Palolo Valley | Shafkat Anowar

Treasure from Old Hawai‘i

If ever taken a stroll through far in Palolo Valley, anyone would generally notice kids playing in quiet neighborhoods, people hanging out in the parking lot and wild pigs fighting on the backyard. Palolo Valley Homes part of Palolo Valley community sits deeper in the valley against the Koolau Mountains, away humming Kaimuki. Serving homes to thousands of low-income residents, this place carries a legacy of ancient Hawaii. Some of the residents have lived here for over 50 years and have returned to “Palolo Valley” which they no matter what refers to "home."

For years, the Palolo stream running through the valley divides is acting as a border that divides the community in the federal and stateside. Coming from the entrance, up until the stream is the federal side called the “Palolo Valley Homes,” operated by an association formed by community members. Whereas the stateside known as the “Mutual Housing,” maintained by a private company.

Shey Lopez (right most) spends time with his kids and brother in law (Left most). Lopez moved to the Palolo Valley Homes two years ago and now living in with his girlfriend who is a Palolo native, Tashiana (not in the picture).

Entrance of Palolo Valley Homes

Dal Phne, born and raised in Palolo Valley and president of Palolo Valley Homes has been living in the state side of the housing for years now.

She along with couple of others from the community formed their own association when they were discriminated during the renovation of the housing. “Before it was one community. We used to have one neighborhood board, community meetings always one. When we had our meeting to plan to get it renovated, we all went from the federal side, we did everything. But when it came to hit the nitty-gritty, they kicked us out and tell us that we have to build our own association, our own board and our own everything.”For the past 15 years, she has been serving the community as the president where her main job is to attend any issues in the community.

Dal Phne currently works at the University of Hawaii Geophysics department and lives at the Palolo valley homes with her husband, daughter and her grand kids.

Three of Dal phne’s sisters were living over here before she moved in. She applied for public housing and landed in the federal side when she and her husband did not work out.

Dal Phne and her sister’s family attends a get together during 2020 new years eve. “One thing with us, our Palolo we come together as one. We can go to our neighbors and ask for cups of sugar and they give us,” Dal Phne said when asked about how the neighborhood is different than other low income housings.