AUW surpasses housing aid goals

In nine months Aloha United Way has far surpassed its goal of using $4.7 million in state funds to help nearly 3,000 people either get into homes or stave off eviction.

The initial target was to reach 2,926 people in 1,270 island families by quickly funneling $4.7 million of Department of Human Services money directly to landlords to either take in the homeless or prevent evictions. Since mid-April, 4,218 people among 1,353 families have been helped across the state.

“We exceeded our goals,” said Jay King, AUW’s program manager, housing community impact. “This is a program that works.”

Nine months of AUW data also reveals the depths of the financial struggles that island families face in trying to keep up with the high cost of housing.

“For every one homeless person, there are three people with an eviction notice,” King said. “That’s Hawaii.”

Across the state, 47 percent of Hawaii residents are renters, with the average wage at just $14.44 per hour, AUW’s data show.

“Seven out of 10 of us are one paycheck away from homelessness,” King said.

The data also shows that 66 percent of the state money distributed by AUW has gone to people on Oahu, compared with just 9 percent for those living on Maui, 5 percent on Kauai and 20 percent for Hawaii island.

But that doesn’t mean neighbor island people have less financial need.

“It’s worse on the neighbor islands,” said Norm Baker, AUW’s chief operating officer. “The problem is there’s no unit to put them in … that they can afford.”

The state and AUW just amended their original contract to extend the program from Feb. 14 to Aug. 14.

The changes also will address fewer beds that have been mandated by new contracts between the state and homeless shelter providers.

AUW will now give funding priority to people displaced from shelters. And they will be eligible for six months’ worth of financial help instead of three months — as long as they can be financially sustainable once the aid ends.

“Because of the new regulations, the shelters will actually issue them a letter saying they’ve been displaced,” Baker said. “If there’s a waiting list (for the money administered by AUW), they would move to the head of the line.”

As Hawaii reeled with the highest per capita homeless rate in the nation, the state contracted AUW to provide one-time financial aid to get people off the streets and keep families from ending up homeless.

Many of the homeless cannot pay for a rental unit on their own once the aid runs out, so most of the financial help — or 73 percent — has gone to those who have gotten housing but still are at risk of becoming homeless.

“Statewide that’s been very consistent from the beginning,” King said.

“Landlords love it because we’re a guarantee,” he said. “This program doesn’t need to plead to the social conscience of a landlord. It appeals to the business mind.”

As part of its contract with the state, AUW was required to beef up its 211 system to better identify homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless.

Starting Monday, social service outreach workers and volunteers will fan out across the islands to identify homeless people as part of the nationwide Point in Time Count and offer 211 as a resource.

AUW also will distribute thousands of emerald-green, waterproof identification holders that homeless people can wear around their necks to store their ID, which is often lost or stolen on the streets.

“Sixty percent of the homeless lose their ID, and they can’t get housing,” King said.

The holders will also come with a card advertising 211 on one side and locations where homeless people can pick up a free wireless phone that comes with 500 free minutes per month and unlimited texts.