Gov. Linda Lingle made a rare appearance in front of a state board yesterday to rebut criticism of a plan that would convert public housing units in Kalihi into a transitional homeless shelter.

"I don't consider it dumping to allow 13 families ... to live in a decent, safe, clean place. I consider it the right thing to do," Lingle told the state Public Housing Authority board. "What you're doing is giving families a chance."

Residents, several lawmakers and even the head of the state Public Housing Authority have voiced opposition to converting the units at Puahala Homes, saying it would be unfair to the more than 7,000 people on the waiting list for public housing.

They also say it could engender ill will among Puahala Homes residents.

"It is patently unfair to have others essentially cut in line," said Kalihi resident Francis Nishimura, in testimony to the board. "How would you feel if you were them?"

The units are needed to house families from the state's Next Step shelter in Kaka'ako, which will be forced to move this summer to make way for the new Office of Hawaiian Affairs headquarters. Officials are scrambling to find interim space for the Next Step shelter residents in Honolulu, while they also look for land to house a permanent $20 million facility for Next Step somewhere in the urban core.

Officials have not divulged any other potential locations that could house the more than 200 people at Next Step, but have said the process has been difficult given the dearth of available land in Honolulu and the potential response from residents.

Amid the firestorm surrounding the Puahala Homes proposal, officials have not said whether there are similar plans to convert any other housing units for shelter space.

The Public Housing Authority board decided in October to tentatively move forward with the Puahala Homes plan, which included renovating 14 units that would together form a transitional shelter, housing families for up to two years and offering programs to help connect people with employment, job training and social services.

Last month the board decided to hold off on making the proposal permanent so residents could get a chance to share their thoughts. The board did not put the proposal up for a vote yesterday, but members said they could as early as next month.

Lingle said the 13 families that the state wants to move into the units would be subject to tougher rules than their neighbors, including a zero tolerance policy for drugs and alcohol. She pointed out that all of the families have at least one adult working full time.

Lingle sat next to Chad Taniguchi, executive director of the Hawai'i Public Housing Authority, at the meeting as she responded to an e-mail he sent urging public housing board members to drop the plan. "In an e-mail he sent ... (he said), 'The decision you made was not right,' " she told the board members.

"But I came to applaud your decision."

Lingle said she has only twice before chosen to speak before a state board or commission. She also asked the board to move as quickly as possible on the matter.

After the governor spoke, Taniguchi told the board he wasn't convinced.

"We're taking away from the public housing inventory and making it available to the homeless inventory," he said, adding that many of the people on the list for public housing are homeless. "I have been advocating that the board rescind its decision."

Some residents also spoke out against the plan, while a few supported it.

Gisele Ferreira of Liliha said that converting some units for transitional use makes sense.

"As a community, we need to do all we can to support homelessness," she said. "I know that this is something we need to do, and I support what you're trying to do."

Reach Mary Vorsino at mvorsino@honoluluadvertiser.com.