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DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARADVERTISER.COM
As the homeless were moved out of the area around the Hawaii Children’s Discovery Center
State officials today began putting 130 homeless people in Kakaako on notice that they could be subject to a sweep as soon as Nov. 12.
Gov. David Ige and Scott Morishige, the state’s homeless coordinator, said at a Capitol press conference today that they are working with social service providers and homeless shelters to make sure there is enough shelter space and services available before state sheriff’s deputies begin enforcing park rules that ban overnight camping.
Enforcement will likely start at Kewalo Basin Park, which has 40 homeless people, followed by Point Panic, Morishige said. Sheriff’s deputies will not kick people out until at least Nov. 12, Morishige said, which means those living illegally in the parks have nearly three more weeks before they have to move somewhere else.
The biggest population of 90 people is spread around Kakaako Waterfront, and the largest concentration is located in the park’s amphitheater, immediately makai of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.
Ige toured the growing homeless encampments on Friday and said they’re not nearly as bad as the former adjacent encampment that the city spent more than a month breaking up.
The three homeless encampments are all located on state land owned by the Hawaii Community Development Authority.
But state sheriff’s deputies have not been enforcing park closure rules that ban overnight camping and will continue to do so until state officials determine there is enough shelter space to accommodate everyone, Ige and Morishige said.
