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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Public housing curfew delayed until Thursday night

Advertiser Staff

A 10 p.m. curfew at Kalihi Valley Homes will go into effect Thursday night, the state said.

Meanwhile, a similar curfew at Kuhio Park Terrace is expected to start early next week.

The curfews are meant to head off confrontations between feuding gangs at the two projects, and were announced in the wake of a shooting Monday.

Denise Wise, Hawai'i Public Housing Authority executive director, said KVH started a voluntary curfew Tuesday night and no problems were reported.

"It was one of the quietest nights they've had," she said.

Residents are being notified of the curfew with letters posted to their doors. The letter says all residents — including adults — must be in their units by 10 p.m. and guests must be gone by that time. Overnight passes for guests will be given in emergencies, and people who work late must register with security to be let in.

The curfew plan was announced following a shooting Monday that left two injured, one seriously.

It was originally going to be put in effect immediately, but housing officials decided to push back implementation so that residents could be better informed and to tackle other logistical issues.

Some have questioned the legality the plan, but the state says it's within its right to institute a temporary curfew to deal with an emergency security problem on its properties.

The shooting came in the wake of two beatings and a stabbing at Kalihi Valley Homes this month, and was part of what police have described as an escalating feud between gang members who live at KVH and KPT.