Initiative to help at-risk homeless comes to Oahu

A community-based effort called 100,000 Homes Oahu aims to move 100 of Oahu’s most at-risk homeless people and families into permanent homes within the next two years.

Based on the nationwide 100,000 Homes Campaign, which began in 2010 in Washington, D.C., and is under way in Hilo, the initiative is aimed at saving money — and lives, said Kent Anderson, coordinator of the 100,000 Homes Oahu project, a partnership involving the government, nonprofit agencies, businesses, faith-based groups and volunteers.

"The 100,000 Homes Oahu movement will save lives, save money and improve the quality of life for everyone in our community," Anderson said.

Statistics show that living on the street may cut a person’s life span by 25 years and that the costs to taxpayers of allowing people to remain on the streets are far higher than offering them permanent housing with support services, he said.

Anderson said a recent study found that housing the 50 most medically vulnerable people on Skid Row saved Los Angeles County about $250,000 over two years.

Oahu’s program, which utilizes existing funds and resources, could save isle taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars by Sept. 30, 2014, the target date to find permanent housing for 100 of the most vulnerable homeless households, he said.

Kickoff for 100,000 Homes Oahu begins with a Registry Week volunteer meeting from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the state Capitol. Volunteers are needed to set up and carry supplies, survey and take pictures of Oahu’s homeless people, share volunteer stories on social media and input data, Anderson said.

Next week some 150 volunteers are expected to comb Oahu’s streets and beaches to create a name and photo registry of the most vulnerable unsheltered people in Waikiki, Wai­anae and urban Hono­lulu, he said.

Based on the latest point-in-time counts, more than 400 veterans are living without shelter on Oahu on any given night, said Darryl Vincent, chairman of Partners in Care, an organization of homeless service providers on Oahu that are part of the 100,000 Homes Oahu. As many as 1,318 homeless people are living without shelter on Oahu, he said.

"This campaign would identify the most vulnerable and start getting them help immediately," Vincent said.

As many as 24 housing units are already available, and program organizers are working to identify more, said Paul Oshiro, program manager for the Waikiki Health Center’s Care-a-Van drop-in center and clinic.

"Our goal is to get the first people into permanent housing within the first couple of months," Oshiro said.

The Oahu campaign could face challenges such as finding enough affordable housing and persuading chronically homeless individuals to participate, said Colin Kippen, Hawaii state coordinator on homelessness. But it’s a step in the right direction, he said.

"It’s an attempt to build the bridge between the person on the street and the community who needs to help," he said.

The program has been effective nationwide, where it has helped 154 communities house more than 20,600 people, said Jake Maguire, 100,000 Homes spokes­man.

"It helps communities to better understand the scope of the problem and to identify which subsidies or programs would best help their homeless people," Maguire said. "It galvanizes communities to engage with their homeless neighbors to develop an action plan."

Jeff Merz, a Waikiki Neighborhood Board member, said the program could make a big difference in Waikiki, which despite its resort status has a very visible homelessness problem.

"It’s imperative to get people off the street and into housing," Merz said. "This makes sense and it sounds fiscally responsible. We are running out of ideas, so I’m all for bold steps." 

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Star-Advertiser reporter Dan Nakaso contributed to this report.