Laie can grow while yet staying ‘country’

When I graduated from the Church College of Hawaii (now Brigham Young University-Hawaii) in 1962, Laie seemed to have reached a turning point. The college was now a fully accredited four-year university. The Polynesian Cultural Center was under construction and would soon become internationally known while providing local jobs. Everyone — and I mean everyone — was working hard to build this community, to bring opportunity to the families living in this special place.

In those days, Laie families could see a viable future for their children. But now, grandparents and parents are unsure the next generation can hang on in their hometown. They are worried about losing the community’s family-centered life that has fostered many generations.

The people of Laie and Koolauloa are at a crossroad. The generations that have followed mine have fewer choices. More and more are leaving the moku, and even Hawaii, after trying for too long to make it work.

Another choice we see is many generations living under one roof, pooling resources to keep the family together. The increasing number of slippers outside area homes tell us just how far the quality of life has dropped for the longtime residents. Surrounding them are expensive second homes for the wealthy.

This is not right. Laie and Koolauloa are special because of the people who live there. You lose the people and you lose what is special about "the country." The best way to "keep the country country" is to keep young people and families living, working and playing in the country.

I have enjoyed the privilege of spending a part of my life in the country. Much of my family still lives there, and my husband and I return to the area every chance we get. We see two sides of Laie.

Contrasting the homes bursting at the seams, we see beautiful, oceanfront homes owned by those who can afford life in the country regardless of the lack of job opportunities and high housing costs. Laie was once an affordable neighborhood, but now the average home price is nearing $700,000. Sparse inventory is a huge part of the problem.

Since 2009, when the Envision Laie community planning process was introduced, residents have been mapping out new ideas about how to sustain their families. Since that time, I’ve watched the community come together again, with hope, to talk about a future. The solutions are not easy and will require effort by everyone involved. In the many years we’ve been talking about making changes to enable locals to stay in Laie, we’ve lost some wonderful families who saw a better life elsewhere. What a shame.

I am hopeful that our elected officials will help choose a better life for the newest generations in Laie and Koolauloa. We need affordable housing for the kids’ sake. Results so far are encouraging — the proposed city plan currently under review includes much needed housing, along with moderate growth for the community and its major employers. Residents are grateful that city planners have heard the voice of the people.

Let’s "keep the country country" for country families and not let this beautiful place stagnate. There’s so much to lose, starting with the children.