Keolahou Assessment Center

The Keolahou Assessment Center (KAC) is Hawaii Island’s first Ohana Zone project, which is located at the site of the Old Hilo Memorial Hospital.  KAC expands emergency shelter capacity in East Hawaii by adding 50 new emergency shelter beds for single men.

KAC is modeled after the Kakaako Family Assessment Center, and is focused on partnering with multiple other organizations to provide supportive services at one centralized location.  Hope Services Hawaii is sub-contracted by Hawaii County to administer day-to-day operations of the shelter, and works in partnership with a number of other local organizations including:

  • Bay Clinic
  • Arc of Hilo
  • The Food Basket
  • Legal Aid Society of Hawaii
  • Hawaiian Community Assets
  • Hawaii Islands HIV/AIDS Foundation
  • Project Vision Hawaii
  • Big Island Substance Abuse Council

While currently focused on providing emergency shelter on the first floor, longer term plans for the KAC facility include the potential of stabilization beds and permanent supportive housing for homeless individuals with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders on the building’s upper floors.