Waikiki officials are very concerned with the chronic homeless problem in their neighborhood and are attempting to work with the Institute of Human Services and the Honolulu City Council to alleviate the problem. Rick Egged, the president of the Waikiki Improvement Association stated that they hope to join forces with IHS to create services to help house the homeless. Egged stated, "A team from IHS has met with visitor industry leaders and, based on the way that they have reacted, I'm very optimistic that we can get it up and running by Jan. 1."
The City Council's Zoning and Planning Committee plans to meet on August 28 to review two bills that would prohibit standing and lying on sidewalks as well as urinating and defecating in public areas in Waikiki. Ikaika Anderson, the Zoning Chairman, stated, "I do believe that the public urination and defecation bills pertaining to Waikiki and islandwide need to pass, but I'm also convinced that the administration needs to give the Council a definitive timetable for Housing First. It's unacceptable when they tell us it will be implemented in August and a few weeks later we hear that it will be October at the earliest. The Council appropriated more than $47 million to implement an affordable housing and Housing First strategy, and I suggest that the mayor release these monies in a timely manner."
Mayor Kirk Caldwell disagrees, and feels that the city should not implement the bans until it can house all of the estimated 5,000 homeless on Oahu. Caldwell stated, "What we are left with is a problem that continues to fester with no additional tools to improve the situation."
Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 8-18-2014, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Principal Broker, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
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