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Poamoho Camp Residents and ILWU Win Right to Homes
by Mike Liu
1/12/06
Residents of Poamoho Camp in Oahu’s Del Monte plantation won the right to keep their homes this past fall. Del Monte Fresh Produce had told the residents, mostly pineapple plantation workers and retirees and members of the International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union (ILWU), that they would be evicted from their homes because Del Monte was moving and ending pineapple production at the plantation. Del Monte, which held the lease to the land under their homes, was giving it back to the landowner, Galbraith Trust. Tracy Takano, ILWU International organizer, said that Del Monte is moving a lot of production to Costa Rica.
The 300 Poamoho Camp residents and union organized and successfully negotiated a complex process, bringing together community leaders, state and city officials, union officials, and an outside developer, who helped save the 63 homes in the neighborhood. Rep. Marcus Oshiro led the legislative efforts. The residents found a local developer, Peter Savio, with a reputation for developing affordable housing, a rare commodity in Hawaii nowadays. After being rejected by numerous banks, Savio found one finally willing to loan money to purchase the plantation and the camp.
