The homeless living in the bush, in the park and on the beach received written warning Wednesday from police of a March 2 sweep to clear the area of illegal campers. At the same time, police cited campers without permits, which amounts to everyone.

Kapolei Capt. Mitch Kiyuna said police are acting on complaints from the public about the growing homeless population at the park. "We wanted to give (the illegal campers) an opportunity to pack up and make preparations to get shelter," Kiyuna said of the written notices.

Among those who will be forced from hau bush is 53-year-old Jacqueline "Auntie Jackie" Tomisa, who hasn't lived in a house for four years.

Tomisa attended the Feb. 10 'Ewa Neighborhood Board meeting with others from her tent community to plead for more time. She had been notified verbally by police in January of the upcoming action. However, 'Ewa Neighborhood Board chair Tesha Malama said the board had not adopted a formal position on homelessness and did not initiate the police action.

"I got no place to go, that's why I'm here," she said, clutching the police notice. "We did our best to try and maintain this place. We'll try and think of something, try save money. I don't have a car so I only can take what I can carry."

A large blue tarp provides overhead cover for Tomisa's tent, a kitchen, living room, bath house and several sofas at the site.

The ground under the tarp is covered by carpet scraps and the outside landscape includes tomato, potato and lemongrass gardens. Water for cooking, drinking and bathing is carried in buckets from the park and the cooking is done on a two-burner propane stove. Kiawe is used for firewood.

Her camp is on a dry stream bed.

She set up camp with her son Zane, 26, about 75 yards from the park's restroom a year ago after being forced out of Barbers Point.

They were joined later by Tomisa's 54-year-old brother, Patrick Canoy, and his girlfriend. The population of her camp grew with the additions of Ed Willett, 50, his wife and two unnamed single men. Manu Rivera, 39, her husband, Danny, and four children, ages 9 to 15, live in tents nearby but are part of Tomisa's hui.

Tomisa's group pools food stamps and money from part-time jobs to eat. Those who cannot contribute that way perform chores such as cutting firewood, keeping the area clean and carrying in water, Tomisa said.

"We're houseless, not homeless," Tomisa said. "Troublemakers come to the park but they don't live here with us. We're not druggies or criminals. I know everybody with us; we're all struggling and houseless because we cannot afford rent. When welfare stopped cash (rent) allowance, we couldn't make enough.

"I do the best I can," said Tomisa, who earns a couple hundred dollars from selling pickled mango and shell jewelry and receives $230 a month in food stamps. "I know how it is and I can accept it.

Tomisa's camp partners must follow rules to stay there.

"I don't want liars and stealers," she said. "No belong, no touch. And we all have to go to church service every Friday in the park. They serve us dinner after the service. We're 'ohana, share what we got."

But the homeless population at One'ula and other parks in 'Ewa Beach is a concern to many residents.

Thomas Palmeira Jr., who is homeless, is shown near one of the many abandoned vehicles at Keku Point. He was in the area to fish. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

Alexander, a retired carpenter and the senior member with 12 years of service to the 'Ewa Neighborhood Board, is an outspoken advocate of ridding the park of homeless people. He said his actions are those of a concerned 'Ewa Beach resident, not a neighborhood board member, crusader or environmentalist.

"The homeless are destroying the ambience of 'Ewa Beach; they steal and make rubbish," said Alexander, who said the first homeless people at the park — a man and his girlfriend who showed up in 1990 — are still there.

"The homeless contribute to crime in the area but statistics won't show it because half the crimes go unreported," he said. "They take stuff to the beach. There's a stolen van in the bush at Keku Point. I called the owner but it's still there."

The homeless are responsible for piles of litter and nine of the 10 abandoned vehicles at nearby Keku Point, said Alexander, who regularly picks up trash at the park.

Many believe police sweeps will offer only temporary relief. It will not keep the homeless from coming back, said 'Ewa Beach resident Henry Chang Wo.

"We have the homeless and the hopeless (at One'ula)," Chang Wo said. "We need some agencies to come in and help those that want to get out. But we've got too many chronics here that don't want help. Even if you move them all out, where you going put them? Mostly, I feel sorry for the kids."

Malama, speaking as a resident and not chair of the 'Ewa Neighborhood Board, said there need to be changes in laws before there can be solutions.

"We need to put things in place or the problem is going to grow. The problem is in the laws if you don't criminalize homelessness. It's unfair to expect police to get them off the beaches because where are they going to take them?"

Waikiki Health Center's caravan program serves One'ula Beach Park every other Monday, providing primary healthcare, hygiene supplies, some food and clothing, and referral services. It is the only agency serving homeless in the area.

"It's just Band-Aiding," Malama said. "If you give them services, you're just extending their tours instead of removing them from the beach."

State Sen. Willie Espero, D-20th ('Ewa Beach- Waipahu) said the direction for dealing with the statewide homelessness problem lies in treating drug addiction by tapping into federal, state, county and private resources that are available. Creating tent cities may be another option for housing, he said.

"Unfortunately, it appears like society and lawmakers are moving in slow motion but progress is being made," Espero said. "We're never going to end homelessness 100 percent. The Legislature is looking at housing initiatives (because) the facilities we have are bursting at the seams. But you're not going to see homelessness end by the end of the year."

Public awareness about getting the homeless off beaches and out of parks is growing.

"Communities want their beaches and don't want that uneasiness of homeless being there," said City Councilman Todd Apo. "The beaches are for everyone but it should be a safe environment. The flip side is that the city and state should be providing solutions to the housing issue. We need to find those solutions."

Willett, part of Tomisa's camp, has a job as a seasonal worker for a moving company. He grossed $31,000 last year but was paying $1,100 to rent an 'Ewa Beach house with a "roof that was caving in." Because business is slow, his take-home pay now is about $120 a paycheck.

Willett does not qualify for public assistance. "I made too much for welfare but not enough to survive," Willett said. "For people like me, they've got to come up with low-income housing or rent control."

The upcoming sweep will clear the bush, but will provide no answers to homelessness.

Tomisa, who said she prefers her lifestyle to living in transitional housing, will find another camp site. Willett plans to rent a cheap room somewhere for himself and his wife and let their two children stay with relatives.