Homeless effort makes headway

Honolulu is gradually making progress on its plan to cope with its mounting homelessness problem. At long last, this is certainly something to celebrate.

But government officials for the city and especially the state must not miss a beat in keeping up this accelerated pace, because there’s so much more to do.

First, the kudos: Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s administration announced closure of the deal last week to purchase two unoccupied school buildings, near Piikoi and Hassinger streets in Makiki, that can be converted to units for the homeless.

This is the first outright acquisition of property the city has completed, a solution commonly tapped in mainland urban areas to address homelessness but one that’s been elusive in high-cost Hawaii.

It’s a promising venture, despite the $5.5 million price tag. That’s because it follows the "Housing First" model that’s been so successful across the nation.

The idea is a rational one: Place the chronically homeless in stable housing first, and then provide the "wrap-around" social and health services that over time can get them back on their feet.

Experience elsewhere has demonstrated that it’s cost-effective even with the city underwriting most of the rental fees. People who are housed and helped are less likely to cycle through the interventions with emergency services and the criminal justice system that end up being far more expensive.

In addition to serving the homeless, the so-called "Hassinger Project" also would be open to low- income residents. The city projects completion of up to 50 "micro" units for this needy population by next summer.

The intent is to make these apartments — and units to be created in other buildings the city wants to purchase — serve as an important way station for a group ill-served by Honolulu’s housing market.

The residents likely will be allowed to stay for up to six years, but the aim is to make them more self-sufficient so they can find market-priced units for the long term.

That would certainly mark an improvement over past experience at both city and state subsidized housing projects, where families and individuals have tended to stay for the long term.

The city still must finalize the details of the Hassinger conversion, but it’s encouraging to see some of the resources the City Council allotted for Housing First being spent productively.

Additionally, the Hale Mauliola transitional shelter at Sand Island represents another long- awaited advance in implementing solutions to homelessness. Success here, however, will depend on a brisker pace to move people off the streets and on to the next step of housing.

The Council and the administration, long at odds over housing policy, now must get on the same page to ensure Honolulu gets the most bang from the affordable-housing buck.

Council Chairman Ernie Martin has said a complete solution would entail an islandwide program with solutions tailored to each district: Coming up with such a blueprint should top the job list for which the Council and administration would share responsibility.

More progress is needed now from the administration of Gov. David Ige, who declared a state of emergency to address the homelessness crisis.

Officials lately have struggled to clear another Kakaako homeless encampment — that needs to be settled soon — but there’s hope for resolution of another long-pending issue next week.

On Monday, the state plans to announce the selection of a site for a transitional shelter to accommo- date about 15 families, said Scott Morishige, the state homeless coordinator.

Another recent accomplishment was a conference bringing in potential landlords for homeless tenants. While the state and city work to expand the inventory of affordable units, the participation of the existing rental marketplace is crucial.

The city has partnered with the Institute for Human Services through a $2.1 million yearly contract to find Housing First apartments for homeless people across Oahu. There does seem to be movement. The first contract just ended, with 173 people being placed in housing around Oahu.

This is a good start, but it will take coordinated and timely action from officials to make further gains. A case in point: The city was outbid on two buildings it sought to purchase, including a dormitory and a four-unit complex.

This is a tight housing market, and neither the city nor the state can afford to miss many more opportunities, wherever they occur.