According to the governor's homeless coordinator, almost 450 homeless people have been moved off of the streets or out of emergency shelters in the past 90-days. It appears to be a great start to a concerted effort that aims to end homelessness in Hawaii in the next decade. As we have mentioned numerous times here in the recent past, the reasons for homelessness are numerous- including everything from bad luck to mental health issues, substance abuse issues, and even the notion of maintaining one's freedom.
Perhaps the best part of this three-month kick-off, aside from the early results, is that there has been a wonderful mingling of various sectors of our islands, all coming together to help resolve issues that can be resolved with people willing to be aided. The private sector along with state and city governments, religious entities, non-profits, and other interested individuals, has collaborated to help get phase one going in this long-term project.
A key now will be to continue to focus on the root causes and individual plights to help ensure that we continue to minimize this social dilemma. Simply moving people around from parks to benches to beaches to lean-tos along Beretania will never be the answer. And, unfortunately, there will be new parties added to the homeless ranks as others are moved off. We have seen progress in the first 90-days of the new fight against homelessness, and hopefully this will encourage even more partnerships and long-term solutions in the months and years ahead. Think about it…
