There are at least two objectives to policies aiming to address Hawaii’s homelessness problems. The primary goal is to get people into permanent housing, ideally giving them a chance for a more stable and productive life.
But the other has the well-being of the broader community at heart as well. Allowing the homeless simply to pitch tents in sites that quickly expand on the streets and highways is unacceptable. It presents a health and safety hazard to people, both those living on the streets and those passing by.
Efforts by the city and state to “sweep” these encampments have yielded frustrating results. Clusters that are cleared one day move to another spot, or soon re-establish themselves in the same location. Enforcement could be more aggressive, but only if the homeless are given an alternative haven.
The most recent statistics indicate that measured progress against homelessness is being made, but that there may be a need for an adjustment in government’s approach, one that acknowledges the current realities.
Something akin to “safe zones” established in other cities — but with social-service support that makes these “tent cities” a temporary stopping-off point — deserves serious consideration.
Oahu’s homeless population increased by 19 people in 2017 over the previous year, a growth of 0.4 percent. The city can do better, of course, but that’s still improvement, especially when compared to the experience in other cities. The figures, drawn from the nationwide Point in Time homelessness census, show Los Angeles’ count rising by 26 percent and Seattle’s by nearly 9 percent.
The homeless population in Hawaii as a whole dropped by 8.8 percent. To make further gain, the state must replicate the more successful programs that have been launched, which have offered an assist to individuals and families trying to be rehoused. And that model could be applied, at least in a measured way, to a safe zone.
A safe zone was established by Hawaii County this fall: Camp Kikaha in Kailua-Kona. And a legislative working group has identified nine Oahu parcels that should be considered for additional sanctioned locations.
The notion of tent cities is controversial and one not supported by federal funding agencies that supplement local financing of homelessness initiatives. Social service experts and the federal authorities that direct funding believe that these stopgap camps end up permanently warehousing the homeless and do not solve the problem at its root.
Officials maintain that permanent housing for the homeless is the “end game,” as Gov. David Ige described it, adding that the state should be focused on that.
Nobody disputes that this is the goal. However, it’s clear that the state has a chronic and long-standing shortage of rentals affordable to those on the low end of the income scale. The implementation of Housing First programs has helped some of the chronically homeless into apartments.
But housing policies have not moved quickly enough to produce an inventory supporting that as the sole, permanent solution.
There are half-steps that should be added to the homelessness toolkit.
The city’s Hale Mauliola center at Sand Island and the state’s Family Assessment Center at Kakaako are shelters paired with social services that “navigate” clients to a more stable living situation. They have a good record of cycling people into the shelter and out to permanent housing.
A “safe zone” might have fewer amenities beyond space for a limited number of tents, with security and sanitation. If these can be set up with at least those minimal provisions, and whatever navigational services can be provided, they could serve an intermediate role in the transition to housing for many families. It is better than life on the streets, which Hawaii should never condone.
