A groundbreaking ceremony was held yesterday for the West Hawai'i Emergency Housing Program Facility, the area's first emergency homeless shelter.

The $1.77 million facility is being built next to the Friendly Place service center in the old industrial area in Kailua, Kona. It will have 31 beds with separate wings for men and women, bathroom, shower and laundry facilities, a common kitchen and a multipurpose room for classes and meetings.

Funding is coming from $819,113 in grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, $453,007 from the state, and $500,000 from Hawai'i County.

Construction is expected to be completed by July 2010.