Thursday, June 21, 2012

Mayor Wright Housing | Honolulu Magazine


Matt Mallams and I photographed a family living in public housing hell at Mayor Wright Homes in downtown Honolulu, with gang activity, rat infestations, bed bugs, and until a year ago no hot, running water. We spent time with Frances Wong and her many adopted children she's taken into her home, made friends with the neighborhood kids playing at the playground made of old tires, explored the grounds of the housing project, and met with the lawyer, Victor Geminiani, that has been helping the community of Mayor Wright. We felt sympathy for the people we met and sad to hear that when we were working on this story for Honolulu Magazine, neighbor TJ "Tipuk" Mori was stabbed after an argument that night, we went to his memorial service the following day. We hope this article can bring some change to their living conditions.























1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's the PEOPLE that makes the place a living HELL. When I was living at MWH when I was young during my elementary & intermediate days until we got evicted, I can say it was HOME, a rood over our head! Coming from another district, I got mobbed, but I made friends. I did not go to Kaiulani but did attend Central? Everyone looked out for one another. I had Samoan friends, Hawaiian friends, Chinese friends and so on.
No matter where you live there will be Crimes, Drugs and Robbery, both poor and rich neighborhoods.
Like I said, "It's the people that will determine how the neighbood will be, Good or HELL!!!