When a mandatory curfew went into effect at Kalihi Valley Homes, it was the first of it's kind for a housing project in Hawaii. Now the tenants association at Mayor Wright hopes it won't be the last.
"Before the incident at Kalihi Valley Homes and Kuhio Park Terrace with the gangs, we had those going on for 4-5 years already," says Fetu Kolio, Mayor Wright Tenants Association President.
Kolio has lived at Mayor Wright for over a decade. He says violence in his housing project seems to go unnoticed.
"Gangs terrorize the neighborhood whether it's drugs, rival with others the violence is there, it's just everyone seems to be blind about it."
He wants the Public Housing Authority to step in - placing a curfew similar to that at Kalihi Valley Homes. And he has the support.
"Unfortunately I don't think the situation is any better at Mayor Wright then at Kuhio Park Terrace or Kalihi Valley Homes that's why I suggested they consider doing a temporary curfew there," says Rep. Karl Rhoads, (D) Palama.
Rep. Rhoads sent a letter to the Public Housing Director urging action.
"If we got people saying can we have it too, that's telling me something," said Denise Wise, Hawaii Public Housing Authority.
Wise says she doesn't know of any other housing authorities in the nation with projects asking for curfews.
"Somehow they believe it's an effective tool and something we need to work on.
But she says placing a mandatory curfew on Kalihi Valley Homes was a unique case and not something she plans to do regularly.
"So as far as putting a curfew on another property that's a whole nother matter," says Wise.
The curfew at Kalihi Valley Homes expires in less than 4 months.
The Housing Authority says they are open to meeting with the various housing projects to come up with other solutions to curb night-time activity.
