,200 5
Do 4,000.00 8,450 10
Do 4,800.00 5,850 6
KEALIA
Agricultural worker 5, 000. 00 5, 250 5
Do 5, 000. 00 6, 500 7
Agricultural worker:
S.S. and penoion 3, 000 2
Do 2,300 1
Do 2,300 1
PAGENO="0019"
15
KAUAI ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY,
INC., LIHUE, HAWAII-Continued
Occupation
and location
Poverty OEO
1971 income guidelines
Total number
in family
KEALIA--Continued
Pension $2,300 I
S.S. and pension 2, 300 1
Do 2,300 1
Do 2300 1
Do 2300 1
Do 3000 2
Do 3,000 2
Agricultural worker 2,300 1
Agricultural worker: Pension 2, 300 1
Agricultural worker $5, 000. 00 5, 850 6
Do 6, 000. 00 8, 450 10
HANA MAD LU
Agricultural worker:
Unemployed 3,000.00 5, 200 5
Yardmaa 3, 300. 00 5, 850 6
HANAPEPE
Agricultural worker:
Laborer 5, 406. 07 5, 850 6
Knapsack laborer 4, 980. 00 5, 200 5
Truck driver 5, 240. 00 6, 500 7
Retired 1, 560. 00 3, 000 2
Yardman 4, 700. 00 7, 150 8
Knapsack laborer 4, 128. 00 4, 400 4
KALAHEO
Agricultural worker: Truck sorviceman 5, 603. 00 6, 500 7
ELEELE
Agricultural worker:
Retired 4, 080. 00 5, 200 5
Knapsack laborer 5, 612. 00 7, 800
Laborer 5,412.00 5, 850 6
Track driver 6, 000. 00 8, 450 10
Packer 3, 000. 00 3, 650 3
Electrician 7, 900. 00 9, 100 11
Knapsack 4, 245. 00 4, 400 4
4, 990. 00 5, 200 5
Retired 4, 400 4
Do 3,000 2
Do 3,650 3
Do 2,300 1
Do 4,400 4
Do 5,200 5
Do 4, 990. 00 5, 850 6
Do.._ 3,000 2
Do 3,000 2
Do 2300 1
Do 3,000 2
Do 3,000 2
Do 3,650 3
Do 5, 240. 00 5, 850 6
Do 4,400
Do 3, 200. 00 6, 500 7
Do 5,406.00 5,850 6
Do 5, 560. 00 5, 850 3
Mrs MINK. Thank you very much, Mr. Nishida and Mr. Choy. I'd
like to call the next witness, Mr. Ron Gay. If you will state your name
and title for the record, Mr. Gay.
STATEMENT OP RON GAY, HOUSING ADMINISTRATOR, COUNTY
OP KAUAI
Mr. GAY. My name is Ron Gay. I'm housing administrator for the
county of Kauai and I'd like to put forward the information that has
been compiled in the office of the honorable mayor of Kauai.
Foreign competition and increased costs have slowly but systemati-
cally put Kauai out of the pineapple canning business with accompany-
ing signs that sugar might follow.
PAGENO="0020"
16
Today Kilauea Sugar Plantation is closed and, though most of the
employees have been absorbed by other industri~s, 28 people remain
unemployed at this time. In addition, a number of them may lose their
Kilauea house lots if employment isn't found.
At Kapaa, Hawaiian Fruit Packers cannery is remaining open for
a year, mfluenced perhaps by the fact that every involved agency from
the Federal, State, county, and conimunity level has taken a vital
interest in their future and the future of Hawaiian agriculture.
Many replacement crops have been recommended. They are guava,
wetland and dryla.nd taro, peanuts, Tahitian taro processed for luau
or spinach, lichee, potatoes, bananas-a large amount are currently
imported-ginger, vegetable produce, aquaculture, commercial flowers,
and timber. You may remember that at one time sandalwood was a
major export. For west Kauai. an electronic assembly plant.
In housing, every sugar plantation on Kauai has areas of sub-
standard housing. Lihue Plantation has 179 homes; Grove Farm has
231, some of which are new; McBrvde has 298; G & R has 197; Kekaha,
395; Olokele, 260; and Kilauea, 119, with new housing going up in that
area.
Many of the homes are in Such poor condition that they have been
ordered abandoned by the board of health. In Kealia, 21 homes have
been ordered closed h~ December 15. Although these residents are being
given first priority for a new Flanamaulu subdivision, there is no con-
crete projection as to when the project will be completed. It will not
be finished by December. And if you're asking where we're going to
put these people unless we have, a tent city, we don't know.
Most plantations do not want to be involved in housing and appar-
ently an increasing burden will fall on Government agencies and, I
think, a feasibility study by the agricultural department of the 11th-
versity of Hawaii or State department of agriculture or the county of
Kauai could be ffnanced by the funds indicated in the Opportunity
Act plan and studies already started coordinated would be of great
value to us.
I wish to thank the subcommittee for this opportunity to testify
before this honorable body.
Mrs. i\iixx. Thank you very much. Mr. Gay, for your statement.
There is money available under this title for technical assistance. What
specific kinds ~of survey planning would you envision which would re-
quire technical assistance money from the Federal Governmeiit?
Mr. GAY. I feel that in looki~ng at such })rO]ects as that they have
projected ouch as Kauai and others, I feel that they should be studied
by auricultural experts to determine whether or not they would be good
corn ercial crons and also. I think the market should be studied to
find out whethe~ or not it could be sold once produced.
Mrs. MINK. I think the technical assistance referred to in this title
Ill-B, may well he with respect to economic development and other
types of development, but with respect to what might be immediately
available in order tluit we might take advantage of 111-B we have to
confine ourselves to the purposes of ITT-B and that is again to meet
the immediate needs of agricultural workers and their families,
such as day care for children, education, health services, improved
housing, and sanitation, leal advice, consumer training, and counsel-
ing. These are the areas that are delineated in the statute as appropriate
areas for expediture under ITT-B. When they are talking about tech-
PAGENO="0021"
17
nical services being available to the county or to the OEO program it's
for the purpose of designing a grant application which would fit into
the areas that I have just enumerated which would specifically meet
the most urgent needs given the limitation, of course, of funding all of
these. Now, in my recitation about these areas, perhaps more Headstart
programs, education generally, adult education programs, health serv-
ices, consumer training, and so forth, what would you say is the most
urgent need of all these areas enumerated with respect to the poor farm
family on this island?
Mr. GAY. I would say it would be housing at the present.
Mrs. MINK. In what specific ways could a grant be put together
which would alleviate the most urgent needs of the largest number of
people affected by housing deficits?
Mr. GAY. I feel at this time the families at Kilauea are probably
the most destitute of the island and I really can't give you a solid
answer on how to solve it because the information just came to me and
here we are with all these people going out on the street and it's going
to take us a little bit more time to determine where they can put them.
At tile present time, housing on this island, there isn't. I don't know
how we can have instant housing and building something in time to
take care of the problem.
Mrs. MINK. I would like to call on majority counsel, Bill Cable,
to explain another program. This hearing does not affect that aspect of
it but it's also part of the overall OEO program. In the rural housing
section of the basic legislation there are funds that might be allotted for
the Kiiauea families. Bill, would you explain tile basic requirements
for eligibility for rural farm housing?
Mr. CABLE. In the conference report that will be filed shortly after we
return to Washington in September there is a new program called
Rural Housing Development and Rehabilitation, and it's designed
specifically to assist low-income families in rural areas to rehabilitate
or construct or acquire tile ownership of adequate housing. Basically,
it's a low-interest loan program rather than an outright grant. Loans,
as I recall, are about 3 percent and run for 30 years. Even this min-
imal interest can be forgiven for reasons the Director may find neces-
sary. It's for construction, for rehabilitation and renovation and re-
pair, and right down to all of the normal things. One of the interesting
features of this is that it requires cooperation with the Mainstream
program, another OEO program, and it allows Mainstream workers
to assist ~n construction. As I understood, Mr. Gay, you do have a
housing program started?
Mr. GAY. Yes; there is housing started.
Mr. CABLE. It would seem to me that since you do have a program,
a grant application to this new rural housing title could very well
qualify for the self-help housing program and maybe we could figure
out a way to get some loans for some of these people. I'm assured by the
people at the national offices in Washington that there will be at least
$15 million allocated for this rural housing and loan program during
this next fiscal year so there is some prospect of getting some moneys
for an area of most critical need especially on Kauai.
Mrs. MINK. Mr. Hawkins, do you have any questions?
Mr. HAwKINs. Mr. Gay, let us understand your particular posi-
tion; do I understand that you're the county administrator, the hous-
ing administrator?
PAGENO="0022"
18
Mr. GAY. That's right.
Mr. }L&wKIxs. And part of your salary is paid through OEO ?
Mr. GAY. No; they funded the job and it's now taken over by the
county.
Mr. HAWKINS. I tried to add up roughly the number of units that
you have indicated would be vacated and I roughly added up some-
thing like 1,400 units or thereabouts. `Have you a specific or rough'
figure of the possible housing units that are actually needed?
Mr. GAY. I would say about one-half of that.
Mr. HAWKINs. About one-half of that 1,400 figure? Is that high?
Mr. GAY. Some of the homes are in good condition and some are
building.
Mr. HAwKINs. But that would still `leave some of the agricultural
workers in substandard housing, would it not?
Mr. GAY. Oh, yes.
Mr. HAwKINs. lVe're not talking about housing that needs to be
replaced, we are talking about that which is really in emergency or
crisis status for which this number must be found before the end of
the year?
Mr. GAY. Yes. Twenty-one, at least, by the end of this year and
the others will be phased out more slowly.
Mr. HXWKINS. I would assmne that in your role as administrator
of the county housing department, you have explored other avenues
of assistance. including the private housing market?
Mr. GAY. Yes, I have.
Mr. HAWKINS. Are you stating that private housing markets do
not meet any of `these needs?
Mr. GAY. We will have some assistance from the State of Hawaii
housing authority and we have discussed it with them and we'll have
some help from them in the overall project and future projects. Our
concern at this juncture is these People that are pushed out a little
faster than we think it's possible to take care of them.
Mr. HAWKINS. So, this represents an emergency situation rather
than the total needs we are discussing.
Mr. GAY. Yes. I think the total needs will work themselves out very
well, but the immediate problems are very difficult.
Mr. HAWKINS. Mr. Gay. just how feasible are loans to these fami-
lies, provided they are able to qualify and obtain low-interest loans?
Would this be a feasible program, are they in a position to pay loans,
low-interest loans?
Mr. GAY. Yes, many of them are, except at Kilauea, where they still
have a parcel of lots and they have to build on them by December,
and if they don't build on them by that time the lots go back to the
plantation. So, that's the problem and we are very `optimistic that it
will be solved. I think the people here can qualify for low-interest
loans providing that we can put up houses within the ballpark of their
finances.
Mr. HAWKINS. Then. what you are classifying are people that still
have jobs but are classified as poor?
Mr. GAY. Yes, many of the workers have large families and they're
trying to put their youngest through school and so it's difficult for them
to pay high rent.
Mr. HAWKINS. Thank you.
PAGENO="0023"
19
Mrs. MINK. Mr. Gay, could you elaborate on the specific number of
substandard housing in the agricultural communities on this island?
Mr. GAY. I didn't go through the various areas `here. Every planta-
tion has fairly good housing; they have `been building fairly good
housing; new housing which is correcting `their problems except they
also `have the Kealia area and as I stated they are moving people out
without having places for them to go. They have 179 homes at Li'hue.
Mrs. MINK. How many `of these are substandard? I have your list,
but w'hat I wanted is a specific number which, in your view as the
housing administrator, as being substandard which requires t'he atten-
tion of this committee an'd might qualify for funds under ITT-B?
Mr. GAY. I would say Lihue Plantation, possibly 60 homes.
Mrs. MINK. Sixty?
Mr. `GAY. Yes. Grove Farm is building new homes. Presently, out
of their 231 I would say that, approximately, they still have about 150
that needs replacement. M'cBryde Sugar C'o., their houses are all in
rather good shape, there is no problem here. G & B has 197 and out
of `the 197, 1 would say, that about 90 of them are substandard. They
have a problem there too because a lot of people are moving over and
more than one family is `living in one house. I later think I would like
to submit to your committee a report on the education here as well.
In Kekaha out of the 395 homes, I would say that at least 200 of those
are substandard. Olokele `Sugar Co., there are very few that are sub-
standard, they might perhaps have 50. The last plantation, Kilauea,
which has just gone out of existence, there are no homes going up but
there are still about 50 substandard homes; I think really substandard.
Mrs. MINK. You make a difference between substandard and `really
substandard. Would `you give us the difference between substandard
and really substandard?
Mr. GAY. Really substandard mean's that people shouldn't be living
in `them at all, that means `the walls are falling in and floors you can
fall through and so forth.
Mrs. MINK. We have made a quick addition of the figures you have
given us of these various classifications for the record and it appears
there are 600 in your view that are substandard h'ousing. Now, you say
that in the long run that this condition will probably be solved because
of the replacement of `homes. What is this long view you're talking
about? I-low many years? next year? the year after that? 5 years?
What is the time span when you say in the long run it would be solved?
Mr. GAY For example, Lihue Plantation has a project for 140 homes
and I can't project when this will start, however. T'hey are working
on it and they do have some problems.
Mrs. MINK. Is there a planning timetable which is available in
your office with respect to these 600 substandard when you might look
forward to the elimination of this `~ondition?
Mr. `GAY. We are working together with the plantations, we can
work out a schedule for it, but at present we have not.
Mrs. MINK. Well, would you just give the committee a rough esti-
mate of what the timetable is in your view?
Mr. GAY. Yes, I would say we'll start getting adequate financing
and so forth within a year.
Mrs. MINK. Within a year the condition of these 600 families will be
solved?
PAGENO="0024"
20
Mr. GAl-. No, not solved. I mean we're going to start adequate con-
struction. I would say then, it would take about 2 or 3 years.
Mrs. MINK. So, in the meantime, while these plans are being formu-
lated by the plantations to replace the housing, what is your view
with respect to the utilization of available 111-B funds for the im-
provement of the living conditions of these families in these sub-
standard homes so long as they have to live in them, whatever that
time span may be?
Mr. GAY. I wonder if funds could not be used for temporary home
repairs?
Mrs. MINK. Yes, that's precisely my question. Much of this money is
used for temporary repairs, windows, screens, electricity, floors, plumb-
ing, stairs, whatever it is that is an urgent requirement in the given
area, ftmding is made available mder this section to improve the
living conditions for these people irrespective of the fact that there
are some nice plans in an office, there is some notion that somewhere
along the way this condition will be improved upon. The point is, that
these people are living in poverty and their condition is substandard,
is there a way in which the Federal Government can come iii now,
today, to improve their daily lives pending the permanent replace-
ment to other areas which may be on the books by the plantations or
by the State government or by the county?
Mr. GAY. Well, I think much is being done b the county here.
Mrs. MINK. Can we look to the leadership of the county to set forth
plans of this kind so we can put togeti~er various aspects of the poverty
program to begin to implement an application for this funding?
Mr. GAY. Yes, you could count on us to help implement it.
Mrs. )Jixic Dr. LaVor?
Mr. LAVOR. Before you said the board of health has indicated many
of these homes are substandard. When tiie board of health does this,
isn't the owner of the facility obligated to improve it and if so, what
is being done in that respect?
Mr. GAY. IVell, nothing has been clone in Kilauea because they
wanted to phase the homes out anyway and the plantations have been
correcting some of the situations where homes do exist, but where they
intend to phase them out they arc not doing anything for the homes;
therefore they won't spend any funds on them and therefore the people
are living in substandard conditions.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much, Mr. Gay. Thank you very much
for coming this morning. The next witness is Mr. Paul Lowel. Please
state your name for the record and your title.
STATEMENT OP PAUL LOV~1TL, CHAIRMAN, BOARD OP DIRECTORS,
KEO; ACCOMPANIED BY PETER LEE, LEctAL SERVICES ATTOR-
NEY, OEO
Mr. Low-EL. Honorable Chairman Hawkins and Honorable Mencbers
of Congress, my name is Paul Lowel and I'm the chairman of the
board of directors of the ICauai Economic Offices. Now, if you members
of the subcommittee don't mind I would like first to have some clari-
fication on title III in regard to part 1, part B, rather, section 301,.
part A.
This is a request that has been asked of me by the various organiza-
tions that I have communicated with and I have called on our adviser
PAGENO="0025"
21.
Mr. Lee, from the legal aid, and he too, has a different version of the
two parts, part A and part B. At this time I would like to call on
Mr. Lee to come up and explain what we have rapped on for 2 hours
yesterday and came up with nothing. Mr. Lee.
Mr. LEE. Honorable members of the committee, I'd like to extend
my own welcome to you. You are seeing the beautiful island of Kauai
and seeing a lot of good weather, but underneath it all, unfortunately,
there runs a pretty strong current of poverty.
Now, my purpose in coming up here as Mr. Lowel said, we went over
the provisions of section Ill-B, which I believe is the subject under
discussion today. For my own clarification and for the clarification of
the poor people in this community, I'd like to ask some questions and
get some clarification on this section. it is my understanding we are
dealing here with subchapter 3 under the OEO Act and section 341.
Now, at the beginning of this hearing both you and Mr. Hawlnns
assured us or at least implied that the language of section B could be
construed to extend to farmworkers on Kauai, and I just don't see
how it's possible in view of the clear language of 2861 unless there's
been a recent amendment to part Ill-B. The purpose of the act, this
part is designed to, and I quote:
The purpose of this part is to assist migrant and seasonal farm workers and
their families to improve their living conditions and to develop skills necessary
for a productive and self-sufficient life in an increasingly complex technological
society.
Now, what we have been doing so far in this hearing is reading
this section as if it applied to farmworkers in general and I'd really
like to have some real assurance and clarification as to how the lan-
guage can be interpreted to include farmworkers or include farm-
workers at all who aren't seasonal and migrant farmworkers.
Mrs. MINK. Well, this is the reason for the hearing here, because
Hawaii has never qualified under this program. Because of the inquir-
ies, as I stated at the beginning of this hearing, made by the former
director of the Kauai Economic Opportunity asking about eligibility
and ti~e denial letter received from San Francisco saying we did not
qualify, Mr. Cole wrote to my office seeking further clarification as to
our eligibility. In discussing this question with the staff people in
Washington in July they indicated to me that under the guidelines and
regulations which had been prepared there was a possibility that we
could qualify. But the point they made to me was it might be an exercise
in futility just to agree we were eligible if we could not show that there
was a need for these funds, because the funds are limited nationally
and there is no guaranteed allotment. So, we'd have to demonstrate
that th~ needs here in Hawaii are as critical as they are in other parts
of the country. So, conceding the fact that we are eligible under this
law and there are some farmworkers on Kauai and other parts of
Hawaii who would qualify as being eligible, then the question is, given
.a limited amount of dollars, $50,000 or $100,000 or whatever, what kind
of programs can we best target in to these families that qualify. That
is the purpose of these hearings. No. 1, to see whether we can compete in
terms of need based upon national criteria and two, if we cannot estab-
lish that need and compete nationally.
So, even though we can meet the hurdle of eligibility we are simply
not going to qualify for the funding. Then, the alternative will have to
be a~ new program which is another rural farm program which is not
PAGENO="0026"
22
geared to seasonal or migrants but just to general rural farm communi-
ties, and we might have to look to that act, but it's a new title that is
added to OEO and we do not have clarificaition from the Washington
office as to guidelines and regulations so I cannot be explicit as to how
that program will be implemented here, but that would be the next
level to which we'd have to move.
Mr. LEE. I would submit, that as a lawmaker yourself, do you feel
that in view of the clear language of the statute of the migrant seasonal
tarmworkers that the OEO could possibly pass guidelines that would
reflect that language to include-
Mrs. MIxK. Well, I'm not here to debate with your competence as a
lawyer or to demonstrate mine; I'm only here to say that I have been
in consultation with the people who manage this program for the ad-
ministration. These officers are Mr. James W. Griffith. Director of
Headquarters Operations of the office in WTashington, D.C., Mr. Chuck
Fleer. Chief of Budget and Management Support of OEO in Washing-
ton and Mr. Don Tubridy who is a congressional relations officer for
OEO. These three gentlemen who came to my office, indicated that the
eligibility question could be bridged, but the big question they raised
is given limitation of funding, could we compete with the demands for
these funds on a national basis. I said, well, that's a. problem that I
would have to assume and that is my reason for bringing the committee
here. because they need to be satisfied that the needs we're talking about
here in the county of Kauai are just as serious and just as urgent as the
farmworkers, requirements in California, and Texas, and other parts
of the country. That's the PuurPese of the hearing here; not to quarrel
about the question of eligibility for it.
Mr. LEE. The only reason I raised the question is because the poor
people on Kauni and other parts of Hawaii have seen other commit-
tees come through with various testimony and various questions and,
of course. they understandably. I think, have a lot of doubt as to the
ability of a lot of these various committees to deliver the goods. Mv
job a~ a legal representative of a lot of them is to get thIs kind of
clarification which you just spoke forth on. Of course, as far as the
needs, the farming needs of the island are concerned, I think that the
testimony that will come forth will show that there are these needs.
Also, I think if you were to go the State board of land and natural
resources and go to the State housing department and various State
agricultural associations you'd get a very clear picture of pressing
needs in the rural commimities also. So, I. you know. have assumed
all along that the needs exist and as I said before I'm just concerned
about whether the committee, or Congress for that matter, can deliver.
Now. there is also section A of part IL which is a rural loan program
and again this may be beyond the scope of this committee, but I just
want to bring it to the attention of the committee that it seems to me
the farmers of Kauai clearly qualify under part ITT-A which does
not include seasonal and migrant farrnworkers.
Mrs. MINK. I'd just like to note for your information that the title
to which you refer. for which of course obviously we are qualified,
has not been funded. The President refuses to fund it. so I don't see
any point in discussing that. when there is no money for that program.
In ITT-B there is 836 million and probably ~4O million in the funds
and it's m hope that some of that can come to Hawaii.
PAGENO="0027"
23
Mr. LEE. Well, I just want to conclude my statement, if I may. I
have been out to some of these communities and I have seen some of
the dire conditions there. In Hanarnaulu in particular, I remember
seeing an open sewer which I don't remember seeing since Italy and
it was quite a shock. I think as the testimony goes on you can get a
better picture of what the conditions are. Thank you.
Mrs. MINK. May I ask before you leave the witness stand, since the
kinds of programs that are available under ITT-B are rather varied,
whic.h one of these programs, as an advocate for the poor, would you
say is t'he most urgent which this committee should recommend to the
-. national administration so we'll be `Ible to get something under ITT-B?
Mr. LEE. Yes, I'm looking at ITT-B, of those listed I would say
definitely housing, as -far as the rural area is concerned because of the
inability of the poor people to afford the high cost of the land here
and the high cost of building improvements and sanitation, of course.
I'd also say legal advisers are pretty overworked, but housing is defi-
nitely t;he big problem as you probably know from being a native of
Hawaii. I don't know what the statistics on Kauai are, but I think on
Honolulu or Oahu that less than 5 percent of the land there is in fee
simple market and there is no reason to believe it's much more different
in outlying islands since `we have large ownership by the military and
various sugar plantations. Housing is definitely the need.
Mrs. MINK. The section which enumerates possible programs that
could be supported `by the ITT-B, I do not believe could have the `kind
of funding which would permit replacement `housing which is what
you're talking `about. `It talks about the maintenance, and emergency
`and temporary housing and sanitation facilities. Now, given that limi-
tation would you still say that the top priority attention under this
section should be for those kinds of renovations, repairs, and improve-
ments in the substandard housing in these `agricultural communities?
Mr. LEE. If that is the only way the money is available `I would say
yes, but the real need is to `build new `housing an'd if there is any way
to stretch the `statutory language to include `the acquisition of new
property and putting up new housing it should be done.
Mrs. MINK. By your strict construction of the statutory language
which you are insisting on, I would say that would be very difficult.
It would have to be the other program which Mr. Cable referred to,
which is new authorization. This paragraph at least has the proba-
`bility of solving some of the problems.
Mr. LEE. 1 was just supplying `a statutory construction, 1 thought
maybe the committee could. `Now, there is a difficulty of course with
meeting the needs of improving `housing because some of the planta-
`tions are plaiming to phase out their `housing `and to move their
workers off the land, so possibly, this section would not be `as valid.
Mrs. MINK. If you were to then move to `a second priority, which
would that be?
Mr. LEE. Probably health care. Now, a lot of the plantations have
their own medical programs, but I have been told, this is only hearsay
of course, `some of these programs, not `all of the plantations have them
and some are very inadequate and, of course, the plantations, I know,
would love to have Federal support~ because `they are faced with a price
and wage schedule that is constantly rising.
Mrs. MINK. Do you have any questions?
PAGENO="0028"
24
Mr. HAWKINS. Mr. Lee, I'm a little confused as to your particular
role or relationship. You're not in the agency. Do I understand that
Mr. Low consulted with you in an official capacity with respect to the
real meaning of title I'll, part B of the Economic Opportunity Act?
Mr. LEE. Well, Mr. Hawkins, my office is funded by the county,
the circuit and Mr. Lowel's office just happens to be next to mine and
he often comes in and talks to me about various matters. I'm just a
country lawyer.
Mr. HAWKINS. You're `a very good one. I'm not doubting that. I
don't follow though, your particular position which seems to be ad-
vising the agency against the application of this particular section of
`the law.
Mr. LEE. Oh no, I'm not advising them against the application for
any kind of aid that t:hey can get `at all, but 1 was concerned `about
whether they ought to be `applying for a different program `or if `they
are applying for this program what are the difficulties they are going
`to face.
Mr. HAWKINS. Using your great legal talents, would you say that
the agricultural workers can be classified under section III where it
says, we have read that twice, I think, "the purpose of this part is `to
assist migrant and seasonal farmworkers and their families to improve
their living conditions and to develop skills necessary for a productive
and self-sufficient life in an increasingly `complex technological
society." I suppose the pertinent part of that is whether or not they
are really seasonal farmworkers. Would you say this is the proper
construction of that?
Mr. LEE. That's what my interpretation would be. Of course, again,
as Congresswoman Mink assured me she had been assured by other
members of the OEO that the language of the regulation could be
chai~ge.d. Now, maybe this is possible but as a lawyer `I would imagine
you'd have a. pretty tough time convincing a judge.
Mr. hAWKINs. Do you think if it were necessary, you would be able
to make o'ut a good case for the agricultural workers that these people
are seasonal farrnworkers?
Mr. LEE. Well, in all honesty, I could not because if you look into
the character of the farmworkers on Kauai as far as the farming in-
dustry is concerned, abou't the only seasonal industry is coffee and tokay
and that's not really for commercial use. The sugar plantations for
example, are staffed by year-round families that live on the plantation
and work in the fields. Now, the other industry here is pineapple which
does have a seasonal aspect in that the cannery runs, I think, during
the. summer and fall, but again, the peoPle there are, or a lot of them,
are high school students and I guess there are some seasonal workers
there but we don't have the same kind of migrant farmworkers' prob-
lems that you have in California. At least, I don't think the State has
statistics to show people came here just to pick cane during a certain
time of the year. So, under the present concept from my reading of
these things it would be terribly hard to get ITT-B funding.
Mr. HAWKINS. I think the correspondence that has been carried on
between Mrs. Mink and the agency certainly is clear enough to indicate
that the eligibility issue is a little more than doubtful. It's certainly on
the more positive side and I'm sure `that you must have some seasonal
aspects to just more than one or two industries here that are agricul-
tural in nature.
PAGENO="0029"
25
Mr. LEE. Well, I think I'd have to defer to Mr. Low's department
as to that, but to my own limited personal knowledge, I certainly don't
see a large seasonal farmworker industry. Do you have anything to
add to that Paul?
Mr. LOWEL. We do have seasonal workers here, the Hawaiian Food
Packers is one; however, the Hawaiian Food Packers is phasing out
and will be gone next year. As far as the agricultural workers going
back into the fields like planting pineapple or taro in the fields, `that
is phased `out already. T'he only thing `the pineapple cannery will do
come next year is to harvest the crop that is already planted and after
that is harvested that's it. Speaking specifically, for *the island of
Kauai, we do have seasonal workers from other islands, like Hawaii,
where they do go into coffee growing. That's one of the big islands of
Hawaii in the Kona district. We do have seasonal workers `on other
islands like Oa'liu, where they do have pineapple. We've had pine-
apple workers on Lanai and Molokai and these will phase out or they
have already `been phased out. Getting `back to `the agricultural field-
Mr. `HAWKINS. Mr. Lowel, is pineapple a seasonal crop or isn't it?
Mr. LOWEL. Yes, it is.
Mr. `HAWKINS. It is?
Mr. LOWEL. Yes.
Mr. HAWKINS. The act doesn't give the magnitude or quantity of t'his
allocated, it simply says seasonal farmworkers.
Mr. LOWEL. We have more farmworkers than just pineapple.
Mr. HAWKINS. Whether it's phasing out or not doesn't enter into it,
it's whether or not it's prevalent at the time of the act itself, and I don't
get the pessimism on which you approach this section in which you
seem to disqualify rather than to qualify.
Mr. LOWEL. No. I'm not `trying to have the people of poverty dis-
qualified from the program. The program does vary. You have to
`admit that it varies. I'm speaking, Mr. Chairman, for the people of
poverty. We are n'ot only speaking `of people specifically in the sugar
industry, we `have other agricultural fields on Kauai that they are
interested in getting assistance from you people. `Specifically `speaking,
the taro growers out at Hanamaulu. `They are in a critical housing con-
`dition today and if you are going towardthat way I do hope that you'd
find enough time to drive through th'at narrow road that leads to
those farm homes and see what kind of homes they are living in. Some
o~f these they walk into stooping sideways, and that's how `bad it is.
Now, that is only one type of agricultural people that are in dire need
of homes. We `have elderly citizens that would like to get into a home
of their own that are receiving social security benefits today where
their supplement income is limited `to $1680, whereby they, if they
m'ake in excess `of `that $1,680 would have to forfeit 50 percent of that.
Now, they are trying to survive at that elderly age like they are using
fa'rming and once they stop farming their ticker stops. `Their life is
gone. They would like to'continue, but why should they continue when
their supplement income is limited `to $1,680, and whatever they earn
in excess of that `50 `percent goes `back to the Government. I, as chair-
man of the board of directors was `approached by Mr. `Sam Aoki, who
is sitting in the `back and `he will come up and illustrate to you in a
little while the wrongs of t'he social security benefits.
Speaking `about housing, I'm also the chairman `of the Hawaii `Ten-
`ants Advisory Bo'ard under Hawaii Housing Authority. `The H'a'w'aii
PAGENO="0030"
26
Housing Authority has only 136 units on Kauai; 136 units which
has an eligibility requirement where it deffnitely stipulates that elderly
people, veterans of foreign wars, disabled veterans of war has accept-
ance above all other poverty people. I have nothing against that. Those
people have done something. They are forefathers of our community
and they are boys that went to the Army and fought for us. We have
no grudge against the housing for that ruling, but we do believe that
one of the ways of eliminating the housing problems on Kauai is to
utilize such funds and State funds. We have asked for more housing
on Kauai only to be told by iRA that, "Oh, we'll look into it." Good.
You have heard previous speakers come up here and say to you, "we
have healthy homes that are going to be constructed on Kauai." You
have not heard them say that we ran into serious problems trying to
get those houses mortgaged. One was at Nawiliwili homes where they
were given the go ahead and then they ran into a setback because of
this water table that it wasn't sanitary to build a home there. They
had many problems; that's all you hear. Now the poor people, they
are in the bind. You have agricultural farmers now under the plan-
tations; why are they living in unsanitary homes? Why are they
living in substandard homes? It's easy. I was one of them. Because
they haven't got the money. They haven't got the money to renovate
their places to alterate whatever they want to alterate, within the
houses that they are living in. They would like to get a place of their
own which would be an honor to them to be living in society. Here
the plantations are tearing down the homes and they are selling the
homes where some of the plantation workers that are under the
poverty program do not qualify. I'm no authority on the eligibility
for a loan in order to get a home under the new subdivisions that the
plantations are building but 1 am an authority on telling you that if
a family is of six, seven, `and eight, they'd have a hard time meeting
the present loan mortgages that they'd have to have in order to live
in a subdivision, and that's the kind of `things that the people are faced
with today.
The self-help housing concept is a good thing, but there is a lot of
things that must go into the self-help housing concept. Someone has
said previously, I think it was the attorney, that it would'tie into the
Mainstream which is an adult housing project. Good! Or we can even
get the Job Corps behind the self-help policy concept. But the main
thing why we have asked Mr. Lee to come here and give us `some clari-
fication on this thing here is that we don't want to have the program
defeated. We want this program to get on the road `and as chairman of
the Kauai Economic Board of Directors, I make an honest plea to you.
Please help us in our housing situation. Now, this is only one compo-
nent I'm talking of; now, I would like to get to other serious problems
that have been brought to me.
On this subject, day care. There is a great need for that type on our
island of Kauai, too. There are communities that would like to have
a day care center for their `children and they are eligible under the
guidelines of income of the OEO; however, when that matter was
brought up to me as the chairman of the `board of directors, as much
as I see the need of these people concerned, with the limited grant that
we have, I, as chairman of th'e board, d'o feel as they do, but I also
know that in order to establish these Head Start centers on Kauai we
must have our ,present grant increased to meet the needs of these
PAGENO="0031"
27
children and their parents and most of the people that are involved
are children of farmers. And that is about all.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much, Mr. Lowel. These references you
made to Head Start classes and our inability to provide additional
funds for more classes is the principal reason I'm trying to bring in
Ill-B and now money because it doesn't matter to me where I get
the money, if I can get the money so that more children-more classes
can be established; `that is what I would like to see done. The reason
why we got into the housing aspect of this program was `because your
former director in struggling to qualify under ITT-B started his in-
`quiries on the housing aspect as I indicated in the letters that he trans-
mitted to the `San Francisco office, `but the program is very flexible.
ITT-B is very flexible.
If the council which you represent feels that Head Start is a higher
priority `and we are able to get funding then it would be in accordance
with the wishes of your KEO organization. `So, I think this is some-
thing that should be left to the local community to decide how best
it can utilize the funds assuming the record establishes the need. Then,
I can go back and convince the department to give me some portion
of the $36 million which, since the inception of ITT-B `has been totally
denied Hawaii. I'm hoping we can get these new housing funds because
the existing programs in the other areas do not seem to `be able to hel'p
`and everytirne we authorize new legislation for OEO we are struck
`down by a veto. This is our difficulty. `We have `been `tryi'ng. The recent
authorization for Head Start passed `by the Congress was at the level of
$1 billion and we were forced to cut this back down to $485 million
authorization.
So, these are the struggles, but `it seems to me that here we have a
program for which they are now telling me we are eligible; that there
is a prospect of new money. We are here today `to find out what kind
of programs you feel should be the top priorities so I can go back and
transmit this fac'tfinding effort to the gentlemen who will operate this
program in `Washington, saying, "here's the record, here's the needs
and here's what the people of Kauai say they would like" and then
pursue the matter of how much and when we can expect the money.
I deeply appreciate your concerns `and I share them very much in
that we don't want to start something that we can't finish, bu't I have
the fullest confidence in the comments made to me by the department
that they find our situation eligible. The State statistics that they gave
me in terms of the whole State of Hawaii of seasonable agricultural
la:borers whom they feel would allow funding of this program here is
23,000 in the State of Hawaii. So, perha'ps some of the agricultural
poverty children under your current I-leadstart, these children could
be funded under ITT-B and a new program established where children
who don't qualify under the ITT-B would remain in the existing pro-
grams that we now have. You can move these around as we qualify for
the new moneys. This kind `of juggling, I think, can be done without
too much disruption in the internal operation of the program. At least
that would be my expectations. I thank you very much Mr. Lowel for
your presence here and perhaps Mr. Hawkins has some questions for
you.
Mr. HAWKINS. Thank you; your testimony has been very helpful to
the committee, Mr. Lowel. You mentioned one site you `thought we
PAGENO="0032"
28
should visit in connection with the housing problems. What. was that
particular site?
Mr. LOWEL. That's the farmers that plant taro.
Mr. HAw1~Ixs. What was the name of the place?
Mr. LOWEL. Taro is what they make poi with, it's an edible vegeta-
tion that grows under water and they are located at Hanalei, which is
on the other side of the island, the far east side of the island and let me
elaborate a little bit more on that. Those farmers have a lease from the
county and the leases are for 9 years. The lease doesn't specifically sa.y
that the leasor will upkeep the homes because when the leases are gone
they'll have to do that; so, while you're out there there are someof the
homes that have been out there quite a while now. Take a ride out there,
just after you cross the bridge it's the third road to the left.
Mr. HAwIuxs. The committee is not only interested in your beautiful
scenery but we are also interested in seeing some of your nonbeautiful
scenery.
Mr. LOWEL. Before you get there you will run into Kilauea, that is
the Kilauea Plantation Camp. As chairman of the Kauai Area Council,
I have been approached by 50 people as to letters they have received in
regards to raw sewage pouring from that camp through the Kilauea
Stream where the plantations would have to make existent sewage ac-
cording to the State health department, and that one there is also being
phased out pretty soon.
Mrs. MINK. Mr. LaVor has a question.
Mr. LAVoR. Mr. Lowel, if you don't mind, I'm just a poor city boy
and I don't want to quarrel with the counsel's interpretation. Can you,
just for the record, describe the planting cycle for pineapple planting,
sugar planting, what season it covers and how often it's planted?
Mr. LOWEL. Well, the planting cycle for sugar is all year round
and they have a slowing down period but that's just to maintain their
equipment.
Mr. LAVOR. When you plant the stalk, how long does it take to
mature after you plant it?
Mr. L0wEL. From the planting, I would say, it would take about
18 months from the sugar side and that also holds true as to the pine-
apple planting until harvesting, that's the cycle.
Mr. LAVOR. How long does it take from the time a pineapple plant,
or stalk, or seedling, is placed in the ground until it is harvested and
can you have more than one pineapple harvest a year?
Mr. L0wEL. Oh yes; I'll take grade 3 crops because grade 2 crops
don't come out in abirndance. If it does come out the pineapple can-
nery may have to go back and run for a couple of weeks and shut down
again, but that only happens, like I say, a couple of weeks. Now, the
seasonal period is May, June, Jmly and August; that is about it.
Mr. LAVOR. Then I interpret from that that there is a specific season?
Mr. LowEL. Yes, but-yes, there is.
Mr. LAV0R. Thank you. Now, this second question, you have indi-
cated that pineapple and sugar are being phased out of Hawaii, can
you explain that for us?
Mr. LOWEL. No, not the sugar; not sugar, just the pineapple.
Mr. LAVOR. Why is pineapple being phased out?
Mr. LOWEL. Well, the canneries are afraid, they are operating at a
loss. I don't work at the pineapple cannery but I can see that they are
operating at a loss because of the kind of equipment that they have.
PAGENO="0033"
29
They are not replacing with new equipment and they are running
around in dilapidated trucks that break down on the side of the road.
They are trying to survive, like any other industry they are trying to
survive, and that's what the `foodpackers are doing now also; I give
Mr. Gregg a lot of credit for staying as long as possible.
Mr. LAVOR. About how many people are employed in the pineapple
industry on Kau'ai?
Mr. L0wEL. Regular employees I believe about 27 that are regu-
larly employed on the staff but out in the fields, :1 don't really know
how many they have in the fields. The regular employees are in the
canneries. They have sold their equipment for housing-not housing
but consolidation and I don't think they have very many people out
in the fields but there are people otit in the fields.
Mr. LAVOR. When pineapple phases out is there `any possibility that
other agricultural products will be planted in its place?
Mr. LOWEL. I believe that some `of the present families will continue
to plant pineapple as I believe they said you could ship pineapple from
I-Iawaii to the mainland now. I believe that some of the growers will
have to keep it up to service the stores for tourists `and hotel resorts.
They won't kill the pineapple industry as far as the growers. What I
was referring to was the phasing out of the companies.
Mr. LAVOR. Thank you.
Mrs. MINK. I just have one final question of Mr. Lowel. With refer-
ence to the taro planters of Hanalei, do these families out there who
plant and harvest taro also work for another employer during the year
or do they depend solely on the income they `derive from the taro crops?
Mr. LOWEL. They depend solely on the income they ge't from their
taro crops. We have a lady here who works with them and she can
come up and verify their problems and that they `do live on their farm
income.
Mrs. MINK. They don't have opportunities to work say for instance,
in a hotel or other establishment while at the same `time farming?
Mr. LowEL. On the sugarcane industry; yes; there are a lot of wives
that are working for the hotels and resorts and so forth, and also some
working in the shopping centers but the jobs that are available today,
there would be `a lot `of people that are unemployed, it's really `at an
unusual point right now.
Mrs. MiNK. But for the taro workers you were talking about their
sole income is derived from their farm income from taro?
Mr. LOwEL. Correct; they only have one hotel in that area because
it's the type of area and the type `of people that are living in the taro
patches there; they are the type that would like to stay in "the taro
patch. You know what I mean? It's not an easy job to be working in
a water patch all day long and watching that nobody else steals your
crop; that's the whole thing. I tell you a lot of them would like to have
homes ,of their own and I `believe the self-help housing `concept would
do a lot of good for those families out there, where they could build
homes near their ponds. A lot of them are on the DSM roles and they'd
like to get off there and `own their own by going to bigger farming areas
as far as taro goes, but they are limited there a's to housing. They have
to, travel from one end of `the island to the other end to get to their
farms.
Mrs. MINI. What percentage of these taro farmers are on D'SM;
could you give us that roughly? ~
PAGENO="0034"
30
Mr. LOWEL. Roughly, I'd say-in Kealia County alone-that's that
little plantation-has 25 cases out there, and out of the 25-I'm just
basing it now on groups-out of the 25 people out there I do believe
that about 10 are under the DSM program.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much Mr. Lowel; we appreciate very
much your presence here and Mr. Lee as well. The next witness is Lena
Tobias. Please state your name for the record and your capacity.
STATEMENT OF MRS. LENA TOBIAS, GUIDANCE COUNSELOR,
UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
Mrs. TOBIAS. I'm Lena. Tobias and I'm the executive counselor for
the manpower program for immigrant services and I would like to
come and state some of the problems that the immigrants have on
arrival.
Most of them, maybe 99 percent or at least a very high percentage of
the immigrants that do come to Hawaii are dependent upon these vari-
ous programs. They come to Hawaii as a land of opportunity. In the
past 2 years I have been working very closely with them and mostly
the problems are numerous. Maybe I can clarify them for you.
Economically, most of them come without money, they have to bor-
row their fare to come over and maybe it takes them years to pay for it.
When they come most of them do not have jobs. Some of them cannot
be employed because of lag in employment. Some have little under-
standing of the language. All of them come without housing. so they
live with at least two or three other families or in their children's
houses or maybe they live in a single room at the plantation camp. so
it's very common to see two or three families living in a. two-room house
under very crowded conditions. I should like to mention that many of
them live in dilapidated homes without any sanitary facilities. Hous-
ing, private housing is creating lots of problems for them, they have
families; well, maybe I should say problems with personal relations,
especially women getting prenatal care and you know sometimes the
children suffer because of that. There have been cases in schools where
many children under 5 years have learning and adjustment problems.
In fact, many of their parents, many of them. have difficulty in adjust-
ing to their new environment, maybe because of the conditions that they
live in.
They have health problems too. Some come with TB. I don't know
why they are able to come. but they do come and the pooi~ living condi-
tions aggravate their health problems. Their lack of knowledge of
proper dieting or proper sanitation or other affects their living and
health Problems.
They also have problems with the type of life we are used to here
which is different from what their lives had been in their own country.
So~ these are just some of the problems that they have.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much. You have been most helpful in
giving us this picture of poverty and description of the status of the
newly arrived Filipino immigrants, many of whom have found their
homes here in the county of Kauai, and I appreciate it very much. Your
statement will be most helpful for the record. Mr. Hawkins, do you
have any questions ~
Mr. HAwNINs. What numbers are we talking about as far as new
immigrants each year?
PAGENO="0035"
31
Mrs. TOBIAS. I don't have the statistics `with me but I believe about
20 persons or 15 persons came to Kauai. Now, as of last year over
6,000 Filipinos only arrived in the State of Hawaii.
Mr. HAwKINS. Thank you.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much. The next witness will be Sam
Aoki.
STATEMENT OP SAM AOKI, RETIRED FARMER
Mr. A0KI. My name is Sam Aoki. I'm a farmer, retired, aged 66.~
At this time I would like to express my thanks for what I'm going to
say because when I `asked to `be heard you cooperated 100 percent `and
I appreciate that very much.
As a retired person, my social security amount I'm receiving you
know is only $125 and we are eligible t'o make' $1,680 a year, which
means that the amount that I can produce and receive is iiot enough
to carry on. Right now I'm using some of my savings as part of my
expenses. What I want to tell you about is, can you Members of Con-
gress bring up the supplement from $1,680 to about $5,000. It's a very
hard question and we cannot continue `much longer. I feel no alterna-
tive but I have to sell my land and live on it. But the poiiit is, today,~
like 2 years ago, the dock strike was on and produce, coming in from
the mainland was stopped and about eight persons came in from
the mainland, the Government asked us to `try and produce as much
as we could and how we could, we with $1,680. The law says anything
above that will be penalized 50 percent and I never heard of such
a thing of penalizing any income for the benefit of the Government.
I feel it's rather injustice because I have been farming for 25 years,
I started when MacArthur asked us to help win `the war `because
food was now scarce, the Government asked us to help `out during the
war and the Navy wanted local produce ,and we started in a very
humble way and we feel today at least they should give us a chance,
to help us or at least give us a chance so that we can live more
comfortably.
`Today the average farmer, according to the University of Hawaii
statistics, the average farmer stays 531/2 years in the State. Now, it
won't be long before, I would say, that of that `figure about 40 percent
is on the retired list. Now, if you are living on a supplemental $1,680
how could you expect more production. On the other hand, at the `high
school 1ev-el, the Government got out this subsidy for FFA members.
You're actually starting young people to thinking of farming at the
high school level. So, as it is today, how can you expect them to go
into farming. What's the sense `of keeping agricultural land, preserve
them for future farmers? People talk about pasture; Sure maybe there
is some income, `but the income from farming as far as pasture is con-
cerned `compared with vegetable growth, my gosh, the difference is far'
different. `Some of the members of `the land commission asked me why
don't I change my farm into say flower growing or coffee and I said'
if I change my program, then I have to change everything. I haven't'
got any experience in new kinds `of farming, `so there you can see at our'
age today we'll just have to `sit down and do nothing. I'm disgusted.
I'm thinking about selling my land. The point is, it's not only me.
I mention this because there are many others in this State and I feel:
that some `of them are going into corporations. That's good, but at our
PAGENO="0036"
32
age after we have worked so hard to send our kids to college, now we
are stuck with $1,680. I think it's not fair and I wish your department
would try and help us and raise the supplement up to $5,000. The
reason I mention $5,000 is I was talking with the president of the
Farm Bureau in our location and how much you think is about the
average amount of supplement and he said to me about $5,000. I don't
know whether I'm asking too much or not, but I ask you people to
help us.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much Mr. Aoki. Do you have any
questions?
Mr. }L~wuixs. No questions, but I think your problem is one that
Congress certainly should look into. As a matter of fact, it's my recol-
lection we did increase it slightly but not as much as you were asking
a minute ago. I agree with your desire for an increase but you have to
resolve the. amount. Certainly it's not nearly $5,000, I assure you of
that. But I do thank you for bringing this to the conmiittee although
it's beyond the relevance of tile reason for our being here. It's a problem
which certainly the Congress should explore very thoroughly.
Mr. A0KI. May I mention this, just before the end of the war, I had
been farming all these years, we don't have such things as a soil bank
where in case von can't raise no food on it you get paid. Now, when we
have a storm or like that we don't have any subsidy coming in we just
go back and we have to borrow the money and continue and that is the
reason why so many times I have been bankrupt. WTet conditions. Some-
t~ mes the market. W~e ha.ve only one market in the Hawaiia.n Islands.
We cannot ship our produce to the mainland because of restrictions. So,
we are so handicapped. Like a farmer in the Hawaiian Islands has it
really rough. Now, as senior citizens we can still produce more than
the average backyard man. I feel that we should get more chance to
produce more for the sake of everybody and I feel that if your panel
can help us and get a little bit more supplement we can shape a better
life.
Mrs. MINK. Mr. La.Vor?
Mr. LAV0R. Nothing.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much. Tjnfortunately, Mr. Aoki, this
committee. doesn't have jurisdiction over social security regulations.
If we had, I assure you that would be one of the top priority matters
which we would be sponsoring. The legislation you are interested in is a
social security bill and that comes out of Ways and Means. The House,
as Mr. Hawkins indicated, did increase that somewhat over the $2,000
leveL That bill is in the Senate and still has not cleared the Senate, but
it is a matter which is before the Congress constantly. I guess this year
it was choice of whether it attended that problem or whether we would
increase the. benefits and Congress decided that the first priority would
be to give more people a few dollars more in their benefits before going
into the matter of increasing and extending the amount that could be
earned by a person who was receiving benefits. But I assure you that
this is a matter that the Congress is very seriously concerned with, and
it. is tied in with the whole matter of the annual guaranteed income
concept; so what they are trying to do is to measure what is the require-
ment of a family of one or two in terms of what they receive in social
security benefits and what they earn and try to come up with what is
an average amount of money that. a family would need in order to
maintain a minimum standard of living. And that's the concept that
PAGENO="0037"
33
we are attempting to approach, not only with reference to social secu-
rity but with poverty legislation and all the Other programs that in-
volves the same concern. I appreciate very much your coming to testify
before us and we certainly sympathize with the problems you specify.
Mr. LAVOR. Mr. Aoki, what do you raise on your land?
Mr. Aoi~i. Vegetables. At least, partly vegetables, and I think I
have enough water in my lot at least to shift around and I tried taro
but it wasn't worth it, and I turned to pineapple and I planted pine-
apple for 10 years. We had some loans on equipment, mortgages, and
things like that and when you send kids to college you borrow right
back. It was a great struggle.
Mr. LAVOR. Two questions I have. Again, I'm a city boy and don't
know much about farming. Is vegetable farming seasonal?
Mr. A0KI. No, not in Hawaii.
Mr. LAVOR. I mean how many crops of vegetables can you bring
in yearly?
Mr. A0KI. If you plant pineapple, yes, it's a seasonal crop, but when
it's vegetables you just continue planting so that we harvest every
month.
Mr. LAVOR. A different crop every month?
Mr. A0KI. That's right. We get set back sometimes with the market,
sometimes with the weather and then we cannot increase extra produc-
tion because we cannot hire labor and the reason we cannot hire labor
is there is so much redtape like social security, workmen compensation,
and that thing is all very fine `but we feel that family labor is much
more efficient. So, now we `go to vegetables and we don't plant too much
because we have to work long `hours and when the market drops we
just have to throw away what you get. In 1970 I produced more, I
didn't know, than the supplement amount and when we went to the
Social Security office they charged me 50 percent; so I had to throw
about one-third of the crop that I had away because of t'he supplement
in 1970 whi'ch is roughly about 2,000 pounds of vegetables. I could
have given to `charity or things like that `but we are the ones that
receive the charity so we just throw it ~way or give it to friends. `The
last time the pineapple cannery had a strike some young people came
and asked me `for donations of vegetables. I ha'd already harvested at
that time and I gave them one-third of the crop and that kept them u'p
for one whole month, I backed up the union at that time because I knew
`they needed them badly. As these things are n'ow it's not easy to pro-
duce so much. Then, you don't want to get the maximum of the supple-
ment `because I'm getting $125. `So, it's so complicated I feel if you
cannot get more increased you might as well give it up and sell the land.
Mr. LAVOR. Thank you.
Mrs. MINK. Than'k you very much Mr. Aoki, we appreciate your
coming. Our next witness is Bernadine Enriques.
STATEMENT OF MRS. BERNADINE ENRIQUES, RESIDENT,
HANALLI, KAUAI
Mrs. ENRIOm~S. My name is Bernadine Enriques and I'm a resident
of Hanalei, Kauai. I'm just here because of the need's of my com-
munity and one of the needs we have is a day care center.
lATe have 30 day care children who qualify under the OEO guide-
lines. We have been working on it but nobody has got the money. We
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34
are a rural agricultural community also and I'm speaking for some of
the town families in the I{analei area. As you have been told earlier,
they do live in old plantation homes with out-houses and et cetera.
They are bare minimum living, and their houses won't be repaired and
they are now paying anywhere from $10 to $20 a month on their rent;
however, after the repairs of their homes the rents will go up from
$100 to $200 and they won't be able to pay. Also, the other farmers who
lease land from the county will have to repair their own homes by
themselves and use their own income for that.
Another question that you asked earlier as to what kind of homes
and rentals on p1antatioi~s, sugar plantation homes pay. For a single
room dwelling, which is a one-room house that is connected to a porch
that is connected to a kitchen which is shared by maybe two other or
three other single men, you pay anywhere from $4 to $6.50 per month
for that bedroom and for a family home which consists of three bed-
rooms, sometimes two. and a hollow area which is connected to the
kitchen by a porch you pay anywhere from $10 to $50 depending on
the size of the home. and the condition of it. And most of these homes
Ihave out-houses and they have another separate dwelling, separate
from the home, that is called a washhouse which we have used as a clay
care center.
Concerning our house program in Kilauea, Wilcox Medical Group
has opened up two dispensaries here which has become the out-patient
clinics and it's running smoothly, it now has a. full schedule and has a
permanent doctor. Our children consist of a mixed variety of races. We
have mainl the Filipino who's parents are immigrants from the
Philippine Islands. Their speech is pidgin. Their knowledge of Hawaii
is practically nil. They are a very supersititious people but a very
loving people. Most of their parents who have come here as immigrants
have come here not knowing how to read or write. This is another pro-
gram. education for adults in our area. That is it.
Mrs. Mixw. You said it very eloquently and very convincingly. I
appreciate very much your coming to describe the conditions of living
in detail which really are so important in having a full record so that
we might. better justify our needs and compete for the money on a
national basis and I want to say I appreciate your coming here and
giving up your time. Do the others have any questions? No. Thank you
very much. The next witness is Arthur Ross.
STATEMEI'TT OF ARTHUR ROSS. MEMBER., BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
KEO
Mr. Ross. Mr. Chairman, Congresswoman Mink and members of the
Panel. I would like, to direct my attention a little bit to one of the other
paragraphs that is contained in part B of the act we are discuss1ng
and that is to equip these seasonal workers with the ability to make a
living in agriculture itself. At the present time, the island of Kauai
ilas very little room for the small farmer, there are only 160 of them,
as a matter of fact, independent of the plantation people tha.t actually
farm here and historically this island was a place where people main-
tained themselves by use of their land. Today that is no longer apparent
although 74 percent of the residents here are classified as rural. There
are many people who have had to fall by the wayside in farming or
just produce for their own consumption.
PAGENO="0039"
35
One of the problems, of course, is the urbanization of the islands
-themselves, which has created such high prices and high taxes that in
effect, we have created artificial zoning which almost prevents the use
of some of this land classified as agricultural from really being used
in that fashion. Your act does afford some possibilities to get some of
these people `or retain them in farming including many of the retirees
from the plantations who are going to be unable to support themselves
with limited social security and pension benefits.
What we really need to do is grow some new products here. True,
there has been suggested to me by the agricultural extension agent
of the University of Hawaii, papaya and the anthurium. Both of these
items have a much greater demand on the mainland than you're prob-
ably aware of, even in Europe for that matter with the anthurium.
One of the local florists is sending that type of flower all over the world.
This is something that can be accomplished here at a profit, and it
would take some education and training of these people as well as
providing them the homes and the bare necessities of life and getting
them established in the community, if we afforded them the oppor-
tunity to farm some of this land.
Now, I'm on the board of directors of the KEO and I'm also an
attorney. I have only lived in the islands about 6 years and I have been
on this island only 13 months, but you know you can't help but look
at some of these situations or else when you get involved in a program
like KEO you come away with their `problems. Particularly, when
you're their legal advisor. So, I have done some work of my own and
I ftnd that the vegetable farmer, he's out of luck, the market is so
sensitive here in Honolulu that any slight increase in production is
going to have a drastic effect at the marketplace and tumble all the
prices which is going `to keep people from getting in this business.
So, my feeling is, if you want to keep these people in farming and
we have at least, I would say, 2,500 workers in my opinion from sugar,
to pineapple, to vegetables or any method of growing, taro and so on
and so forth, these fellows are barely making a living at this business,
and they need `to be retrained and have an opportunity to `continue in
their line of work. `One of the problems when you do give out money is
that the money is ill-spent because we don't put it in the hands of
proper management and I have suggested to the KEO that they hire a
competent group of people to train and educate these people in the
area~ that I'm suggesting. I have one group of men whom I deal with,
I know them personally, who are skilled in this and who have shown an
interest and I'm sure that if we spent some of the money and you
might give to them, we'd benefit very greatly because they are available
for the assistance. We also need help in leasing the land itself. We
can't afford to buy some of this land because the price structure here
just doesn't allow for it. We're on a real estate speculation island even
though it's rural and your help in providing funds would help assist
in recycling some of these people into something more profitable, keep
them in farming and create jobs for these people and `allow the retirees
who live on Kauai to stay, as well as the younger people who are run-
ning away because they can't afford to stay here, either economically
or for other reasons. This is one form of help that could be given. The
money should be used for the housing, sanitation, medical health, day
care centers. I believe, we need them all because these people have
families here.
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So, if you'll look at your paragraph 3 in addition to the Other areas
of this act I think you'll be able to take these itinerant or migrant
seasonal workers and turn them into all year-round workers which I
think is what this act is trying to accomplish. Like I don't have any
kernel statistics on any of the areas about housing and so forth, I think
they have been amply covered. There are some other people in the
audience that need to talk to you about the problems of the elderly in
this area, and I think they, too, if they were allowed to farm in the
commune manner, 20 acres or so were given to the people in addition
to the housing so that they could farm anthurium there and maintain
their payments and everything else just from that product if we get
them trained in it. This may be where you can give us some funds.
Mrs. MINK. We appreciate your comments Mr. Ross. They have been
most helpful to the committee and you may be sure the committee's
interests are the same as yours and we'll be pursuing those aspects of
it very vigorously.
Mr. Hawkins?
Mr. HAWKINS. Mr. Ross, only one. You mentioned itinerant farm-
workers. I take it there are a certain nimiber of workers who are not
really fixed to any particular location with respect to a particular
plantation and there are some who do move from one place to another
and from one crop to another, is that true, to your knowledge?
Mr. Ross. Particularly the pineapple people, a lot of boys come over
from the mainland and some of them migrate from other islands.
Mr. HAWKINS. They might be considered migrants?
Mr. Ross. I would consider this, there's a couple of hundred every
year doing this. They start here and end up on the island of Lanai.
Mr. HAWKINS. They hit here every summer?
Mr. Ross. Yes. There are other yoimgsters I meet too, on the road,
trying to farm. I'm not just confining myself to pineapple now, they
are trying to plant carrots, tomatoes, or anything they call natural
food and other organic growth they are trying to grow here. The
health food people promote quite a bit and it's catching on all over.
Mr. HAWKINS. Thank you very much.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much. Are there any other individuals
here that would like to make a statement or give testimony at this
time to the subcommittee. Mr. Ralph Hirota, chairman of the county
council, county of Kauai.
STATEMENT OF RALPH HIROTA, CHAIRMAN, COUNTY COUNCIL,
COUNTY OF KAUAI
Mr. HIROTA. First of all, I apologize for coming up here, I know
everybody is hungry and they are anxious to get on with their lunch.
I'd like to thank you especially, Mrs. Mink for your efforts in behalf
of the people of K.auai, your continuing efforts, because you have
made it possible to a great extent in bringing not only this committee
but other committees here to Kauai so that they can hear from our
people firsthand about their problems and needs, and I would like to
express my appreciation as well as the people's appreciation.
I would also like to thank you, Ohairman Hawkins for bringing
this meeting to Kauai to listen to our needs.
Although our economy is a sickly and faltering one and `has been,
this is shifting very rapidly into a service-oriented economy. In spite
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of this shift our economy base, which is agriculture, remains as our
basic industry for `a long time to come. In fact, during the last `few
years and especially during this last year there `has `been' a tremendous
effort made by the State legislature and the State under the leadership
`of `Governor Burns to preserve `agriculture here in Kau'ai, which has
been our basic industry. And we here on K.auai are making similar
efforts `in this area because we `believe that we must preserve our basic
industry, which `has been `agriculture, to maintain `a viable economy.
Housmg, manpower training, `adult education, `all of these things
are needed and we need financial `assistance as well as technical assist-
`ance in these areas. This is especially true of displaced families such
as Kil'auea Camp just `mentioned by the other witnesses. Housing `is a
problem in our family condition also. `Several people mentione'd the
need for housing in Hanalei `for taro growers. My thinking was spe-
cifically called to the need `for employee housing. The taro farmers
need agricultural workers `and these workers `are not `available because
of the closing of the sugar company `but they need to have housing
provided for them, preferably on the farm and then homes that will
eventually have to be vacated and we will have to replace these homes
and I was asked to bring this matter to your attention.
Many of these w'orkers who get displaced because of the needs of the
job or because o'f a shift or change in our economy will need retraining,
`and although sugar will remain as our `basic agricultural industry,
there's increases in the fields of horticulture, nurseries `are on the in-
crease, someone mentioned flower culture which has real good potential,
and I envision Kauai growing more and more in the scientific field and
experiments with the various type of plants, and especially in the field
,of tropical plants with the establishment of botanical gardens. There
are new educational programs that have been instituted with the coin-
munity college, but we will be requiring `retraining programs and man-
power training programs as these new types of industries or businesses
begin to flourish `here, and this is going to `happen in my observation
more and more; at an accelerating rate.
I think before we can `embark into this `area we will need the coopera-'
tion and, `of course, the consent of the plantations which `have over the
last probably 10 years, `have decided that they are going t'o get out of
housing and they are' phasing out the housing program and the only,
program `at the present time is to maintain as well as possible with a
minimum amount of repairs done on homes and t'o open up subdivisions
where their employees can purchase and build their own homes. So,
unless we can o'btain the `consen't of t'he plantations, t'he rehabilitation
that is possible that we were talking about earlier will not be `able to
be implemented because of their desire to get out of the housing situa-
tion. This has not been a `profitable thing for them.
Again, I'd like to thank you, Mrs. Mink, and members of the com-
mittee for this committee giving an opportunity to our people to
present our views.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very much; we appreciated hearing from
you. Would anybody else care to be heard? Mayor Vidinha, it's a
privilege to h'ave your presence here during the hearing and we'll be
delighted to h'ave your statement.
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STATEMENT OP ANTONE VIDINHA, MAYOR, KAUAI COUNTY
Mr. YmINHA. Thank you. Mrs. Chairman, Mr. Hawkins and mem~
bers of your committee. Aloha and welcome to Kauai. We are very'
happy indeed that you came to visit us and to head the previous
speeches of the needs of this county. I'm looking at my time, it's
twenty-five to one, 12 o'clock is lunchtime.
I've lived here all my life. This is very important for members of
the community. All of my life. As mayor of this county I have many,
many concerns, public concerns. I feel it is very important that you
caine up here to hear the people speak on these particular items. It's
very important but I'd like to start from the needs of a human being.
Let's talk about that. Let's talk about the unemployed.
Think about all of our unemployed. The people living on low in--
comes. The people on pensions, very small pensions. All of these people
are in need and the need is money. Money! Now, how can we get this
money to these people. Now, today's matter is housing. A hungry
man needs food. In my own lot, food is No. 1 priority. Two health;
health is second as far as I'm concerned. Third, clothing. Fourth,
shelter. That is what we are iii need of today. Fifth, education.
Sixth, transportation. Seventh, don't forget recreation, people need.
recreation, but today's matter is housing and we need housing badly for
this type of people, the senior citizens, the low income people on small
pensions, you just heard a farmer speak who only had $125 a month,
a maximum social security check, and it's pretty hard for a person of
that age to get by on that. He said if it came to a last resort he'd sell
his land, and this he doesn't want to do. And his land goes to specula-
tors. I think that keeping these families on the land is very very impor-
tant. I'm not going to give you any details and statistics and so forth
this afternoon `but I'll forward my testimony in writing to you and
I'd like to know whether it's alright for me to do this.
Mrs. MINK. The Chairman, Mr. Hawkins, of the subcommittee has:
assured me the record will be kept open for whatever testimony or'
backup statistics you care to present for 3 weeks.
Mr. VIDINHA. Three weeks from today?
Mrs. MINK. Yes; at that time the inquiries that were posed to us
here `will also be inserted intothe record and in approximately 3 weeks-
time the record will go to press.
Mr. VIDINHA. Thank you very much. That's all' I have. You're all
hungry and if you `are going to travel you need to eat something.
Mrs. MINK. Thank you very, very much everyone for coming to the-
meeting. The meeting is now adjourned.
(The hearing adjourned at 12 :50 p.m., August 23, `1972.)
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