Cleric asks for a halt to evictions of homeless

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Rev. Bob Nakata of Kahalu'u United Methodist Church is calling for a moratorium on sweeps of homeless people from public property.

"The missing piece in all of this is what do you do with homeless when they are swept out," Nakata, a former state senator, said yesterday. He spoke at a news conference at the Capitol that was attended by a handful of other church leaders who are concerned about recent sweeps in Mokule'ia and Wahiawa, and one planned tomorrow for the homeless people encampment called "hau bush" at One'ula Beach Park in 'Ewa Beach.

"Even those conducting and calling for the sweeps know that they are not the answer and feel terrible about doing them, especially with no place the homeless can stay," Nakata said.

As a short-term solution, some churches are considering taking on a few homeless families in their geographical areas, said Nakata.

Other options could include setting aside places in large parks for supervised camps or reviving the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, which would provide jobs and campsites in exchange for labor to protect and restore the environment.

John Heidel, president of Interfaith Alliance Hawai'i, and Utuloa Langi, program director of Hawai'i Helping the Hungry Have Hope (H-5), are working on intriguing alternatives.

Family Promise, a national organization, is working through Interfaith Alliance Hawai'i, a 150-member group from 20 religious organizations, on establishing temporary housing for the homeless with Christ Church Uniting Disciples & Presbyterians and Church of the Crossroads in Kailua and Honolulu, according to Heidel.

Langi, a carpenter, said he would like to convert old buses into "moveable help shelters."

"If we could get some old buses with engines that were still running, I could set up bunk beds in them and drive them to parks or wherever the (homeless) people are and offer shelter, especially on rainy days," Langi said. "I know there are a lot of tour buses that aren't being used but are kept for parts."

Reach Rod Ohira at 535-8181 or rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.