Family Promise of Hawaii has expanded its efforts to support homeless families by opening a new center in Wahiawa, following the recent launch of its innovative temporary housing center in Moiliili.

The newly opened Ohana Navigation Center Wahiawa, at 360 California Ave., provides critical support for families with children experiencing homelessness. The three-story facility can house up to 12 families — or 48 individuals — and includes 18 parking stalls for residents, staff and volunteers.

The center features 24 rooms, each equipped with a wet bar, private bathroom, mini fridge and microwave, ensuring comfort and basic amenities. Rooms are arranged around a central indoor courtyard designed to foster a sense of community, while lockable doors provide privacy and safety for residents.

Additional shared resources include a fully stocked community food pantry with essentials such as a rice cooker, and a supply closet offering toiletries and other necessities.

To further support families, the facility has two offices for its three case managers and an office for a state Department of Education liaison who helps students experiencing homelessness access educational resources.

The property, which was previously a drug and alcohol treatment center operated by Hope Inc., was purchased by the city in May 2023 for $6.9 million using community development block grant funds. After undergoing renovations, it has been transformed into a safe haven for families in need.

Family Promise began leasing the facility from the city about a month and a half ago for $100 a month, allowing the nonprofit to focus its resources on assisting residents. The center welcomed its first families Friday.

Operated by the organization, the Ohana Navigation Center Wahiawa offers free short-term housing along with comprehensive case-management services to help families transition into stable, permanent housing.

The first family to move into the Ohana Navigation Center Wahiawa was Kahala Cenal, 46, and his wife Keiki Cenal, 44, who lost their home on July 11.

The couple, who previously lived in Ewa Beach, told the Honolulu Star-­Advertiser that they faced “family problems” and “made some poor decisions” that ultimately led to their eviction.

Although their family includes two teenage children and a dog, Kahala and Keiki did not want their children to experience homelessness on the streets, so they arranged for the teens to stay with relatives.

Meanwhile, the couple lived in their car at Ewa Beach Park until Oct. 18, when they were accepted into Family Promise’s interim housing site in Pearl City, which offers free, short-term housing for families to sleep, study and regain stability.

Once the Wahiawa center was ready to serve the community, the Cenals moved into the new facility on Friday.

Keiki Cenal, who started a new job as a catering server Wednesday afternoon following the Wahiawa center’s opening ceremony, expressed gratitude toward Family Promise for helping her family.

“I’m very excited for the future,” she said, adding that the support has helped her work toward getting her family’s lives back on track.

The two ground-floor units at the Ohana Navigation Center Wahiawa are designed for easy access to accommodate people under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Cenal family resides in one of these units, as it offers convenient space for their pet, including a designated area for the dog’s kennel.

Family Promise is also exploring options to install an elevator or another accessible feature in the three-story building to better accommodate families with disabilities.

“(Family Promise) gave us a new chance at living a better life today,” Kahala Cenal said. “Family Promise not only gave us a roof over our heads and food in our bellies, but they’re helping us set up for success, getting us into permanent housing and stuff like that. I’m truly grateful for that — for me, my family and my dog.”

He also said that his case manager works with his family every week to come up with a plan and ensure that he and his wife can find better jobs to succeed in life.

“I pretty much speak for everybody, all the families that live here, how much gratitude they have for this place,” Kahala Cenal said.