By a wide margin, homeless people in Hawai'i say money woes are the main cause of their predicament, according to the state's latest analysis on homelessness.

That conclusion comes from the Homeless Service Utilization Report, 2007, released today and compiled by the Center on Family at the University of Hawai'i and the Homeless Programs Branch of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority. That finding was among those based on an analysis of intake surveys from nearly 7,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless people in the state during fiscal year 2006.

More than one-third — 37 percent — of the total respondents listed "financial problem" as the No. 1 reason for their plight. That compared to "family conflict," the second most given response, which was listed by 12 percent of the total. "Substance abuse," the third most given reason, was cited by 7 percent of the respondents.

The release of the report coincides with the beginning of National Hunger and Homeless Week, which starts today and runs through Saturday. It's an annual effort to increase awareness of the problems of the homeless that is co-sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness.

The report was based on the latest statewide homeless figures. And while the survey data was collected before the state's push to solve its worst homeless crisis on the Wai'anae Coast, the numbers point out a need to consider programs aimed at helping people before they actually become homeless, say those who drafted the report.

"When we asked the homeless people themselves what was the cause of their homelessness, the top three responses were financial problems, family conflicts and then substance abuse," said Sylvia Yuen, director of the Center on Family.

"So, my point is that this really presents a reason for us policy- makers and service providers to be looking upstream — to consider putting programs and services in place on money management, and teaching people how to resolve conflicts, and substance abuse treatment services."

Yuen said that the state could save much in taxpayer dollars by attacking the problem at the "hidden homeless stage" — people without homes living doubled up with friends and relatives —rather than waiting for them to reach actual homelessness.

Another statewide survey, released earlier this year, concluded that more than one-quarter of the state's population falls within the category of "hidden homeless," defined as those living in multiple family dwellings and those who are within three paychecks of being homeless.

"How many of these people could we have prevented from entering the stream of homelessness?" she said. "Because once they become homeless, then they cost so much more. Once people are actually living on the street, to 'do something about the problem,' requires much more in terms of financial and other resources."

Yuen also said the new report dispels some common misconceptions — for example, that most homeless are mentally ill or are on drugs.

The report, however, shows that homeless people who do not have drug and substance abuse problems represent more than three-quarters of the state's sheltered and unsheltered homeless population.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.