LIHU'E, Kaua'i — A new assessment of the status of Kaua'i's population, its sustainability, its sense of community and other issues provides a complex but valuable way of looking at how the island is doing, said county Economic Development Director Beth Tokioka.

She said the Kaua'i Planning and Action Alliance, a nonprofit organization that addresses community issues, has created a means of gauging the health of the community today, but perhaps more importantly, of assessing how things change over time. The idea was broached in the island's last General Plan update, which called for benchmarks to assess the island's progress.

"I think they did an incredible job," Tokioka said of "Measuring What Matters for Kaua'i: Community Indicators Report 2006."

The report, which was two years in preparation, establishes seven categories and develops findings on 55 separate indicators within those categories. Some are statistical indicators from government agencies and nonprofit organizations, and others are based on a telephone survey of 400 residents. The organization hopes to update the figures every two years or so.

Among the findings: While unemployment continues to drop, the poverty rate on the island has risen 1.3 percent from 2000 to 2005. Perhaps connected to that, it found that the rate of inflation has exceeded the rate at which family income has risen. And one result of that, according to government statistics, 77 percent of Kaua'i families could afford to buy a home in 2000, but by 2005, only 40 percent could. Another possible result, after dropping through the early 2000s, the number of people holding multiple jobs jumped in 2005.

The seven areas into which specific indicators are grouped are: economic and business climate, public education, neighborhood and community health and well-being, civic engagement, natural environment, land use and rural character, and culture and the arts.

The report found that 76 percent of Kaua'i residents feel safe walking in their neighborhoods at night, and that older residents feel less safe than younger ones.

It found that people are more satisfied than not with government services.

Nearly two-thirds of residents reported that they spend at least some time volunteering their time to charitable, religious or community organizations. And 90 percent said they made charitable monetary donations.

While bus ridership is increasing, the island also has more registered cars and small trucks than it does people, and 91 percent report driving their own cars to work.

Also included in the report are 28 "opportunities for action" — suggested actions that could be taken by government, business, nonprofits and individuals to make sure the trends of the indicators are more in line with the General Plan's community vision.

Kaua'i is a self-sufficient island, with 41 percent of families reporting they hunt, fish or gather for food, and 40 percent reporting they grow or raise some food for themselves.

The "Measuring What Matters" report makes recommendations for improvements in the community's life, among them, promoting community gardens and protecting traditional food-gathering areas to further support self-sufficiency.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.