Hawaii County has been awarded a $2 million grant from the state Ohana Zone funds to further homelessness relief programs on the island.
“These funds will be used to support new and existing programs that connect individuals and families experiencing homelessness to appropriate services and resources,” Housing Administrator Susan Kunz said in advancing the request to the County Council for appropriate legislative measures.
The Council Finance Committee will likely take up the measures, Resolution 34 and Bill 11, at its meeting next week.
A portion of the grant, $200,000, will be used to pay for administering it, the request states.
“In 2018, the State Legislature approved initial funding to support ‘Ohana Zone program to support housing and services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and where wraparound services, like social and health care services, transportation, and other services may be offered with the goal of connectivity to affordable housing and alleviating poverty. The County, through a Request for Proposal, will be seeking projects that align with its published Strategic Roadmap for Homelessness and Housing,” Kunz said Tuesday in an email reply. “The Office of Housing and Community Development is working with the State’s Administrative team in finalizing an Agreement that will provide the details on the eligible use of funds, outcomes to be achieved and reporting requirements. The OHCD anticipates that the funds will be ready for contracting in late-Spring 2023.”
The county is spending millions on homeless programs, following moves by the council to create a new property tax for upscale second homes and devote at least $10 million annually to programs to reduce homelessness.
The tax on residential tier two properties, where residential properties are subject to additional tax for each thousand dollar of property value over $2 million, is expected to bring in $5 million to $50 million over the five-year life of the earmark.
Homelessness has increased on the island, according to the Point-In-Time Count conducted each January by Bridging the Gap Hawaii. The survey found the number of unsheltered homeless individuals rose 14% this year.
The county hired a consultant to come up with a solution, and received a report in September from OrgCode Consulting Inc. called “Strategic Roadmap for Homelessness and Housing.” The consultant met with community members and stakeholders to find the top priorities.
“It should be noted that in the final priority ranking from across all groups, two ideas were leaps and bounds ahead of the priority preferences of all other ideas,” the consultant said in the report. “The first idea clearly prioritized for the community is to add Permanent Supportive Housing and Permanent Housing with Supports. The second idea clearly prioritized by the community is to add Detoxification and Treatment Options for People Experiencing Homelessness.”