Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has suggested creating what is being called a "transition center" for homeless people on the island of Oahu while new permanent housing is being constructed under the Housing First initiative. The state of Hawaii has agreed to provide the city with a vacant 5-acre parcel of land at Sand Island. City Managing Director Ember Shinn stated that the Sand Island site will not be a traditional "safe zone" or homeless encampment, but rather a transitional center for approximately 100 people who meet the definition of chronically homeless. Those using the site would be moved into permanent shelters with a year to 18 months. Shinn commented, "We're hoping that we can bring people in off the streets, assess them if they haven't been assessed, score and rank them in terms of their priorities for services, and then move them into permanent shelters as they become available. We are not providing any walls or permanent shelters whatsoever; it's totally transitional."
The city would provide 24-hour property management and security, restrooms and showers, storage units, benches, park tables and other on-site services. There will also be shuttle service to a major bus line. Pets would be allowed and there would be no curfews. They will be some rules, however security would be focused on making sure that the site is safe and not cracking down on illegal activities. The Housing First initiative calls for the city spending approximately $44 million to either acquire or develop housing for 400 chronically homeless individuals over the next two years.
Some argue that the Sand Island site is too remote and many homeless living in the Waikiki and Kakaako neighborhoods don't want to move there. There is also criticism that the Sand Island initiative is criminalizing the homeless for not having shelter.
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 9-6-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com
