Covering Hawaii’s homeless crisis.
The Kani Le‘a apartment building, at 75-5706 Kalawa St., comprises 12 two-bedroom, one-bath units that will serve families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the community. Read more
The Behavioral Health Crisis Center opened in 2024 across the street from the Institute for Human Services’ men’s shelter in Iwilei and has seen 1,182 people ever since to address issues including substance abuse and mental health, which are considered critical underlying reasons why people end up and remain homeless. Read more
The new Aala medical respite shelter on North King Street has taken in and treated some of Oahu’s oldest and most seriously ill homeless patients and gotten several lives pointed in positive directions so that 14 have been reunited with their-once estranged families, mostly on Oahu, and another six have gone back to the mainland in barely nine months since opening. Read more
The first of 24 homeless patients are scheduled to move into the newest joint state-city homeless shelter of its kind focused on treating mental health, memory and brain injuries. Read more
Popular and successful efforts that have returned over 800 homeless people to the mainland since 2015 would become permanent if either of two bills in the state Legislature becomes law this session. Read more
A long-vacant homeless shelter in Waianae, near several coastal encampments of people living in tents and improvised shelters, was blessed Thursday for a much-needed opening. Read more
Hawaii’s Continuums of Care will forgo this year’s unsheltered Point in Time Count — a key measure of homelessness conducted annually since 2012, except in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic — though the sheltered count will proceed as planned. Read more
The Biden-Harris administration has rolled out a series of initiatives aimed at addressing homelessness across the nation, including Hawaii. Read more
JABSOM’s efforts extend beyond clinical education to include initiatives like helping the homeless, reflecting the belief that health care encompasses mental well-being. Read more
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The newest kauhale, located where North Beretania Street becomes North King Street, is named Alana Ola Pono: Awakening to a Good Life Read more
The newly opened Ohana Navigation Center Wahiawa, at 360 California Ave., can house up to 12 families — or 48 individuals — and includes 18 parking stalls for residents, staff and volunteers. Read more
The Ohana Navigation Center will serve hundreds of children, parents and family members annually, helping prevent and end homelessness. Read more
Question: Is the pavilion at Old Stadium Park made available on a first-come, first-served basis? Is that why homeless people and their unleashed, constantly barking dogs are able to stay there throughout the day and night, day to day? Read more
Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Steve Alm said the overnight ambassadors complement Safe & Sound Waikiki, which is patterned after Weed & Seed, a multiagency strategy to prevent violent crime, drug trafficking and drug crimes in neighborhoods. Read more
CORE teams began their outreach in December 2021 by working with homeless people in downtown, Chinatown and Waikiki before expanding less frequently throughout the island. Read more
Over the summer, the Aala Respite facility was set up as part of a joint effort between the city and state to provide shelter and medical care for vulnerable, medically fragile people who’ve experienced long-term homelessness on Oahu. Read more
In a joint effort to deal with homelessness on Oahu, Mayor Rick Blangiardi and Gov. Josh Green on Monday formally unveiled the Aala Respite at the edge of downtown Honolulu. Read more
State and city officials joined the Waianae community Sunday, which would have been Twinkle Borge’s birthday, at Pu‘uhonua o Wai‘anae Farm Village for a memorial service honoring her and dedicating the day as a “Day of Aloha.” Read more
The bus will be able to transport up to 29 people, either on medical stretchers or in regular bus seats, to shelters or respite centers, city officials said. Read more
Homeless people seeking shelter will be able to check into the Safe Space in the evening and depart the next day. Read more
Objections to U.S. policy over the war in Gaza led six of Hawaii’s 31 delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to withhold their support for Vice President Kamala Harris following internal debate. Read more
