David Y. Ige

HONOLULU – The Governor’s Leadership Team on Homelessness has announced that an additional 15 people, including three families and three single adults have left their encampments in Kakaako and moved to shelters at the Institute for Human Services (IHS) or Next Step.

This brings to 43 the total number of people who have transitioned from Kakaako to homeless shelters since August 7, 2015.   To date, eight families and nine single adults have left Kakaako — or 15 percent of the 293 individuals including 31 families surveyed in early August.

“We are working closely with homeless service providers and are happy to see this continued forward momentum,” said the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness, Scott Morishige. “Our goal is to place 50 percent of the 31 families in shelters within 60 days – by the end of October.”

“Part of the reason we have been so successful is that we have been moving people from emergency shelters to permanent, supportive housing. This is making space available for more families and individuals who want to make the transition from encampments to shelters, to permanent, supportive housing. The same process will be applied to other communities around the state,” said Gov. David Ige.

“These are working homeless people who came here for a better life, for healthcare, and through the efforts led by the governor, they have now found housing at IHS. That is the kind of progress we want to see. Part of that though, is to make it clear that people cannot camp at and take over parts of our city or state property that has been built and designed for everyone and not for one specific group,” said Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.

The approach relies heavily on coordination among service providers, community stakeholders and various branches of government.

“The Federal Government is engaged in addressing the needs of the homeless in Hawai‘i. Some $30 million in federal funds comes through various programs that support homeless folks in Hawai‘i. My office and the rest of our congressional delegation work very hard to ensure Hawai‘i receives as much of this funding as possible,” said U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono.

The Governor’s office has posted video of today’s media briefing in its entirety at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0lxM5Gc2XzEvfIh-UwAxsA/feed

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Media Contacts:

Jodi Leong

Deputy Communications Director/Press Secretary

Office: 808-586-0043

Mobile: 808-798-3929

[email protected]