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ACLU seeks halt to destruction of homeless people’s property

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
City work crews continued sweeping the Kakaako homeless encampment on Olomehani Street on Friday afternoon. They started in the morning on Ilalo Street and

The American Civil Liberties Union is again asking a judge to stop Honolulu officials from throwing away personal belongings during sweeps of homeless encampments.

Lawyers representing homeless people in a lawsuit over the sweeps said Wednesday they have new evidence that city officials are destroying the property instead of storing items, as required by Honolulu ordinances.

The lawsuit claims Honolulu’s sweeps deprive homeless people of food and other belongings. A judge in September denied the ACLU’s request to order the city to stop seizing and destroying items during sweeps.

City attorneys say workers only discard items that are obviously trash.

The ACLU says testimony from city officials, along with photos and video footage of sweeps, prove otherwise.

Corporation Counsel Donna Leong says the city is reviewing the latest motion.

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