Waimanalo Homestead

Hello, my name is Shalei Eleneke. I am 70 years of age, a native Hawaiian, a successor to my Mom, who passed away in 2016 and lived on Waimanalo Homestead Land. 

 

On December 25, 2019, due to a power surge, my house burned. The power went out in all of Waimanalo, and four hours later, when it came back on, one of the sockets burst into flames. I was awakened by a popping sound when the window shattered, the tv was on, and I smelt smoke. I stood up from the recliner to search where the scent was coming from. As I approached the hallway, I saw the reflection of flames coming from my Mom's bedroom. I ran out of the house screaming fire, fire, fire. I never felt a sense of community as I did that day when I saw all of my neighbors running with buckets, bowls and pots filled with water to battle the blaze. The firefighters got there in time before the structure burnt to the ground. Unfortunately, the Fire Inspector deemed it uninhabitable. Fortunately, my mother had fire insurance.

 

In April 2020, I received the initial payment from the insurance company.  Given the demolition cost, permits, fees and labor, the insurance money is not sufficient to cover the current cost to rebuild. I have since reached out to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and was turned down due to no available funds and policies regarding my situation. Also, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs Malama Loan policies can only assist with repairs, not a rebuild. I do not qualify for a loan because I am on a fixed income of only Social Security and the land is leased.
  
I suffered from a stroke in 2006 which left me with brain stem damage . On January 1, 2019, the ER Neurosurgeon said I was having seizures due to a brain tumor. Later that month, I had surgery to remove the tumor. In April, I had a second surgery to remove the infection. A PICC line was inserted into my arm for me to self-administer the antibiotics for two months. In July, I received a third surgery to install a Titanium cap to replace the portion of my skull that was removed.

I have no alternatives for financing my $60,000 shortfall. I have already decreased the size of the home from four bedrooms to two. Therefore, I am requesting for your assistance in any amount.

Due to my age, permanent health conditions and limited financial resources, I am reaching out for help.

Sincerely and truly grateful,

Shalei Eleneke