When they swept us out of Downtown and Waikiki, police and county workers said, “Go to Kakaako.”

They said we wouldn’t be swept again until there was housing. So, we went.

To move by foot with all your belongings isn’t easy. I helped friends move from Aala to Kakaako, carrying stuff by hand and towing wagons, making many trips. Now, the same people who said, “Go Kakaako,” say we are unlawfully occupying public space.

Some of us have lived here for years. Kids go to nearby schools. We know our neighbors. This is home. To be told we are unlawful after being sent here feels very unfair.

I agree strongly that Kakaako needs to be cleaned up. It’s a filthy eyesore. It is not how I want to live. It’s not what I want for this area or for Hawaii. But there should be a plan beyond just “sweep.”

So much money spent on police, outreach programs and temporary shelters instead of direct income and permanent housing for homeless people. It’s outrageous. There are some who will resist the sweeps for this reason.

More important, where are we to go? Yes, there are shelters, but there are reasons so many stay on the street, even when there is shelter space. Most of us have been through shelters, and had problems.

Some shelter workers act like prison wardens, treating homeless like criminals and enjoying the power they have to kick people out for the night. There are insulting requirements, like classes on “how to brush your teeth.” You have to be out of the shelter during the day, and your things get stolen because there are no secure lockers.

For me, I have two dogs, and there are no pet-friendly shelters. It may sound crazy to have pets when you cannot afford a house, but my dogs have gotten me through many hard times. They are family. If I must choose between leaving them behind or staying on the street, I’ll stay on the street. Even without them, I couldn’t afford a house anyway.

To sweep and hope people go to shelters is not a solution. Some will go. A few may even stay. A majority will not. Where will we end up? Your neighborhood. The doorstep of your business. Your garage.

A better solution is to find land nearby for a temporary camp. Put a “big top” tent on one of the vacant parcels near Kakaako with water and bathrooms. People would move voluntarily. Right now, parts of camp do not have access to water, and illness is spreading because people cannot keep clean.

A big top tent wouldn’t cost much, and could be set up quickly. It would last only six to eight months. The goal would be to identify families with kids and non-addicts to prioritize for whatever permanent housing exists. Addicts would have their own section of the big top, directed to other programs, not immediately into housing.

Keeping everyone together, for now, creates an opportunity to provide services and support. It’s also a chance to talk to us to make sure proposals will actually work, based on realities of the street. Sweep us and we will scatter, and that opportunity will be lost.

Put a hold on the sweeps. Take time to talk with camp residents. Try not to be discouraged by the trouble- makers and advantage- takers. We are not all like that. There are hopeful homeless working to build community in Kakaako. Work with us. Together we can create better solutions than either of us — homeless or housed — could create alone.