STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1690

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2005

RE: S.C.R. No. 186

S.D. 1

 

 

Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Human Services and Intergovernmental Affairs, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 186 entitled:

"SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS TO PLACE A MORATORIUM ON THE REMOVAL OF HOMELESS PEOPLE FROM LARGE PUBLIC PARKS,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the federal, state, and county governments to place a moratorium on the removal of homeless people from large public parks.

The League of Women Voters of Hawaii, Kahalu'u United Methodist Church and Windward Homeless Coalition, Affordable Housing and Homeless Alliance, Hawaiian Political Action Council of Hawaii, North Shore Homeless, Homeless Ohana, and two individuals submitted testimony in support of this measure.

The Board of Land and Natural Resources and an individual submitted testimony in opposition of this measure.

Your Committees find that addressing the needs of those living without a permanent shelter has been a difficult situation to resolve. The recent removals of the homeless that occurred on Oahu to allow the public to use public areas and to protect the health and safety of the surrounding residences will not address the underlying basis for homelessness. The Legislature is attempting to address short- and long-term solutions for the homeless population, including repairing or building hundreds of public housing units, housing subsidies and services, employment and job training programs, programs to curb substance abuse, and food programs.

Your Committees further find that solving the homeless issue cannot be achieved overnight. Affordable rental housing is in short supply and low-income individuals are in danger of becoming homeless. If the homeless problem is not solved, it will be difficult for homeless individuals and families to find and hold jobs, maintain and recover from health problems, provide proper education and nurturance for their children, and most of all, have a safe and healthy place to live. Removal of homeless families and individuals for the past several years has not reduced the number of people living in the streets and other public areas. Solutions aimed at ending homelessness within the State are being addressed, but the various entities of the government and community organizations must form a partnership to reduce or eliminate homelessness.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Requesting the federal, state, and county governments to designate areas within large public facilities such as public parks, unused government facilities, and abandoned military facilities where the homeless can stay under supervision;

(2) Emphasizing that such areas are not permanent sites, but a temporary housing area as part of resolving the homeless issue;

(3) Allowing each major island to designate sites based on the needs of each community and shall obtain inputs or comments from the community when designating sites;

(4) Requesting the federal, state & county governments and community partners to develop a policy that may limit the hours of utilization by the homeless on these designated sites and to adopt a policy that will also address the issue of separating homeless individuals, couples and families within the designated sites;

(5) Requesting the federal, state, and county governments to emphasize to the homeless that designated sites are only temporary and not permanent sites, and they will provide assistance in locating permanent housing during the transitional period; and

(6) Specifying that, if no such designation is made within three months from the adoption of this measure, there is to be a moratorium on the sweeps that are currently in use to roust the homeless. This moratorium will be removed when such designations are made.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Human Services and Intergovernmental Affairs that are attached to this report, your Committees concur with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 186, as amended herein, and recommend its adoption in the form attached hereto as S.C.R. No. 186, S.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Human Services and Intergovernmental Affairs,

____________________________

DAVID Y. IGE, Chair

____________________________

SUZANNE CHUN OAKLAND, Chair