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+--- Thread: Homeless in Hawaii (/showthread.php?tid=862)
Homeless in Hawaii - adias - 01-18-2007
According to the WSJ article, the housing boom has increased Homeless is Oahu. How serious an issue is this on the Big Island and Puna?
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB116845808553872913-lMyQjAxMDE3NjE4MTQxNTE4Wj.html
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Jan/11/br/br1529483076.html
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - Beachboy - 01-19-2007
I think it's really sad situation. Mind you, some folks have decided that being homeless is a good lifestyle for them, and welcome what comes with it.
But on the other hand of the homeless spectrum is the local family that had their rent raised and no longer can afford the place they live in....had to move family to beach on the westside. Both parents work, and kids still attend school even while being teased from other students at there school! My heart really bleeds for these type situations.
So what does Oahu do to solve the homeless problem? I would think Oahu should build affordable housing,right? Wrong, Oahu solution for the homeless/housing problem...build as many "Self Storage" places as possible! That way they feel they are helping the problem by offering up a place to store their belongings {roll eyes}. But in reality these jerks are taking away the last few dollars these people have.
I see these humongous Storage places on Oahu that could house countless homeless families....it's a crying shame!
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - Lew P - 01-19-2007
If Hawaii, with is fantastic weather, was as generous to the homeless as Oregon, it would most likely would have the dubious honor of being the #1 state for the homeless population. Oregon is #6 for the amount of homeless people, and the weather in Oregon is cold and wet all winter long, and not a pleasant place to be in the winter or spring. The reason the homeless flock to Oregon, is because they are so generous with soup kitchens and shelters. Be glad Hawaii is not so generous.
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - bystander - 01-19-2007
What about people living in tents and shacks, are they classified as homeless? I know lots of people who have been living this way in Puna for years. Many of them even have temporary power.
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - adias - 01-19-2007
According to the article, the housing boom caused rents increase and become unaffordable and entire families ended up living in tents on the beach; based on response it appears that situation for whatever reason didn’t happen on the Big Island.
In my collage days at UHH, lots of people I knew lived off grid in shacks and where very happy.
Edited by - adias on 01/19/2007 16:27:42
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - oink - 01-19-2007
I suspect that, at least to some degree, the problen on Oahu is real. Based on my experience with the media, I also suspect that the problem is exagerated. I have no suggestions for a solution. I agree that being overly generous with a large segment of homeless, the segment I characterize as bums, alcohol dependant, chemical dependant or mentally unstable, tends to draw them from less generous areas. Oahu seems to have developed a larger than normal segment of displaced people, including families, who are not the normal homeless. Many of these may have been displaced by the recent Real Estate market. This problem should be addressed. Government housing and subsidized housing seem to frequently turn into slums. Monetary grants to assist these people in purchasing their own homes may be a temporary solution as many would be lured by profit to sell their homes as the market continues to rise, as it will do eventually. This situation needs to be addressed but I'm befuddled as to a solution. Those families that were displaced through no or little fault of their own, deserve out sympathy and assistance, when the proper course can be determined.
S. FL Islander to be
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - Francesca - 01-19-2007
In response to: "According to the article, the housing boom caused rents increase and become unaffordable and entire families ended up living in tents on the beach; based on response it appears that situation for whatever reason didn’t happen on the Big Island."
Yes, unfortunately it did happen here and just for the reason described in the article. Rents went up and they couldn't afford the increase, so entire families are living outside. Some at the beach, some in the jungle, some in their cars. My cousin works with children who are homeless. Some live in tents, or make-shift shacks and others in cars. It is very sad. Many are hungry, too. Our family has been donating food and money for a couple of years now. These families don't want to live outside. It's not a lifestyle, it's a bad situation. It's not just an Oahu problem. It's very real on the Big Island, as well.
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - punagirl - 01-19-2007
"Based on my experience with the media, I also suspect that the problem is exagerated"
Oink - The problem is very real on Oahu. Drive to many of the beach parks in HNL just West of Waikiki. Drive around Makaha. There are entire beach parks taken over by homeless families. It is really kind of crazy. It almost looks like a "city". I think there move around more on the BI instead of setting up long term.
A few yeast ago there was a pretty big homeless population on a beach park in HIlo. I forget the name of it. They got ran off.
Sometimes people are homeless but we do not recognize them as such. The person or family that drifts from relative/ friend houses is keeping a roof over their head but they are still homeless. They may live in a shelter but they are still homeless.
Atlanta/Pahoa
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - adias - 01-19-2007
In my naïve youth attending UHM grad school a family tragedy left me “Homeless in Hawaii” for a brief period. I slept in the place where I worked part time, made my meals with an electric rice cooker and took showers at the University locker room.
My meager belongings were stored in the trunk. A high school friend and family helped me back on my feet.
Homeless can happen to anyone, in the blink of an eye. They are not necessarily bums, drunks or free loaders; sometimes just people who are going through tough times.
Edited by - adias on 01/20/2007 13:17:38
RE: Homeless in Hawaii - oink - 01-20-2007
I too was unintentionally "homeless" for brief periods in my youth. Once when I was by myself. I slept “wherever” (a culvert once) and got a job(busboy) in a resort, where I could eat "employee chow" and use the locker room for my other needs. Another time, when married (no kids), we had to live in a van (not a converted van, just a van) until we could find a place we could afford on our near minimum wage jobs. Two other times, during this period of meager income, we had to stay with relatives. It never occurred to me(us)that we were homeless, but I don't think the term was in vogue then. I have had occasion to interact with "homeless" many times. A few times I thought the they merited assistance and some of those times I made some efforts to assist in obtaining assistance. I don't claim to have done all I should have, as a caring citizen, or as demanded of me as a Christian. Point being, based on my experience, relatively few of the "homeless" are people in which large expenditures of money or effort would provide any lasting benefit for society or even to them, the “homeless”. However, I do believe a problem does exist, with deserving families and some individuals, being in situations that demand remedy. I don’t doubt, as a consequence of the Real Estate market, the problem may be particularly acute on Oahu. I hope to devote some of my retirement time (a few years yet) to this and other social problems. Currently, my reason for insufficient action on these issues is my very busy life. Yes, I'm a sorry bastard, as that is not an excuse for my failings in this regard. Hopefully, I will live long enough that I redress these shortcomings. If you know of any legitimate verifiable charities that address these issues for “homeless” families in Hawaii, please post some links and I will consider some limited contributions.
S. FL Islander to be