Based on your input on our surveys and conversations, homelessness is a major problem that our community faces. Various state, county and community agencies and programs address homelessness. We have a state interagency council on homelessness. We spend millions to bring the number of homeless down. But our office continues to get complaints every day about assaults, thefts, and the growing numbers of homeless in our parks, sidewalks, doorsteps, magazine racks. This past summer, I called state, county and community agencies together to ask why –20 leaders committed to end homelessness from the police, prosecutor, public defender, the courts, the state public safety, health, and human services departments, the homeless coordinators for the state and for the city, and community homeless providers. After many meetings, I learned they’re each doing a lot. In fact, you can see some of the work like the city’s new Crisis Outreach Response & Engagement (CORE) program or the ohana zones programs. And we are funding housing, mental health and substance abuse services. The problem is not money; it’s that no one agency has buck-stopping responsibility or authority to find solutions to prevent, reduce and end homelessness. While the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness has a ten-year plan, the state lacks a permanent commitment to end homelessness. In fact, funding for homeless coordination depends on year-to-year fluctuations, rather than consistent funding in the State’s base budget for staff and programs that work.
This is why I, along with my colleagues, put together SB2370 /HB1648, Relating to Homelessness, creating a permanent Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions to work with state, county, and community agencies to develop solutions that prevent and end homelessness through transitional and permanent housing and supportive and/or assisted services as well as to test innovative solutions to prevent and end homelessness. This kind of permanent coordination function is essential if we are ever to be successful in helping those experiencing homelessness. The End Homeless Group that met during the summer came up with 29 gaps that can be addressed by the Office if this bill becomes law. You can help make this a reality by sending your testimony of support for SB2370 that will be heard before the Committees on Human Services and Government Operations (my committee) on Tuesday, February 8th beginning at 3:00 pm. Please submit your testimony before then by clicking here. There are many other bills to end homelessness. Another bill to prevent homelessness among prisoners upon release is SB2373 relating to offender reentry. A few that will be heard this coming week are listed below. If you want to join us in making a difference, call or email our office to get more information.
Caring for you!
Sharon
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