The state Senate has taken an important step in trying to make a dent in the serious and growing homeless problem in Hawaii. The awareness about this problem has grown, and now efforts to seriously combat this problem have been started.

PHOCUSED would like to highlight the efforts of the housing and homeless coalition of advocates in their efforts to support Hawaii’s housing vulnerable and homeless populations as reflected in the recently released Senate version of the budget bill, HB 1700 HD1 SD1.

Funds requested by the Governor’s Office and seen as critical to addressing the current homeless crisis were removed from the House version of the budget but added in the Senate draft; these include:

>> Restoration of the governor’s homeless program funding, including Housing First, Rapid Re-Housing, and outreach dollars.

There is still an omnibus bill alive in the Legislature, but it is our belief that these programs, due to their ongoing nature, really belong in the budget and not as year-to-year appropriations. These programs are critical to tackling homelessness at all levels, including chronically homeless individuals, working families and unaccompanied youth.

>> $15 million for the 801 Alder St. project in Makiki.

This mixed-used project will provide approximately 180 affordable rental units for working families (earning up to 60 percent of area median income), space for a juvenile shelter and service center, and parking. It is a prime example of maximizing usage of existing state property to address both the housing needs of Hawaii as well as the service needs of our at-risk youth.

With the need for affordable rental units in Hawaii projected in the thousands of units, the continued creation of affordable rentals is critical to addressing Hawaii’s housing crisis.

>> Appropriations to the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. for the Rental Housing Revolving Fund of $50 million to go toward the construction and development of an estimated 400 affordable housing units.

We commend the Senate and governor’s office for continuing to allocate funds to meet Hawaii’s affordable housing needs.

The Senate also is showing its commitment to affordable housing through the allocation of Dwelling Unit Revolving Funds (DURF) to statewide affordable housing projects, including a $9 million DURF appropriation to a permanent affordable housing and homeless service center in Iwilei that falls within a future transit-oriented development (TOD) zone.

This, and other appropriations statewide, are critical infusions to move affordable housing projects immediately. Planning to address Hawaii’s affordable housing needs requires innovative thinking in the short, medium and long term, and this creative use of DURF by the Senate is a bold step in the right direction.

Long-term solutions to Hawaii’s affordable housing and homelessness crises need constant and consistent funding to dig ourselves out of the hole that complacency has dug. Without these allocations, Hawaii’s affordable housing develop-ment will suffer the loss of hundreds of rental units, and over a hundred homeless households would face near immediate eviction.

This is an important first step, and along with the efforts of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii will lose its first-place ranking as the state with the highest rate of homeless per capita.