If the state of Hawaii can come up with $4 million for a new step-down medical respite project, it should come up with new dollars to increase funding for all the other 30-plus projects by the Institute for Human Services, Catholic Charities, ASI and others that have received basically flat or reduced funding over the last 20 years.

Part of the reason why the shelter system always has 600-plus open beds is because of the lack of funding to pay staff adequately. Shelters also had to spend time on additional fundraising to cover expenses. The state continues to allocate new money for additional capacity when the existing capacity is underutilized.

I don’t know where Gov. Josh Green gets his information, but he is not talking or listening to the people on the ground floor.

Michael Ullman

Chicago, Ill.

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