Time will tell whether the conversion of an Iwilei industrial building into a one-stop shop where the homeless can shower, receive social services and reside will truly become a “game changer,” as Honolulu’s mayor suggests.

At first blush, the proposal appears sound and its timing ideal, since business owners have complained about a recent spike in the area’s homeless population and the unsanitary conditions associated with the influx.

Instead of defecating on the doorsteps of businesses, the homeless can take advantage of the project’s hygiene center that includes bathrooms — at least that’s the hope.

The 43,000-square-foot, 40-year-old building that had been used as a factory for Malihini Sportswear will soon house bathrooms, showers and laundry rooms on the first floor; social services such as substance-abuse treatment and job training on the second floor; and at least 35 permanent supportive housing units on the third and fourth floors.

Perhaps more important, the project is a hopeful example of city and state governments cooperating to reduce the nation’s highest per capita rate of homelessness.

The city spent $6.3 million to buy the property, with the City Council providing $2 million in capital funds and $1 million in operational money to run the hygiene center.

At the state level, Gov. David Ige’s fifth supplemental homeless emergency proclamation, signed a week ago, will expedite finding a contractor to renovate the building and picking a service provider. Further, the state has also committed to providing the necessary mental health services for homeless clients that the city does not offer.

While it’s troubling that the government must continue to skirt protocol and procurement rules under emergency proclamations in order to move the needle on homelessness, it’s at least encouraging there will be tangible results — in this case, a center that will address the most basic needs of the unsheltered.

“We are seeing unprecedented alignment of services and a commitment to the common goal of connecting people to permanent, stable housing as quickly as possible,” Scott Morishige, the governor’s homeless coordinator, said in a statement.

Morishige last week attended the Maui Landlord Summit, which was held in an effort to encourage landlords to consider renting to Section 8 and Housing First clients and address a critical need for more rental housing inventory.

Meanwhile, the Hawaii Public Housing Authority board approved emergency rules to establish a special rental subsidy program, which will make available about $600,000 to move at least 100 homeless families statewide into housing. This is in addition to the nearly $5 million in emergency funding that the Aloha United Way is administering, which will provide rental and utility assistance for the homeless and those on the brink of homelessness.

The combined efforts of various levels of government and local nonprofits is to be applauded, but much more coordination and pooling of resources is needed to significantly alter the homeless landscape in Hawaii. We urge the state to share soon how it will spend the $12 million that legislators appropriated for homeless services in the just-ended session — and work with all stakeholders to produce a comprehensive master plan to significantly reduce homelessness.