In the state's ongoing effort to deal with homelessness, the ideal project would be one that creates a steady stock of affordable housing. It should also be built on public land that would reduce market pressure, and can be a resource in perpetuity for those in need.

Included in the state's first proposal as part of its three-part plan to address the homeless crisis along the Wai'anae Coast, is one project off St. John's Road in Lualualei that appears to meet these ideal requirements.

The first phase of the $34-million project calls for 240 permanent affordable rental units, three times the number of transitional units in the development. The transitional units will be built by the state, followed by private developers who will build one-to four bedroom units that will rent from $400 to $600 a month. It's a sound plan and is already being hailed as a model for similar affordable housing projects throughout O'ahu.

A second project of just transitional housing on land owned by the Wai'anae Assembly of God Church is more problematic. After five years, any state-funded improvements would revert back to the private landowner. The Wai'anae Neighborhood board rejected the idea because of what appeared to be a church and state conflict.

Indeed it takes community support on a variety of levels to deal with the problem of homelessness, including support of local non-profits, such as our churches. In this case, however, the church would be benefitting from funds coming from the state, and there's no guarantee that the church would continue to provide the land for transitional housing. More safeguards are needed in that regard.

State Attorney General Mark Bennett says he is is unclear if any private landowner, church or not, can legally benefit from any state funds, and is looking into the matter. In the meantime, Kaulana Park, the state's homeless solutions team coordinator, said his team is also looking at other private lands.

The state is right to give this second project the legal scrutiny it deserves. To alleviate our state's homeless problem, permanent affordable housing is a must — and so is transitional housing, which is a necessary part of the affordable housing spectrum.

Any available land should be considered to provide this crucial need. Ideally, however, the state should seek public land first to avoid such legal gray-areas. If not, the state must take all steps necessary to make sure the plan benefits the public, in a fair and legal process.