A bill barring tents and other large objects from obstructing city sidewalks in urban Honolulu during daylight hours was signed by Mayor Peter Carlisle this afternoon.

But it could still be up to a year until police can begin enforcement of the law, and it would only apply to about 25 blocks initially, Carlisle said.

The purpose of the law is to keep sidewalks clear for pedestrian traffic and was driven by complaints about the homeless and their living spaces crowding out other people.

"There are resource constraints that limit our ability to implement this bill all at once," the mayor said. 

To ensure the law is "enforceable and defensible," the city needs to mark sidewalks and post signs, Carlisle said. The Honolulu Police Department previously expressed concerns about enforceability, noting they want clearly defined "pedestrian use zones" as described in the bill.

The new law will also require funding to impound property and store it, he said.