The emergency declaration on homelessness declared by Gov. David Ige has already started to help efforts on the island, a major provider reports.
The proclamation has three purposes, said Scott Morishige, state coordinator on homelessness.
The first is to provide continuing services to the homeless. The second is to create a transitional housing facility in Oahu targeted for families. The third would be to extend homeless service contracts.
The state has found $1.3 million that can be spent on these projects, said Morishige.
The state said in a press release that money will provide services to an additional 1,000 people.
“We are aware homelessness is not only a problem on Oahu,” Morishige said. That is why they are sending money and extending programs to the neighbor islands.
Of that, about $100,000 has already been assigned for Hope Services, one of the major providers of homeless services on Hawaii Island. Chad Cabral, director of development for the group, said the money has given them more flexibility in their assistance.
“This money helps a lot,” he said, expanding their ability to get people into rental properties. It may make it possible for them to expand some other projects, he said.
It comes at a time when they are seeing use of their services jump, he said.
A recent point-in-time survey showed there were 1,241 homeless people on Hawaii Island, up from 869 in 2014 and 557 in 2013. Of these people, 69 percent have lived on the island for 10 or more years.
Three programs supported from the proclamation are Housing First, Housing Placement Program, and Homeless Prevention and Rapid Rehousing Program.
Housing First is a program used to great success in Utah, reducing the number of chronically homeless by 91 percent.
The program solely focuses on getting people into housing, then worrying about the underlying issues as a second.
The Housing Placement Program arranges connections with renters and can provide the first month’s rent, security deposit or pay past due rents. It’s important as it gives a bump to allow to get off the street, he said.
The HPRRP provides assistance to people to prevent them from becoming homeless in the first place.
They are focusing on these three programs as all of them are proven, evidence based practices, he said.
The money released through this program gives them flexibility and allows them to continue their successful efforts to get people housed, Cabral said.
The contracts for several homeless programs will expire in January. The governor’s proclamation said it may extend the contracts up to 12 months.
On Tuesday Morishige said the time frame is six months. This will allow for continued service and give the government a chance to evaluate the programs involved, he said.
That has provided some support to the continuing efforts of Hope Services, Cabral said.
The third prong is transitional housing, areas set up to help people get into a permanent living situation. Currently the City and County of Honolulu is transforming a number of shipping containers into homes for couples and individuals on Sand Island.
The state’s program is to create a location for families, Morishige said. The proclamation says there are 185 unsheltered families with a total of 439 children in the state. Oahu has 71 unsheltered families with a total of 153 children.
This facility would be built on Oahu at one of four locations currently being considered, Morishige said.
Several existing facilities provide a similar service on the Big Island.
Hope Services has had 673 people in emergency shelters, 300 people in transitive housing and helped 900 people in permanent housing, Cabral said.