Question: Did that ACLU lawsuit halt the city’s homeless enforcement? There’s encampments popping up all over the place. …
Answer: No. The city Department of Facility Maintenance continues to enforce the sidewalk nuisance and stored property ordinances, commonly known as SNO/SPO, under terms agreed to in the settlement of the class-action lawsuit Martin v. City & County of Honolulu.
Among the stipulations are that the city provide advance notice of planned enforcement, which it posts online at honolulu.gov by 3 p.m. the day before. For example, the schedule for today included Kamamalu Park, Vineyard Street, Kamalii Park, Union Mall, Sun Yat Sen Park, Aala Park, College Walk, Smith/Beretania Park, Keawe Street, Kakaako Makai, Ala Moana Beach Park, Thomas Square Park, Pawaa Park and Fern/Kalakaua Avenue.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii encourages homeless people to stay informed of the enforcement schedule by checking the city’s website, following the ACLU on social media or signing up for text notifications from the group.
Homeless individuals may decide to temporarily move to another place once they become aware of an impending sweep in their current location, if that’s what you mean by “popping up.” Those who are trying to move their things when enforcement begins have 30 minutes to do so, per the settlement.
The city need not provide advance notice of enforcement if the stored property poses a threat to public health, safety or welfare, or to the “orderly management of public property,” according to a summary of the settlement by the ACLU.
In that case, the city is supposed to videotape the enforcement effort, store the property for potential retrieval and make reasonable efforts to document why it was cleared without prior notice, according to the ACLU.
Although you did not specify locations for camps you say block general access to public property, Kokua Line has heard from other readers citing a similar uptick in homeless sites, although those readers described them as entrenched, not transitory.
They mentioned the triangle park on King Street near University Avenue; the Kailua Beach Park pavilion; the grassy area off Richards and King streets near ‘Iolani Palace; and an enclave near Kapahulu Avenue and Date Street (a perennial source of complaints).
SNO/SPO are enforced on public property under the city’s oversight, not on private property. Jurisdictional conflicts among federal, state and city authorities may complicate enforcement. That said, DFM continues to respond to complaints from the public about the illegal storage of personal belongings on city property.
To report a potential violation, call 768-4381, email complaints@honolulu.gov or fill out the complaint form at 808ne.ws/26mxZF5. Be concise and specific in your complaint.
Q: Is it too late to register to vote?
A: No. The voter registration deadline to cast a ballot in the general election is Oct. 10.
Q: I’ve voted before, but not recently. Do I have to register again?
A: No, unless you have moved or legally changed your name, according to the state Office of Elections. In general, once you have registered to vote you don’t have to re-register for each election.
Mahalo
Belatedly, I want to sincerely thank a young woman named Mercedes for her kindness in helping me up when I fell on the ground (face down) on Aug. 24 at Waipahu Transit Center. Getting off the bus and walking toward the grocery store I must have stepped on a slippery spot — just instantly I was on the ground. Mercedes, who was on the bench waiting for her bus (across from where I fell) saw me fall and immediately was at my side, asking if I was OK and helping me up. There were several people waiting for the bus but she was the only one to come and help me. She is a young person … I truly appreciate her kindness and concern in helping me up and seeing that I was OK. — A grateful senior
Write to “Kokua Line” at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
