Well, a little sunshine is better than nothing.

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, moving in line with the Obama administration's push for transparency and open records, has posted documents online that show inspection scores for public housing projects across the nation.

The files can be downloaded from a HUD Web site (reachable through the shortcut link tinyurl.com/HUDinspections).

The spreadsheets are unnecessarily tough to read, and a lack clarity makes them difficult to decipher.

But what's clear is the daunting challenge facing Hawai'i's public housing complexes in Hawai'i.

Several fall below the 60 percent that is deemed a failing grade, the worst being Kuhio Park Terrace, the state's largest public housing project.

Officials say that figures from the most recent inspections, which began last month and are still incomplete, are coming in higher.

That's encouraging, because it suggests that the feds' strategy of targeting the worst projects for urgent repairs — any project scoring under 60 is put on a corrective-action program — is working.

But the 2008 figures demonstrate just how far there is to go in bringing the state's public housing up to decent living conditions.

In February 2008 inspections, for example, KPT scored just under 40 percent overall, with especially bad showings in the condition of common areas, such as garbage chutes and elevators, and the condition of the units themselves. The Advertiser has reported for years on nonfunctioning elevators, leaks and many other critical issues.

Other projects, like Mayor Wright Homes and Kekaha Ha'aheo on Kaua'i, showed similarly frightful numbers.

The online reports underscore the long-term folly of deferred maintenance: The older projects, in this state and across the U.S., have the low scores. Keeping housing in good repair is clearly the best approach with this investment, a critical part of the social safety net. That's something those with oversight and funding control must remember.

Seeing that government meets the demand for decent and low-income housing will take a sustained effort by the community and its elected leaders. And the most successful approach is sure to involve private partnerships and mixed-use developments.

Tenants, too, must be part of the solution. So establishing active tenant associations that have a key role in creating rules and standards is necessary .

The latest data release is a welcome, if incremental step. That transparency will help hold our leaders accountable and help them meet their responsibility of ensuring that these government-run projects provide the safe and livable conditions these tenants pay for.