Gov. Linda Lingle is right to compare Hawai'i's homeless problem to eating an elephant.

As the governor said, it's a task best done "one bite at a time."

But she can't eat it in one sitting, nor eat it all by herself.

Although vegetarians and a few Democrats may quibble with her choice of metaphor, the governor is taking the proper approach to solving the homelessness problem along the Leeward Coast.

She's bringing as many people to the table as possible. And she's moving at a deliberate pace. It's a manner that's slow enough for the bureaucracy but fast enough to give hope to the hundreds of people living on beaches from Nanakuli to Kea'au.

A day after meeting an overflow crowd in Wai'anae, Lingle announced that temporary shelters would be in place in the area by the end of the year. She'll be held to that promise.

Success is likelier considering whom she has brought together. Already she's included social service providers and builders. Even the head of the U.S. Pacific command, Adm. William J. Fallon, has suggested land at Kalaeloa as a possible shelter site.

Lingle has also taken the high road by extending a hand to Mayor Mufi Hannemann, asking him specifically to delay the city's planned clean-up of Leeward beaches and parks.

Earlier this week, Hannemann only referred to a September start-date for the cleanup, and mentioned no provisions to accommodate the homeless now living there. That threatens to court a repeat of the disaster that occurred when the city closed Ala Moana Park, displacing some 200 homeless people.

Now city spokesman Bill Brennan has given assurances that the city is willing to work with the governor. That's a promising sign; we'll see how it develops.

The city and the state have been prone to bickering in recent weeks on a number of issues. But when it comes to the homeless issue, their efforts must be coordinated if we're to have a smooth resolution to the problems on our Leeward beaches.

Fighting homelessness must be a joint effort of the governor and mayor. To solve the issue, each will need to take some bites out of the elephant before them.