Honolulu to try new way to address homeless issue

Honolulu' former mayor, Mufi Hannemann, announced on July 14 new proposals and areas of improvement for addressing chronic homelessness and illegal camping. Hannemann seeks to pursue a test case where homeless individuals with severe mental disorders could be involuntarily treated as patients, according to a prepared statement.

The case would be based on an existing Hawaii law that has never been used, according to the city. Both the city and state have approved money for the Housing First project, and will look into whether a River Street location, near Chinatown, is the optimal location for constructing supportive housing or if other options need to be identified.

The mayor said the City Council will be asked to approve two bills that would prohibit unlawful camping on all public property, including sidewalks and medial strips, and would establish a procedure for the removal and disposition of personal property stored illegally in public spaces.

According to the statement, these bills “do not target the homeless, but would make it clear that no one may camp or store belongings for long periods of time on sidewalks or other public areas.”

Based on a 2010 city study, homelessness has slightly increased on Oahu, though not as significantly as might be expected, given the current state of the economy.