Two homeless families who were prominently featured in The Advertiser's five-day series no longer are living on the beach.

The Bustamante and Lopez families were moved into a state transitional shelter at Kalaeloa after the series began Oct. 15.

"We moved them in late last week," said state homeless coordinator Kaulana Park, who didn't have exact numbers of how many other homeless people had also moved into the shelter. Those figures would be available this week, he said yesterday.

"We just wanted to get them situated, and then we're going to have a blessing this week," said Park, who said more families would be moving off the beaches and into shelters in the weeks to come.

Park said two floors of the 3-story transitional shelter at Kalaeloa were finished sooner than expected. The Bustamantes and Lopezes were on a list of homeless families who were to be moved into the shelter.

Each family of two adults and nine children had been living on beaches at opposite ends of the Wai'anae Coast — the Bustamantes at Nanakuli Beach Park for more than nine months, and the Lopez family at Kea'au Beach Park since early August.

Yesterday both families said the move couldn't have come at a better time.

"The wind and the rain on the morning of the earthquake (Oct. 15), blew down our tent and flooded everything we had," said Caroline Soaladaob, the matriarch of the Lopez clan. "We lost practically everything."

"It was the worst thing that's happened to us since we became homeless," agreed Bert Bustamante, who said the storm also ripped apart and flooded his family's campsite.

By week's end, the 22 members of the two families were delighted to be spending the night indoors for the first time in months.

"We have air-conditioning, we have electricity, and we can take a warm shower," said Soaladaob, who praised the efforts of the Wai'anae Community Outreach and the state for their assistance in helping put a roof over their heads.

"I can't say enough for all they've done," she said.

Zalei Kamaile, another homeless resident prominently featured in the series, hasn't been as fortunate. She still is on the beach, caring for her 78-year-old mother and their 45-year-old disabled friend.

Kamaile, 54, yesterday said she is happy the state is starting to move families with small children into shelters. But she said families with elderly or disabled members should have priority as well.

"The elements out here get too rough for them," Kamaile said. "They're not that mobile. They can't handle that."

The state expects to have the rest of the Kalaeloa shelter ready for occupancy by early to mid-2007. When completed, it will have 400 transitional apartments.

The state also is scheduled to open a 300-bed emergency shelter in Wai'anae by year's end and is looking at other potential sites for shelters on the Leeward Coast.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com and Rob Perez at rperez@honoluluadvertiser.com.