Stan Franco stands for those in need

Jason Schwartz with STAN FRANCO – 6-23-2025—- long time advocate at STAND UP MAUI, Stan Franco has been a County Worker, Family Court supporter, Houselessness Advocate for Decades, former Deacon of the Catholic Church, long-time Maui social justice advocate…

Summary

The video features an in-depth interview between Jason Schwarz and Stan Franco, a long-time Maui resident, community advocate, and deacon in the Catholic Church. The conversation centers on the critical social issues facing Maui, especially the housing crisis, homelessness, and the challenges of maintaining a sustainable and affordable living environment for local residents. Stan Franco shares his extensive experience working in government, social services, and religious communities, highlighting his deep concern for Maui’s future amid escalating housing costs, short-term rental conversions, and political and infrastructural challenges.

Stan emphasizes the urgent need for innovative housing solutions, including converting short-term rentals into long-term affordable homes, strengthening the local construction workforce, and utilizing new building technologies such as prefab and sustainable materials like bamboo and hemp. He stresses the importance of local leadership, community involvement—particularly from seniors and the wealthy—and working collaboratively with government agencies to address water management, infrastructure, and housing development.

Throughout the interview, Stan reflects on Maui’s cultural values, the role of the Catholic Church in social justice, and the need for compassion and unity within the community. He calls for seniors and local leaders to become vocal advocates for change and for a more equitable future where families can afford to live and thrive on Maui. The conversation also touches on the challenges of tourism, climate change impacts (notably the Lahaina fire), and the critical importance of preserving Maui’s identity and “ohana” (family) spirit for future generations.

Highlights

• [02:00] ️ Introduction of Stan Franco, a long-time Maui resident and community advocate with deep roots and extensive experience in homelessness and housing issues.
• [06:20] Discussion on the housing crisis in Maui, including support for converting short-term rentals back to long-term housing to keep locals on the island.
• [11:15] Emphasis on the need to rebuild the local construction industry to create affordable, targeted housing for Maui residents.
• [14:20] Innovative building materials and technologies like hemp blocks and bamboo as sustainable housing options discussed.
• [18:50] ⚖️ Concerns about Maui becoming divided between the wealthy and service workers, losing its middle class and local leadership.
• [23:00] ⛪ Role of the Catholic Church and Pope Francis’ social justice leadership in advocating for the poor and homeless.
• [43:50] Critical issues surrounding water as a public trust and its control by private industry, impacting housing development and sustainability.

Key Insights

• [03:30] ️ Stan’s Multifaceted Role in Community Service: Stan Franco’s background spans government work, homeless shelter management, hospital chaplaincy, and religious leadership. This diverse experience gives him a holistic understanding of Maui’s social challenges and the interconnectedness of housing, health, and spiritual well-being. His long-term presence in Maui provides credibility and deep insight into systemic issues and potential solutions.
• [06:00] ️ Housing Affordability Crisis and Policy Response: Stan strongly supports mayoral efforts to convert short-term vacation rentals into long-term housing to address the scarcity of affordable homes for locals. He recognizes the complexity of balancing tax revenues from vacation rentals with the urgent need to provide stable housing for residents. This highlights the tension between tourism-driven economics and resident welfare.
• [09:00] Building Local Construction Capacity: Stan identifies a critical bottleneck in Maui’s housing crisis: the lack of skilled local labor in construction trades. Training local workers as carpenters, electricians, and plumbers is essential for sustainable growth. This approach not only addresses housing shortages but also creates jobs and retains economic benefits within the community.
• [14:00] Sustainability and Innovation in Housing:The discussion on alternative building materials like hemp blocks and bamboo reflects a forward-thinking approach to affordable housing. Prefab construction and AI-driven building methods could reduce costs and speed development, aligning with environmental sustainability goals and Maui’s unique resource base.
• [18:00] ⚖️ Socioeconomic Divide and Community Cohesion: Stan warns of Maui becoming a polarized society where only the wealthy can afford to live, and the majority serve them without a middle class. This mirrors global trends but is acutely felt on an island with limited resources and space. It underscores the importance of policies that preserve community diversity and leadership rooted in local culture.
• [23:00] ⛪ Faith-Based Social Justice Leadership: The role of the Catholic Church, especially under Pope Francis, is highlighted as a catalyst for compassion and action toward the marginalized. Stan’s role as a deacon includes advocating for the homeless and poor, reflecting the church’s mission to be a practical force for social good, which can inspire broader community efforts.
• [44:00] Water as a Public Trust and Development Bottleneck: Control over water resources is a critical barrier to housing and economic development on Maui. Stan points out that most water is controlled by private interests, limiting public influence over essential infrastructure. Addressing this imbalance is vital for enabling new housing projects and ensuring equitable resource distribution.
• [39:00] Mobilizing Wealth for Community Benefit:Stan proposes creating a “super fund” involving wealthy residents and landowners to invest in affordable housing development and community regeneration. This idea reflects a pragmatic approach to leveraging local wealth for social good without requiring significant personal financial sacrifice, fostering shared responsibility.
• [48:00] Community Unity and Civic Engagement:Stan calls on seniors and local leaders to become more vocal and politically active, emphasizing their voting power and influence. He stresses the need for collective action and community solidarity to address Maui’s pressing challenges, drawing on cultural values of “ohana” and mutual support.
• [54:00] Impact of Climate Change and Disaster Recovery: The discussion touches on the Lahaina fire’s devastating effect on the community and the long-term challenges of climate change on Maui’s infrastructure and housing. This adds urgency to conversations about resilient, adaptable development practices.
• [52:00] Hope and Spiritual Foundation for Change:Despite the challenges, Stan expresses optimism grounded in faith, compassion, and community effort. He views the current moment as a potential turning point for Maui to become a model of regeneration and social justice, inspiring others globally.

This interview provides a comprehensive, nuanced perspective on Maui’s housing crisis and social issues, combining practical policy ideas, innovative technologies, cultural values, and spiritual leadership to envision a sustainable future for the island and its people.

Full Transcript with Timestamp

00:00:05 – 00:01:41[Music] Aloha everyone. This is Jason Schwarz, your host here at the neutral zone. 88.5 FM KAKU, the voice of Maui, Simocast on Akaku Maui Community TV Media, channel 55. You’ll find it in Maui stream, an app on your phone. You’ll find it up on YouTube at Dream Maui number one. Maui neutralzone.com. Bottom line, if you want to find us, you can find us. We have an audience, so we never know who’s here with us on Monday at 11. If you’re here anywhere live and you want to call in and I hear or see

00:01:01 – 00:02:14the phone, 808733435 is the call-in number. We’re an interesting show. We’re a call-in call out talk show. So, if you ever receive a call from us, we’re normally not giving out prizes. We’re talking to someone in our community that we hope is interesting to our viewers and listeners. Right. I have a terrific guest today that I’ve never met, but in the wind for the last, should I say more than decade decades. I have uh heard the name Franco, Stan Franco. I met Norman Franco when I was

00:01:39 – 00:02:54out on the political interview circuit for 15 election cycles. That’s 30 years. And um I was visiting a friend who’s been down on his luck and health challenges. He was uh houseless at the moment down in South Kihei. And there was a young lady there that met that said, “Oh, hi. I know you. Have you have you ever spoken to my father?” So I really do you know who I am? That was good. and she uh was she immediately picked up the phone, called her dad and I said, “Hello, would you like to come00:02:17 – 00:03:39to my show and he said, “Yeah, I’m happy to have this is Stan Franco. Welcome to the show.” Thank you, Jason. Appreciate that. Many of the people out here on the viewing I hope know Stan, but let me see what I know and I’m going to help you help me fill in. right now you are um I want to say you’re really like Superman. You’re a mildmannered guy who is a deacon of the Catholic Church here on Maui and has had much experience in houselessness, homelessness, uh caring for people. You had some kind

00:02:58 – 00:04:20of activity with the county before that. And as I was listening, I was thinking this is the kind of guest not only has a lot to say on so many important subjects, but could probably give us insight over pretty much my lifetime now. I got here in 1988. You’ve been here that long? A bit longer. Longer. Born here. Yes. Born here. Wow. And you’re 35 now. So, yes. How is my description of who and what you are? Is that that’s just sort of the outside. You’re going to have to jump in. I seem to talk too much.00:03:38 – 00:05:03Yeah, I I think Jason the description is adequate. Um I’ve had many jobs here in Maui at one time with the tourist industry uh with the county of Maui uh public works department. Then uh I started a a shelter for the homeless with Father Bob Turner out in Boen at the Holy Family uh church out there. Uh and I was with that for five years. Um at the time we were looking uh I and the board my board chair uh John Decker uh worked with uh Hannibal Tvarez to find the president site that is where Khao is00:04:21 – 00:05:34established right now. And uh so there was you know before that construction h happened I left and went back into government. I worked for family court for uh eight nine years and um basically retired from state and county government and did some work out in the uh community. One of the things that I did was I was a chaplain uh for about nine years uh with the hospital uh working with uh sick patients and their families. So um and then like you mentioned the deacon being a deacon in the Catholic00:04:58 – 00:06:19church I have done a lot of work with with the Catholic Church uh in my capacity as a deacon. So that’s con kind of signs up sums up my life. Uh you met my daughter. I have three girls. I uh raised them in Kihei over the years and currently I live in Haiku basically with my by myself and um life has been good for me. Uh what I I worry about is that it’s not going to be as good for my children and my grandchildren, great grandchildren because Maui has become such a place where people are buying in00:05:38 – 00:07:00at extrem uh uh amounts of money that been poured into Maui and purchasing land and that kind of thing. Uh scares me. Um and the influence that it has on uh the political life here. Uh Right now, the mayor has proposed a bill to try to convert back apartments zone properties uh from short-term rentals to long-term rentals. And uh that’s a I think a noble goal. I think we need to find um homes for our local people because they cannot uh live here. You know, it’s too expensive. We know about00:06:19 – 00:07:41expensive how expensive to live here it is. And so I support his efforts. Uh I know there’s a lot of uh questions about what he’s he’s trying to do, but what he’s trying to do is uh keep people on this island. You know, my family came here in 1880 from uh the Madera and Azor Islands. And so we’ve been here for a long time and uh have a lot of relatives uh and I worry about the the future that’s going to be left to the people that I have been involved with all my life. And uh I’m just scared. I I’m00:07:01 – 00:08:11really really scared about what’s going to happen. I don’t know if how many more years God is going to give me on this earth, but as long as he’s given me some time, I’m going to share about my concerns about the housing situation and how sheltering people are and so important. Uh because if we really believe in Ohana family, we have to have their they have to have a Holly a home for them to uh work as a family. So you’ve heard it said, we can’t build our way out of it. Uh yes yes yes and we we00:07:35 – 00:08:47should be building uh and and uh in addition to the conversion of these uh apartments we need to build as well. So I mean we got to find the water and the infrastructure the county really has to play an essential role which he has not since the uh Kavalio and Tvaris uh administrations. So the county got to be there as a catalyst to make sure things happen. We’re so far behind. How are we going to dig our way out? What do you think? We don’t have enough labor to be able to build at the rate we need to build out.00:08:11 – 00:09:22I mean, that’s what I see. We can say we’re going to do it, but we got to find ways to do this. Well, and and and you you’re right, Jason, and this is where I think the mayor’s thinking is that, you know, this conversion of properties that already are in place. We don’t have to build uh has the water uh designated to them uh for those uh units. Uh you know, we got to start there. Um and we got to build county has to get land. County has some land that they can build on. And um00:08:47 – 00:09:52so we have to be the catalyst to make sure those get built and it’s going to be difficult like you mentioned. I think one of the things that I really want to see happen and this been discussed that we got to start building our construction industry here. uh getting people that are here to want to go into construction so that they’ll be the carpenters, the electricians, and the plumbers of the of the present and the future, you know, so that we can build the housing units that our people can

00:09:19 – 00:10:38afford. It has to be targeted. When I was buying my first house in 1975, an Arumi home in Kihei, um it was affordable to me. I I I was working, my wife was working, and our combined incomes on one job each could make it. Now, people are working two and three jobs. It’s ridiculous. And when the average house is so many, hundreds of thousands and a million dollars. Yeah. I don’t know more than a small handful of people here who can even afford to qualify for a mortgage. Yes. And my big concern, you know, we talking about the00:09:59 – 00:11:16changing the long-term, the short term to long-term. We need the units. It makes sense. And as the look at the real estate industry and knowing that it takes tax revenue to keep our whole place running, it’s a difficult balance because we know that the prices are going to probably go down. yet they’re probably not going to go down enough to be affordable to local people. So it’s like what are we going to do now? We got all these rentals and the owners want rents that are still above the prices of affordable to the00:10:37 – 00:11:54people that live here. So we’ve got this unusual problem that everything is now so high. Yeah. You know, it’s a it’s a complicated issue, which is why I sure stand and look at this and I say I’m glad I don’t have to make that decision. But you bet. I know that the local people here really need and deserve to get a housing program that works for them and isn’t tied to building more and more vacation rental without adequately handling the needs of the present and the future. I also like experimental00:11:15 – 00:12:34housing models where people don’t have a house and they’re like little separate pods. many people having their own little units and a communal kitchen and you know sort of on the idea of a I don’t want to say apartment building but I’ve seen so many different models and now in this age of small housing and and you can build them out of uh stand back and watch the house be built in front of you in an AI pattern construction here in the future I know they desperately need local no local construction industry. Yeah.00:11:55 – 00:13:09But I’m hoping that that industry will also be trained in the new technologies because it’s racing toward us. And I keep feeling like the people on this island need to kind of get more hands-on with technology to let them compete on a global uh basis because otherwise constructed people with their prepackaged hit a button housing and we can make you know we’ve seen so many I’m talking a lot. We’ve seen so many things over the years. I’ve seen lots of ideas taking the cane grass, turning it into building00:12:31 – 00:13:53materials, taking and growing rape seed oil and power and all kinds of different things. Take green waste, turn it into power, extraordinary things. Have you seen any reason why there’s been so little focus on the future? Do you think it’s because of the the turnover in our people or political instruments? What do you think’s going on? That’s an excellent question. Um I asked that question myself many times. Uh it’s somewhat political. Uh and you know the our candidates there are some candidates

00:13:13 – 00:14:17that really look at what is best for the people and sometimes the candidates other candidates don’t. Uh you know, they get elected because they support the construction industry or the development in ind industry. But you’re right, I you know, one of the things that uh I had the opportunity to meet with uh some of the mayor’s staff early on in his administration, I had two people with me from Wahoo that wanted to speak. So, I went uh I got a chance to speak to the chief of staff of the00:13:45 – 00:15:03mayor’s office and he asked me one question. and he said, “What should I what should I take from our conversation to the mayor?” And I said, “Be innovative.” I think that’s what you were talking about. You know, things that had been done in Kentucky, like for instance, using um um I’m slipping my mind now. The using the uh different materials, the uh I’m thinking marijuana plants, but it’s not marijuana. It’s uh the the the cannabis uh the the the growth of uh Oh, yeah.00:14:23 – 00:15:55non THC. Yeah. Yeah. Uh they’re doing that in Kuck and then they’re making that uh into blocks for construction. So, you know, we could grow that here. A lot of that here. The other thing too in uh the uh Asia they’re using a lot of bamboo you know commercial bamboo for building homes and we have bamboo forest right here so we could grow those kinds of things. Um Richard go ahead. Right. Richard Mitchell, who is the director of uh housing right now, was talking about the idea of having a um a um prefab uh00:15:09 – 00:16:20in uh industry here to build the housing that we need so that we don’t have the tremendous cost of shipping those things that we can build build it right on. So what I’m saying Jason there are many many people are given ideas and I think what we we got to be really seriously take those ideas and vet them to see what would work here. Not all of it can be can work but we have to do something and uh we’ve been talking for years now that you know we are not we don’t have resilience here00:15:45 – 00:16:55because we bring everything from the mainland into Hawaii and yet Hawaii can grow so much because we have a like 12 month growth season so why can’t we grow the products that we need that can build homes you should be have been running all this time, we would have had a different place. You would have joined me up there, you know, talking about things before they become critical like they are now. Yep. You know, uh I don’t know if you’ve seen Probably not. We had a guy on here, they call him Sir00:16:19 – 00:17:42Cobalot. He takes sand and straw and dirt clay and builds structures. And he’s built them many places around the world. There are things that can be done here. There are so many ways. Like yesterday, I saw one with taking aluminum frame that they put at the top of fences and putting fabric on it and putting concrete over it. And the costs are a fraction. And again, with all these different models we talk about, seems to me we could house a lot of people. And like you say, if the land, the county, the state, maybe some of our00:17:02 – 00:18:15large land owners that maybe would like some kind of break, donate some of the vast lands that we have here that many thought were not usable because we couldn’t take power there. We can’t deliver water there. Well, now we’re in a time you can deliver independent decentralized water, decentralized power, building at a fraction. The new construction industry that I see is a construction industry that has the capacity to build in many ways. So that when we have okay, we got enough houses.00:17:38 – 00:18:47Well, can you guys build bridges? Can you guys help with this kind of things? In other words, make us um I guess you’d say bring us up to the 21st century and have our people want to stay here. I always think people that have houses that are now have tons of equity and now their kids, well, they don’t want to refinance too much because they got to pay for it. But we got to be able to have jobs to be able to support the kids. You’ve been here the whole time and you probably seen getting worse and a little00:18:12 – 00:19:26bit worse and worse. Yeah. Well, you know, when I was a kid, um, a lot of the folks here because there was hardly any work here. Then we had a maybe a population of 40 to 50,000 people were leaving here to go to the mainland to work in the factories, the car factories in California. And uh, my godparents left uh, for that reason. So they are uh and there’s so many people leaving right now for the reason that they cannot afford to live here. They cannot find a shelter. Yeah. And you know we have to bring them back because there00:18:50 – 00:20:03are the local folks that going to be the the leaders of tomorrow here and if we don’t have that leadership you know what kind of place we going to have. I’m really worried that we’ll become a state of the rich versus the people that serve the rich. Yeah. and nobody in between and that’s really not pono I think in in our culture that uh we should have that well in our country too I mean pretty much the whole world right the rich and the poor and those in the middle there is no middle right yeah00:19:26 – 00:20:47but we must admit we are blessed we are here on Maui enjoying every day and I’m grateful for it every day if I didn’t keep remembering that I I could get very challenged by this. You know, I’m here a long half of my life now. I’m 74. So, 37 years ago when I came here, I had high hopes for this being an example to the world of what can be done. It was before before the challenges were up to our eyes, but um it’s gotten worse. Well, now now’s a time, like you say, be innovative and different. I just00:20:07 – 00:21:17reactivated my real estate license. Wow. And my intention, which is different, is what what are the jobs around that you can make a lot of money? Real estate seems to be the biggest one. So, what if I took and this is what I’m going to do. I say, do I need customers, right? clients, sellers and buyers who when they do it through us or we refer it through us, we get commission. 60% of what I make, I’m giving the maximum I can give to a nonprofit to promote art and music and create and regenerate00:20:41 – 00:21:50Maui. Now, take some of these dollars and I don’t want to lose my housing, so I can’t make too much. I got to put it into a nonprofit and rebuild Maui. That’s that’s my intention that I hope will set a different trend where local people realize we have way more power to change things and make things better and as though the government can be involved. We ourselves can move on important technologies and start doing them here and be the leaders that the whole world says look at this Maui. It’s00:21:16 – 00:22:36been able to regenerate itself and make it an example to the world like a like the phoenix rising out of the fire. That’s how I think of now. It’s like before I thought it was right time. Not that’s your timing. Maybe God’s perfect timing will take this world that’s sort of out of control. You know, everybody I don’t know if I know about a devil and how all that stuff works. You have a different insight. But to me, we’re all one thing. We we label it differently. But when you have good and00:21:57 – 00:23:09you have bad and you have things that are to help the people and selfish, it all is this sort of boils down to being the same. Different ways of looking at the same picture. Sure. Has the Catholic Church been an interesting I imagine over these years it’s I don’t know how really it worked locally as much but when I’m watching the world and the different popes has there been many changes going on over these years that you can reflect on. Well, uh I I think from the global church, uh Pope Francis00:22:32 – 00:23:56who had just passed away was a great leader. Uh he was moving the church from being more isolated or inward to being more outward and uh he kept inviting all the different churches uh different church leaderships to come to Rome to talk with him. he was very open to uh meeting with others. Um so I think he he gave us an example of uh what we should be doing. You know he cared for those that are poor. He put in bathrooms and showers in Rome and at the to help those folks ate meals with them. I mean, he’s00:23:14 – 00:24:36an example of a a person that I would like to be uh to uh show myself as a as a deacon in the Catholic Church, you know, out there saying we cannot continue to do this. There are people that are hurting as church. We need to take care of those that are least fortunate. That is the, you know, what the Bible says for us to do. And uh what that means is that the church has to be out there. You know, uh if we remember in our history when the cath catholics came to America, a lot of the uh work was with the poor. Uh we created00:23:55 – 00:25:17orphanages, we created schools, universities, we made uh created hospitals. And maybe what we got to do as a church here on Maui and and the rest of the United States and in the world, we have to become that catalyst again. Uh we have to be doing the work ourselves, showing the example because otherwise we stand back and you know people are hurting then you know or what is the what is our efforts? Why are we not? See, I I I believe Jesus was a radical in the sense that, you know, he was there. He touched the poor. He ate00:24:36 – 00:25:45he ate with the sinners. He, you know, he was really so different uh in how he he represented the uh what we should be doing. And because of that, of course, he was hung on the cross. Um but I think that’s an example I think we need to follow. And that’s what the example that Francis gave us. And I hope Leo follows that example, too. The new pope. Yeah. It’s going to be interesting to me. I I’ve haven’t heard him talk English yet. I know he speaks English. Yes. I hope he’ll do more. You know, I’m Jewish, but00:25:10 – 00:26:31when I go to the thing and it’s mostly Hebrew, it’s not as easy for me or others to join in. So, sure, I’m a big fan. I took four years of Latin in high school, but I still don’t know if I remember. I don’t use my Latin terribly much. Taught me English. 20 years. Do you use Latin still? I’m curious. No. Okay. No. Yeah. I had had what five years of Latin. Yeah. So, but it’s, you know, I I I can see the roots in words and stuff like that that are from Latin words, but pretty much that’s about as00:25:51 – 00:27:13far as I can go with my talked about ways to conjugate verbs I never heard of before. Blue perfect. What are you talking? Um, we still have a little bit of time, but I’m just curious if I cleared the slate and said, “What do you really want to talk about? What do you really feel like is important to Maui?” You know, your years of experience is uh is rich and probably has a lot of wisdom to share. It’s well you know we’ve been I I am a very social justice person. Uh there was my00:26:32 – 00:28:01experience uh when I was going to college uh the church was going through tremendous change with second Vatican Vatican council uh was meeting. So I’m really concerned uh as a uh capuna if I’m considered one that we as a capuna of Maui are not talking enough about the impacts on on our children grandchildren and what I’m saying is I think we the older people really need to be a voice to say that this cannot continue to happen and we have to make changes. Uh if I’m get political here, Jason,00:27:15 – 00:28:37elderly people vote and if the elderly people I think we’ve we have come from the position that we’re not supposed to say anything because that’s how it was when I was growing up as a kid. Be silent. We got to change that. We cannot be silent anymore because the future is so important. uh we are leaving our island for uh who you know uh for the rich or or we want to leave the island for our kids and grandkids. Uh like you said, it’s a beautiful place. Uh I’ve been in the last couple of years to Europe and00:27:56 – 00:29:12to uh California and and that area uh up there driving around and it’s crazy driving. I come to Haiku and I said, “If there’s four cars passing my house and I cannot get onto the main highway, I think there might be a party going on and I’m missing it.” Well, and I wish to say it looks like that now in Kihei, by the way. Yes, it is so quiet now. I’m sorry to say that but you know this whatever is going on in the bigger world and all the things you know everyone blames it on they said00:28:35 – 00:29:48tell people not to come I’m sure the people have heard that they should be coming with all that’s going on it’s like when you say I’m going to go to the Maui seaside which used to be 20 bucks a night is now $500 a night 400 Wait a minute what’s going on you know the the inexpens expensive brand of the Marriott or whatever is now Hampton Inn or Hilton that was you know it’s like the prices are crazy you have to be rich just to visit here yes what’s going on how come no one’s00:29:11 – 00:30:30getting paid commensurate to that either here or there what are we going to do here it’s a real real big issue and and the issue needs a lot of voices and you know if you know if I talk about it and you talk about it Jason and there’s not too many others that are talking about this then it’s not going to be heard and we’re going to continue being go down the hill of waiting for somebody to do something. One of the things that I uh I was hired by the by the uh Elmer Kavalan, the mayor at that time to work for the00:29:51 – 00:31:02county government. And I asked him a question one time. Who’s going to uh take care of uh building the homes that we need on Maui? And he said, if not us, who then? Was his expression. And you know, that’s going back to my saying is that if we don’t speak up now, uh the future for our kids are doomed. We’re going to our kids are going to continue leaving Maui because they cannot live here. Yeah. Too costly. We’re already at that point. That’s why it’s got to be something pretty radical00:30:26 – 00:31:48and pretty soon. Yep. Yeah. Boy, I’m just breathing, seeing what we got. Um, we still have enough time to explore, which is good. I hope I haven’t been too wordy. Um, what do you do with your time these days? You still working? I know being a deacon of the church. What does that involve? Well, I’m retired as a deacon, so but but you know, it it involves being there and helping when there’s a need for me to help. And you know, uh, because of my age, sometimes I’m not able to help as much as I would00:31:07 – 00:32:19like. Uh, are you 70? Uh, a little bit more than that. Okay. Are you like me or even more than that? I’m more more than you are. You’re you’re a kid compared to me. No, you’re looking terrific. I’m 81 right now. Okay. I have a girlfriend who’s 82. See? Okay. Not supposed to say anything. Yeah. Um, There’s so much. You’ve been here all the years that I’ve been here. I got here in ‘ 88. So when I think back and I remember Hannibal Tavaris seemed really interested in being progressive. I never00:31:44 – 00:33:01did met meet Elmer, but I had some friends that worked for him in different capacities over the years. He was a doer. You know, people said things about him, but that’s whatever. Well, he was a doer and an accomplisher and really seemed to always be driving forward for the people as I’ve seen him. Yeah. Well, you know, I shared with the council that on my testimony on this uh bill nine. Yeah. That you know, he um he was he was the catalyst to get the construction industry, the unions uh to get to develop housing for our00:32:21 – 00:33:50local people. So he set that example and then Hannibal took over for him and finished the work that was so they housing was built in Napili and you know skill village and pa and Kihei and Wuku and so you know that can be done and at that time it was affordable based on wages. Now how do you fix that one? You create a giant fund from the county and the state that does equity sharing over the next I don’t know bonds. What do you do? Well, you know, you were talking about losing uh revenue because of phasing out00:33:06 – 00:34:25of the short-term rentals. Uh but the the we could tax the the people that have second homes here that a lot of times are empty. Uh that is very low in taxing. So we could substantially increase the taxes on that. So we could generate some money. Um right now the the problem is uh the county almost has to go out alone. They can maybe get some state monies, you know. Um, but we got to figure out how we’re going to do it and we have to agree as a as a as a island as the island community that we’re going to do00:33:46 – 00:35:07this and the we’re going to pay the price for it because they’re going to cost us but it’s an investment of to for our kids. Uh, and if we don’t make the investment when we pass away, Jason, this island will be not where we want it to be. You know, like you said, I love living in Haiku. I just every morning I thank God. It’s beautiful. We have a light shower in the morning, maybe once in a while, and after that sunshine, and I I grow vegetables. I I play with my yard a little bit. Um, I go and do exercises to00:34:26 – 00:35:41try to keep myself uh healthy. Uh, you know, so uh and other than that is doctor’s appointments or and things like that. Um, so I’m not a real busy busy person, but uh I’ve been working on the affordable housing issue and trying to see what can be done with that issue. But um you know I I’m I’m scaling back. That’s what I’m I’m trying to say, you know. But your wisdom is what’s needed. For example, you’re talking about working with the county. Have you when you I00:35:04 – 00:36:27don’t know if it’s true but when you were working with the county and working on houselessness and you had to come up with monies for projects and you had to have backing like whether HUD was involved and they provided money and the state provided money to supplement the county. But like you say now it might be the county going at it alone because the problems are everywhere. We can’t expect any money. So yeah. So, I keep thinking that some of the wealthiest land owners, never mind our new uh billionaire class00:35:45 – 00:36:52that’s here, why couldn’t they be encouraged to take some of that land they have and some of their assets and become the new bank and over time, I mean, they don’t even have to put their hand in their pocket, just their big money credit could start a fund that would give the resources is to overtime their assets will be still the same. They’ll be earning. What do they say? Let the rich get in their lifetime what they want. Give to the rich what they want. And and uh what did Jesus say?00:36:19 – 00:37:35Give to you know the real words here. Give to the people. Give to the Romans what the Romans want. But we the people we want something else. Yeah. Thinking about that. Yeah. Well, it’s it’s it’s a tremendous ideal. Um, you know, we can work with those that are rich, that are conscious of, uh, being good stewards of the land here and trying to, you know, we got the Bezos and Oprah and all these other folks that are here. Um, just their resources being known to be backing things and it’s just a, you know, it’s a fraction00:36:57 – 00:38:25of their assets and it would change the the world here. Yeah. You know, I I just talking to you right now came an idea came to my mind. What if we took people like myself uh and especially those that have uh grown wealthy uh or or have a lot for themselves that grew up here or or over the years invested in whatever? What if those folks could be a a super committee of the mayor uh working with the rich that uh live here uh to create like you said a fund, you know, monies to to help the local folks00:37:42 – 00:38:57because I think there’s a lot of feeling for local people. We just haven’t done anything to start helping them. Yeah. I mean, if we have rich folks here, they’re part of our community. Yeah. And like you say, and they’d like to be able to help. I when I see them give million dollars in stock to the shelter, and they can only do these things with them. It gets to be limiting in different ways. But a a super fund that would help supplement the development of all kinds of housing solutions with county land.00:38:19 – 00:39:19Oh boy, what could amazing things could happen. It could You guys listening out there? Jeff Bezos, I think you’re probably having a wedding to take care of at the moment. But when you come home, they’re gonna probably give you this report and say, “You should go talk to Jason. I know when you hear you talk to Chef Gordon, but here’s Chef Gordon, that’s different. Talk to Jason. Talk to Stan. We have a plan to help you get richer. We’re not even interested in your money.00:38:48 – 00:40:03We just want you to be able to shift a little bit.” Isn’t it true though that it’s I remember one spiritual teacher someone asked him well where you going to get all that money from and he said from wherever it is at the moment you know we have plenty of abundance how do I say I’m talking to someone who already thinks like me we have plenty of abundance the question isn’t do we have the resources the question is whether those resources recognize their uh godly, social, however we describe00:39:26 – 00:40:42it, responsibility should well up in them naturally. I’d hope, you know, at least I would hope so. Yeah. If we get a few people, uh I had a chance to speak to the Emo senior clubs. Oh yeah. Um and what I’m sharing with you I shared with them you know the idea that you know them to get vocal you know like again people listen to seniors you know u they won’t listen to the homeless you know because they don’t vote but you know seniors vote so if the the voices get strong from the seniors and from those00:40:04 – 00:41:18that have become wealthy because of the real estate market uh and now our seniors themselves elves that maybe we can start something that uh can help our the future of our our children. I actually think that’s you know that is a really good idea that needs some some leadership. I’ve tried to come to see the may the mayor and I’ve often been what’s the word sidrack when he was running I could see him but after he got in his office I haven’t had access. I don’t know if I’m perceived as radical.00:40:41 – 00:41:59Maybe. I don’t really think I’m radical. I think I’m uh just I’m feeling like God is laying down these pavers now. I’m feel like I’m walking on water because uh these ideas are catching more public sentiment. Sure. But now in our media, how do you get it out there? We can get it out there to the young people because they’re on Tik Tok and Tic Tac, Tik Tok, excuse me, and Instagram and a lot of the social media. But olders haven’t really embraced. Some of them are like,00:41:20 – 00:42:28I don’t want to use a computer. I don’t want to know from AI. Well, AI is knowing from you. And you know, now you if you don’t have an email address, how you going to get your receipt? You know, things are really, you know, shifting in such giant ways. Yep. I have been very blessed being here on Maui. You know, as I’ve been here over the years, when someone said to me when I first got, you should have seen it when it was really beautiful. That was 88. And it was beautiful then, but I can see now 98000:41:54 – 00:43:1018. It has gotten u it’s a great place to visit and living here is a real chore. You know, people say, “God, I’d love to live in Maui.” Oh, bring your bank account. You know, when you buy There are people I’ve seen that, you know, too. Sure. They come here, they buy a house, and now they’re sort of locked in because they didn’t have a lot of other money. Now, now they’re like, whoa. Everything here is way like Yeah. It’s called tourists. They every this one’s m00:42:32 – 00:43:46everyone’s making money along the chain. I have had a real nice time talking to you. We have a little bit more time. I’m We have oh 13 minutes. We can talk. What’s a subject that’s important to you? We’ve been talking about it too. other things that are important to you that you think need to be out there, need to be said, or we could use help with how people we can involve in these new things we’re talking about. Do you have any I want to say, do you have the ear of the mayor?00:43:08 – 00:44:37No, I don’t. Uh like you, I talked to him uh uh before be became elected. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him. He did come to one of our uh meetings that we have. I belong to organization called Stand Up Maui and uh we’ve been housing advocates. So he was gracious to come and talk with us once. So uh you know he’s been he’s been there and uh I think for me the concern that I really have the biggest concern I have is water. Um you know water is should be a public trust. It is a public trust issue but00:43:53 – 00:45:14it’s not in the domain of the public. It is in the domain of private industry and uh you know without the control of the water the people have no way of really saying what happens on this island because everything depends on water and uh we need to work and like they have now like an what is East Maui water board or something like that we should probably have boards like that for central Maui and for West Maui. Um well, West Maui now is under state control because of the problems out there. We00:44:34 – 00:45:44have a development out there that’s planning to build 900 homes. Pleha can’t build because there’s no water. And you know, um most of those homes would be reasonable enough to for our local uh people at least half anyway. 450. Why will they be affordable? I think that well someone’s putting up money somewhere to make it the we have we the people have invested money in this company to build that housing but we cannot do anything with our investment because there’s no water uh or there’s00:45:09 – 00:46:21water but there’s not enough to you know new wells have to be put in and that kind of thing uh and you know like 20% of the water out in line are owned by the by the public the 80% is owned by private industry. So, you know, we don’t we cannot control something that is not in our domain. That’s what I’m trying to say. And that’s a real issue for me that the future will depend on water. It depends on water now and we cannot control it and the people have no control of it. I don’t know if you had opportunity to00:45:45 – 00:47:15explore some of these new technologies, but water desalination taken very expensive. Yeah. But may be necessary, right? Sure. And uh water from air units. I mean it sounds like a like some fantasy but there’s lot of water in the air especially in our kind of a community that they could actually make a house self- sustaining if oh the old if if people were more conscious of being economical with the resources you know the abuses going on being but there are alternatives that are possible but00:46:29 – 00:47:42expensive like you said. Yeah. Yeah. And uh so again we get to that what do you do part? What do we do? Yeah. And another thing too is that I I think we as as a people we have to say to ourselves that we’re going to help each other. We I think we’ve gotten away from that. You know when I was a kid growing up here we always was we’re we’re a community. We felt like we belong to each other. No, not so much. You know, everybody’s on their own, you know, and there’s like old people that are are on00:47:06 – 00:48:19their own and don’t lonely and and and young people not having the resources and working two or three job just to maintain the rent if they’re not not even owning a house, paying the rent, which is ridiculous, as you know. That’s what I’m talking about. It’s crazy. Yeah, it is. Well, so I still I think we’re going back to the one about the the very rich people who create a fund only because they we can eat, right? We can give them their uh money back in in kind if you want to say money back.00:47:43 – 00:49:03They’re not losing anything through that plan. So, um so Jason, why don’t we get on the board and we’ll start rounding all you guys up. By the way, we’re on K A KU88.5 FM, the voice of Maui, Akaku, Maui Community TV, channel 54. I’m here with Stan Franco, who is, I want to say, the wizard of this island. One of the the wizards, one of the leaders who has been out there for more years than we care to share, but many, many, many and many. And has insights into uh well, a lot a lot. And um you’re very00:48:23 – 00:49:36humble. I think you’ve done a lot more than you’re saying. You know, your input has been consistent. You know, just like I’m hearing you now. You haven’t uh fallen back from being involved on issues all these years. That’s why I kept hearing the name Stan Franco everywhere. Right. Well, I try. You know, like I said, I’m lonely. I need more people to come and join me. I understand. I think that’s, you know, it’s really funny. I’ve heard your name, like I say, come up. I hope that people00:48:59 – 00:50:06that are by we, you guys have some fun. When I say younger people, if you’re 60, you’re younger people to me. I think that we really just need our parents, the grandparents, and the parents, and everyone to realize that these are the times that we want to be involved. You want to be voting. You want to being informed when you vote. You want to be involved in public works projects. It was just a beautiful thing. You know, I used to think that the Hawaiians and the Howley’s and the were in separate00:49:33 – 00:50:48groups, but we had that problem on the west side. We came together like like we should like a family. I’ve been doing some interviews with some of the folks out on the west side and their stories about people coming together and helping each other is the kind of thing. It’s amazing we can do that in disasters, you know. Yeah. Why not when the disaster is not facing us right every day? Yeah. Have that unity. Well, I feel very very comfortable here with you. I hope that if there’s ever anything that you want00:50:10 – 00:51:22to share or issues or any people you think need to be in front of the public that you’ll invite them here or you can come back anytime that you’re comfortable. Uh you’re welcome on our show. Thank you. And uh I figure at some point when Jeff Bezos gets involved, we’ll get coverage and more than six of you will see the show at a time. I really think that Maui is um we’re just perfectly poised to be an example to the world, right? We’ve been that for a long time. But right now with00:50:46 – 00:52:08what’s going on, if we all got together and get involved in this, we can change the world and be a great example and live in that example. What a bonus that is. I mean, not only can we do it, we’ll feel it every day. That feeling of it feels so good when I help someone. I’m sure you know that one. I just find that giving is such a natural thing. It is so satisfying that you know I over the years people said to me, why do you keep giving? You you don’t even really have obviously I have more than than I need00:51:27 – 00:52:48of something that I want to keep giving. It just feels like it fills me up, you know. Yeah, I think that should be everyone that way. Uh yeah, we are we are called to be lovers. You know, the Bible talks about us loving our neighbor. Uh the Buddhists talk about this idea of compassion, having compassion for others. So, it’s a kind of like a universal concept that we want to uh help each other. Uh sometimes it’s we sit back and look and don’t say I’m going to be I’m going to be there for my00:52:07 – 00:53:17my pe my people and uh we cannot say that anymore. We have to be there for others. That is what we’re called to do. That’s the structure that we have as humans to take care of each other. And um and we’re not going away. this idea. You know that thing about a little bit of light in the darkness and suddenly there is light. That’s how I’m feeling. I’m feeling that more and more people are hearing it and feeling it. And I hope that you out there are going to be joining us in these efforts. Do you have00:52:43 – 00:54:04any kind of um desire? Do you have anyone you’re grooming any young people? Any bright spots on the horizon here that you see? I don’t know if I’m grooming anyone. Uh uh I’ve invited several young people to come and join our board, Stand Up Maui board. Um and I’m hoping, you know, those folks will after I’m said and done that they will be the leadership for the future. U we’ll see. you know that everybody has their own thing and then for a young person is difficult too00:53:24 – 00:54:46because you know they’re trying to ek out a living here and trying to serve on a board or you know doing something else but trying to live here is a real big thing for for many of many of them. Yeah. Think Linda’s coming back anytime soon? It’s going to be a while. Very long while. A long while. Yeah. So, I’m really not sure how I guess tourism doesn’t really take a Lahina, but there were a lot of people talking about rebuilding Lahina and it’s going to be a while. Yeah, you have to take care of00:54:05 – 00:55:15the issue of uh the people that lost their their businesses on Front Street and this issue of uh climate change. Uh right. There is no front street. I mean, yeah, that’s right. you going to put them? You can’t move everyone’s property back by so many feet. Yep. Yeah. And all over Maui is going to have that issue. Sure. Soon. Yep. But yeah, Lahina is going to be quite a while. I loved living in Lahina. When I first got here, I lived in Lina on Front Street down at the North End and uh such a beautiful00:54:40 – 00:55:55little town. Yes, it got away with construction murder. They have everything squished in so close. Nothing could fall because it was all leaning up against each other. But it all went down pretty quick and Yeah. burnt like crazy. Yeah. Well, thank you for joining me here today. Thank you for the invite, Jason. It’s really been a pleasure. Um, as I’m thinking, I don’t think there’s anything I haven’t asked you. Maybe. The only thing is um I just would hope that you like me will pray00:55:16 – 00:56:33for the world right now. I do every day. I am concerned that uh we need more people to stand up on all fronts. Yep. And uh love each other, care about each other. Absolutely. There are there are no enemies, just friends, right? you know. Well, thank you guys for joining us. Stan, thank you for being here with me. You’re most welcome. Hope you guys will come back next week. We’ll see what comes up here in the neutral zone. As always, it’s a pleasure. I’m going to hit our closing music and get us out of00:55:56 – 00:56:32here. Thank you again and we will see you next week. Aloha. Aloha. 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