Is Puna Stuck In a Rut? Positive Solutions?

[Samdooby]

I am interested to see what the age demographics is here at Punaweb...

Myself, I am 30. The wife 26. Moved here 2 years ago. Fairly young for "transplants"

Damon, you hit the nail right on the head...

I am in the last stages on my Nursing degree. Most of my classmates are about 8-10 years younger than me. I talk-story w/ them all the time. Most if not all have already booked their flights to the mainland for work. When I tell them I moved here from the mainland, their first response, "why?"

These young people are leaving at an alarming rate..
The reason:
Nothing to do. Born and raised here. Want to see something new, etc.
Guess what, more people are staying on the mainland than returning to their roots.
There is just endless options there. I understand the not wanting to be like ____.
But at the rate we are going, no one wants to develop here on the East Side and no one wants to stay b/c of that. We are losing more and more health care professionals each year. Whos going to take care of the future generation? Whos going to take care of you?

And sad but true, I have already explored moving to Kona or Maui. I like Puna but I am all about options. Options, options, options...

[missydog1]

I absolutely think Puna should have business centers so as to cut down on trips to Hilo, and bring jobs to Puna.

It's the refashioning for tourist consumption that can come back to bite a community.

What you want to avoid is that when you go to town, most of the people walking up and down are tourists, not people who live there doing business in town. You also want parking that is more than adequate because it's incredibly annoying to drive in to town and then have to turn around because you can't park.

I've seen it happen, and it could happen in Pahoa too. I doubt it will happen unless the blighted look is cleaned up though, and the property owners seems to be less than gung ho about that.

I would like to see the blight go, without seeing tourists take over the sidewalks.
I am not at all anti-tourist; the problem is when tourists outnumber the locals in their own town. It messes up the town's sense of identity.

[JWFITZ]

I agree kids here need opportunity, but there's little opportunity most places in the world at this moment. As well, let's point out that working in a gift shop owned by wealthy retirees from the mainland is hardly opportunity. If anything, it is exploitation. I believe Puna at the moment has near unlimited potential for any wanting to grasp it. The tradition was agriculture and will be again. Agriculture is the boom industry of this decade, every major investment group or hedge fund in the world sees this and is scrambling for those opportunities. It's time we wake up and see these possibilities too.

I'd say forget the tourists and stick with what the Big Island was known for. Such an approach is respectful of history, retains authenticity, and boldly projects success in a new future.

[lotus]

I like Kapohocat's idea of using the sampan as a shuttle up and down town for people. What a great way to retain our charm and create some inner-town transportation. It might not seem like it, but Pahoa Village road is really too long to walk unless you are in good shape and don't mind being at risk for getting hit by a car. And it doesn't make sense to keep getting in and out of your car when you could pick up a shuttle that has a few stops up and down the road.

I think this is such an important topic and we should keep exploring positive ways to make changes here. I strongly urge all of you to come to the Mainstreet Pahoa Business meetings and bring your input to the table. Right now, we do a lot of talking, but not that many people show up. I think we could get so much more done if the people who have opinions would put their ideas into action!

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones that never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars."

[StillHope]

Nicer roads,more stores,better jobs,arts galleries,more colleges-better future for kids...

Eventually it could be done (if investors will be willing to forget about volcanoes..)

But Puna will be as expensive as Oahu.

We can not have it both ways.

[csgray]

The only way to make a living wage off tourists is as an entrepreneur. Employees in the tourism industry don't earn living wages. But in many places the population which saved rundown communities and neighborhoods from further desolation is the so called "creative class". These are artisans, small scale manufacturers, local food producers (both retail and wholesale) and performers who can jointly become an engine for economic growth at a small scale.

In the natural cycle of communities this population moves into the town/city centers which have become rundown and a little scary when the pre existent businesses move to the outer edges where they can have huge parking lots. The risktaking "creative class" are attracted by cheap rents available in these areas and are willing to put up with the general scruffiness and higher crime risk. By their presence they attract visitors and customers who then attract more businesses, who then attract more customers and so on. The hard part is stopping the process before it moves into full scale gentrification and prices all the locals out. Here Madame Pele and the counterculture aspects of Pahoa should slow the roll towards gentrification.

The sky high rents in Pahoa town have prevented this normal cycle from occurring. We have had the move to the edge of town for the businesses that residents patronize for their basic needs (Malama Marketplace and now Woodlawn Center), but the rents downtown are too high to allow the creative class to move in. In my opinion the high rents downtown are dooming it to staying half empty and scary.



Carol

[mdd7000]

Rob Tucker - EXACTLY! Form based design codes for ANY new development needs to be initiated and put into place immediately or you will end up with typical suburbia strip centers and fast food places. The code has to be enforced equally for ALL NEW DEVELOPMENT. This would be a very important first step for the area. The current fast food additions are an example of what will continue to happen if it is not acted upon. Fast food franchises are fine - but the building style and parking arrangements must fit into the environment.

[missydog1]

>>As well, let's point out that working in a gift shop owned by wealthy retirees from the mainland is hardly opportunity. If anything, it is exploitation.

LOL, I DID point that out Jay <poke>

[JWFITZ]

Indeed you did--LOL

We need to understand in terms of the larger picture that the entire business paradigm is undergoing change. Much of what may have been a sensible development plan or smart entrepreneurialism may no longer fit what develops as the new paradigm. We are facing most importantly a future of what some notables have termed "uneconomic growth"-in other words an immediate future in which costs and constraints are so high that few endeavors ever achieve profitability. Tourism as it is typically defined is likely one of those. In order to entice the largely fictitious tourist with deep pockets, investments in infrastructure must be made, but the costs in infrastructure are so great that there aren't enough tourists to recoup. It's very likely that this scenario may well pan out to a valid one.

It's very possible locally that further development will destroy economic gains, further impoverishing the community. At least it's worth considering if the possibility exists.

This is why emphasizing first order productive ability is key, as first order productivity is the only "sustainable" means of profitability. In terms of possible production for the Big Island, and since I see next to no market for rock, it seems that there's really only one option--which is agriculture. The timing is excellent, as most of the areas that local growers have competed with--Mexico, Central Valley, etc., are in states of now permanent drought and ecological collapse.

A kid right now could purchase a 1 acre lot for about the same sort of money thrown at stupid tires and rims and a thumper stereo. 2 years later that farm could be a paying proposition. Few areas have that level of opportunity, but often opportunity really comes down to "what it is you're willing to do."

[Word Mama]

I agree with Erlinda and Rob -- Pahoa is an "alternative" style tourist attraction for those seeking vacations that are not your cookie-cutter "on the beach with the umbrella drink" routine.

I came to Puna because of the "alternative atmosphere." I love it here because it reminds me of the hippy heydey of my childhood in Hollywood in the 60s and 70s. In fact, today's Pahoa seems more hippy, Rasta, and free, then back in this old lady's day.

We do need infrastructure. We need improved roads, wheelchair access for those with disabilities of any age, medical facilities (too many auto accidents), drug stores, and darn it -- a good sushi restaurant wouldn't hurt either! I also, frankly would like to see one more grocery store in Puna - to give a little friendly competition in the price department.

And let's hear it for those book stores, museums, coffee houses that promote live music, the health food store, and the local farmers who struggle to grow affordable produce for our farmer's markets in Pahoa and Makuu. Let's hear it for those promoting dances, scuba clubs, barbecues, church bazaars and long-house functions.

I would also like to see a small movie theatre (why do we always have to drive to Hilo??) or some community plays, put on by local kids, or drama-minded adults. (Surely there is a lot of drama somewhere on this island ... lol, wink).

News travels across the globe instantaneously. Bloggers on the Big Island are doing us a wonderful service by promoting Puna as an alternative location, and by promoting the other natural wonders of the Big Island. I think without their support, this island would suffer big time.

I have traveled to Asia, Africa, Europe, and to about 30 of the 50 states. I think the view from Liluokalani Park, overlooking Hilo Bay, is one of the most beautiful locations on earth. In the past, when people thought of Hawaii, they automatically thought (and still think) of Waikiki, or Oahu. It is only through blogs, and other websites, and print media promoting this island, that we will educate the world in knowing what the Big Island has to offer.

It educates them, and keeps us, and our economy, alive.

- Cyn