Over the summer, the Aala Respite facility was set up as part of a joint effort between the city and state to provide shelter and medical care for vulnerable, medically fragile people who’ve experienced long-term homelessness on Oahu.

The facility’s site, a former First Hawaiian Bank branch at 445 N. King St. that the city purchased in 2023 with an eye toward future affordable housing, is now staffed with a full medical team to establish care for the homeless.

Managed by Dr. Scott Miscovich and Premier Medical Group Hawaii, the Aala Respite features about 30 medical treatment beds and 30 kauhale, or tiny homes, for use as transitional housing.

But for the kauhale units themselves, one issue persists — the lack of electricity.

“The electrification of the kauhale is still in progress,” Scott Humber, the mayor’s communications director, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser this week. “Electricians are currently working on the wiring, and a transformer needs to be ordered, which will need to be shipped from the mainland before installation can proceed.”

At a Sept. 16 news conference where Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Gov. Josh Green officially unveiled the new facility, Miscovich told the Star-Advertiser the Aala Respite offers beds for up to 62 patients, but then housed 45 people.

“And we’d be full by now, but we don’t have power (available) yet to all of the kauhale,” Miscovich said, noting the former bank branch itself is fully powered, air-conditioned and used to perform medical- related treatments and on-site care for the seriously ill. “That was a little hiccup, because the power that came in from the street needs another generator and needs another transformer, and that will be done” by the end of September for the kauhale.

For those residing in the unpowered, one-person kauhale units, hand-held battery-operated equipment is used, especially at night, he said.

“I bought these little chargeable fans that have a light,” he said previously. “Once a day, they’ve got to bring them in and trade them in for another (recharged) fan to keep them cool.”

The appearance of this homeless care site comes as the number of houseless people on Oahu continues to rise.

Based on the latest Point in Time Count data released in May, the number of homeless people on the island increased for the second year in a row — to 4,494 in January — with the greatest increase among those considered “unsheltered,” meaning they were not staying in homeless shelters.

Anton Krucky, city Department of Community Services director, previously told the Star-Advertiser that to assist the city’s effort, the state provided the portable kauhale.

“And DCS supports the building, so keeping it running, getting electricity up,” Krucky said. “We brought the toilets and showers and all of that kind of stuff, we’ll get it hooked up to sewer, all that kind of stuff DCS does.”

“So we take care of the building for them, and the state gives us money for the contract,” he added.

Krucky said it costs about $1.5 million to $2 million “to run a cohort, or a shelter, for a thing like this on a yearly basis.”

Previously, the Mayor’s Office stated Premier Medical would manage Aala Respite “on a $4-million annual contract that runs through June 30, 2025.”

However, Humber told the Star-Advertiser this week that no contract yet exists with the firm.

“A formal contract is currently in progress,” he said, adding a finalized contract “will be for the Aala Respite only.”

Instead of a contract, the Mayor’s Office pointed to a five-page “scope of work” proposal Miscovich submitted to the city on July 22.

According to that proposal, Premier Medical “seeks assured financial assistance from the City and County of Honolulu to support the implementation of this project” and notes it also seeks $4.2 million annually — or $350,000 monthly — for this work.

“The funding will cover staffing costs, operational expenses, outreach efforts, and program evaluation,” the document states.

It further notes Premier Medical will “focus on conducting assessments and providing referrals to appropriate services, including stable housing, emergency/transitional shelters, hospitals, treatment or detox, support with relocation or family reunification, acute urgent care services, the use of the internet and television for educational streaming, meals, laundry and trash pickup will also be available to inpatient respite and residents along with 24/7 security to ensure the safety of both staff and residents.”

The proposal adds “the utilities for water, electricity, and sewer and the cost of all meals at the facility” will be provided by the city.