Summer Economics/ CS 2006

Last month, Linda Lingle signed legislation that proposes more than $40 million into homeless programs. Three bills were signed into law. One of them spends $31.76 million to repair existing public housing, renovate state and federal buildings as emergency and transitional shelters and start homeless and low-income housing projects. $2 million goes towards Oahu and $400,000 will go toward each neighbor island. To read the full article or find more information on the bills, click here. (3) Many organizations have also taken part in helping the homeless. For example, there is an organization called Next Step. It's location is in a Kakaako warehouse and provided shelter for the homeless who were disclosed from Ala Moana Park. Under the leadership of Utu Langi, it runs from 5:30 p.m. - 8 a.m. providing over 200 people a home for the night. They are given food, a place to refresh themselves and the oppurtunity of receiving health care. (6)

Picture found at: http://starbulletin.com/2006/05/02/news/art3a.jpg

The homeless situation in Hawaii has been problematic for quite some time, and as each year passes, more and more are found homeless. Some areas in Hawaii have more of a problem of homelessness than others, such as the Waianae area and those living or used to live in Ala Moana Beach Park. Luckily though, government has intervened and laws are soon to be put into action. Homeless conditions were primarily caused because of the lack of government intervention, but now with Linda Lingle signing these three bills, the situationi is likely to change. There has recently been an increase in the standard of living, with the housing costs just skyrocketing, and also the property taxes, food, gasoline, and healthcare costs all increasing. All these factors lead into financial problems and many are forced into changing their lifestyle which leads into homelessness.

Picture found at: http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/dailypix/2006/Mar/25/FPI603250342V2_b.jpg

Homelessness affects everyone. It all depends on how individuals can deal with the many changes in Hawaii today. Housing costs, which plays a huge factor of why people become homeless, has greatly increased these past years and now it is at its highest. Because of this, many are getting evicted from their homes and forcing them to live out in the streets. The housing problem affects the Waianae coast the greatest. Hawaii’s estimate of homeless people is already at 5,800, and almost 3,500 of them are from Nanakuli to Keaau. Imagine going for a drive, but suddenly seeing a 16-mile stretch of tents, and that’s how the Waianae coast looks like. Unfortunately, the homeless population has been dominated by the Polynesians and Micronesians. (5) In Hawaii's Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness, it states that more than half of the homeless population, about 53% have been lifetime residents or have been residents for more than 20 years. 37% of those homeless are Hawaiian or Part-Hawaiian descendent. The gender count is basically even and the age can range from babies all the way to grandparents because families are usually found homeless more than just individuals. This is seen especially on the Waianae coast. (4)

(1) http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Homelessness_in_Hawaii
(2) http://www.lava.net/~panther/homeless.html
(3) http://starbulletin.com/2006/05/17/news/story01.html
(4) http://hawaiihomeless.bizland.com/partnersincare/id2.html
(5) http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/15/op/FP606150312.html
(6) http://starbulletin.com/2006/05/02/news/story03.html