State's homeless count nearly doubled since '99
| • | Charts: Homeless head count |
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
The agencies that minister to the state's homeless population knew that the problem had worsened dramatically, but until yesterday no one knew by how much.
Increases from 1999 to 2003: Source: SMS Research & Marketing
The revelation that the number of homeless in Hawai'i has nearly doubled since 1999 came in a state report that was the result of the most comprehensive such count in four years.
Hawai'i's homeless
A survey by SMS Research & Marketing conducted between July 26 and Sept. 20 estimates the number of people living on Hawai'i's public parks, beaches and streets at 6,029, up 90 percent from the 3,171 homeless people counted in a similar survey in 1999.
The street count amounts to a recognition that the number of homeless has doubled in the past four years and is a wake-up call for everyone to begin seriously dealing with the situation, said Laura E. Thielen, of Health Care for the Homeless.
"A lot of providers agree with that number," Thielen said. "We feel more comfortable that it is accurate. Just look, IHS (Institute for Human Services) is turning away people from its shelter. There are a lot more homeless."
• As part of Homelessness Awareness Week, a community forum will be held from 8:30 to 11:15 a.m. in the State Capitol auditorium. Residents are invited to participate and give their views on homelessness. • Several service providers and homeless shelters will hold open houses to allow the public to meet homeless people and view the conditions firsthand. A map to the shelters will be handed out at the forum.
The results of the study are notable because they're considered a truer picture of the homeless population than the number used for years by the state. They will also be used in setting public policy and allocating money to combat the problem.
Events today
The state has been using a count based on the number of homeless people seeking services during the year, but that figure is limited by the services available, said Sandra Miyoshi, homeless programs section administrator of the state Housing and Community Development Corp. Those figures show that 12,091 people sought help from HCDC-financed programs in fiscal 2003, but it fails to include people who received help from other service providers or no help at all.
The 6,000 identified as homeless in the survey is simply a snapshot of those who were homeless on any given day but because most are on the street for limited periods of time — nearly half for six months or less — far more are homeless over the course of a year.
In the most current study, hundreds of volunteers fanned out across each island searching out, counting and collecting statistical information from homeless people living in cars, shelters and outdoors, Jim Dannemiller of SMS said.
Other results from the study, which was released yesterday during a forum for homeless service providers at the State Capitol, showed:
- Kaua'i had the biggest percentage increase of homeless people from 153 people in 1999 to 336 now, a 120 percent increase. Maui increased by 107 percent from 556 to 1,153; the Big Island is up 89 percent from 659 to 1,243; and O'ahu is up 83 percent from 1,803 to 3,297.
- Nearly 28 percent of homeless people hold jobs and 40 percent of them work full time, but don't make enough money to pay rent and support their families.
- The number of hidden homeless — people or families who share homes with family members or friends or are dependent on public assistance for their rent — is 228,444 people out of 1.2 million residents in the state.
The number of people at risk of becoming homeless — people who would become homeless in three months if they lost their primary source of income — is 155,058.
- Hawaiians make up the single largest ethnic group, at 37 percent, followed by Caucasians at 32.6 percent. Men make up 61 percent of the homeless and those 25 to 34 years old are the largest single age group at 23.8 percent.
Service providers were not surprised by the increase because they see the problems firsthand. "The only way to reduce homelessness is to get together and find permanent, supportive housing," said Lynn Maunakea, executive director at the Institute for Human Services, O'ahu's only emergency shelter.
The study showed that some commonly held notions of homeless people — they are mostly from the Mainland, they don't want to work and have been homeless for years — are not supported by the numbers.
Fully 40.6 percent of Hawai'i's homeless people have lived here all their lives. Another 33.1 percent have lived here more than six years. Only 8.4 percent of the homeless in the state have lived here less than a year.
The duration of homelessness is less than six months for 43.8 percent of the people. Only 8.3 percent of the homeless population exceeded five years' duration.
Daniel Hill, a 47-year-old homeless man, told the group of about 70 service providers at the forum that homeless people do not want to be living on the streets and do want to improve their lives.
"We are treated like common criminals," said Hill, standing in his worn and dirty clothes. "Bring homeless people in to be part of the solution. Talk to them and they will start to feel good about themselves."
Thielen said that with good planning, focused goals and government and private sector assistance, ending homelessness is not impossible.
"I'm a firm believer that we can end homelessness in 10 years if we put our minds to it," Thielen said.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
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