Urban housing for disabled homeless deserves support

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, May 10, 2012

~~<p>The number of chronically homeless people has increased recently in Honolulu, prompting Mayor Peter Carlisle to launch an ambitious and needed project for the city to buy a building in urban Honolulu for their needs. The question is whether Honolulu's mayor will have the fortitude to go forward with the necessary plan once its location becomes known.</p>
<p>A model "Housing First" proposal by former Mayor Mufi Hannemann was ultimately dropped because of neighbors' opposition at its location along River Street in Chinatown. A similar reaction may occur once Carlisle's "Pathways Project" site is decided —but we hope not, and not necessarily, as a transitional homeless shelter called Safe Haven already exists for the severely mentally ill on South Beretania Street on the outskirts of downtown.</p>
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The number of chronically homeless people has increased recently in Honolulu, prompting Mayor Peter Carlisle to launch an ambitious and needed project for the city to buy a building in urban Honolulu for their needs. The question is whether Honolulu's mayor will have the fortitude to go forward with the necessary plan once its location becomes known.

A model "Housing First" proposal by former Mayor Mufi Hannemann was ultimately dropped because of neighbors' opposition at its location along River Street in Chinatown. A similar reaction may occur once Carlisle's "Pathways Project" site is decided —but we hope not, and not necessarily, as a transitional homeless shelter called Safe Haven already exists for the severely mentally ill on South Beretania Street on the outskirts of downtown. Login for more...