Plans sought for homeless project
By James Gonser
Advertiser Urban Honolulu Writer
A year after Mayor Jeremy Harris announced plans for a $6 million homeless facility, the city is seeking a nonprofit group to develop the project, which would be a "one stop shop" for homeless people, providing transitional housing and support services.
The city now wants to pump an additional $10 million of federal grant money into the project and has given potential developers until April 19 to submit proposals.
But Lynn Maunakea, executive director of the Institute for Human Services, says because the city's plan does not provide money to run the facility once it is built and because permanent housing is not part of the proposal, this project is a step backward and will not help solve O'ahu's homelessness problem.
"We want to solve the problem, not just build a bigger shelter," Maunakea said. "We need to help people find permanent housing in the community. This just won't do it. This is just another Band-Aid."
The number of people living at Hawai'i's public parks and beaches and on the streets has increased by 61 percent in the past three years, and the center is the city's answer to tackling the problem. But Maunakea said it runs counter to a statewide plan to end homelessness here by 2012 by focusing on permanent housing.
"Nationwide the emphasis is on permanent housing that prevents recidivism with the support services that accompany it," said Maunakea. "That is what Hawai'i's homeless service providers are focusing on. That has been proven to work."
Maunakea said a month is not enough time to put together a proposal of this magnitude.
Deputy City Managing Director Malcolm Tom said specifics of the project will depend on the proposals that are turned in, but the city envisions a "campuslike facility" where homeless people could live until given appropriate healthcare and job-training services and then helped to find a home of their own.
"This is a step to get to permanent housing," Tom said. "We have to stabilize them first to return to a normal life. Bring the service providers to the facility and provide transitional homes. When they leave, move on to permanent support housing. It is step by step."
Maunakea said there is a limited amount of money available for homeless service providers and another transitional center will compete with existing providers for the same dollars.
Tom said it likely will be a group or coalition of service providers that would come forward with a proposal for the project and they would have to have money available to run the operation or find grants.
He said part of the problem is that there are too many groups to be effective and an all-purpose center would do away with the duplication of administrative services at each individual nonprofit, saving time and money and providing space for hundreds of people.
Tom said a proposal will be selected 30 to 90 days after the deadline for proposals.
Reach James Gonser at jgonser@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2431.
