HILO>> Hawaii County is considering building a fiberglass igloo village for homeless people in Kona, which would be erected across from the West Hawaii Civic Center.

Officials said the temperature inside the 314-square-foot, four-person igloos is typically 10-15 degrees cooler than outside, West Hawaii Today reported.

Lance Niimi, an executive assistant to the mayor charged with homeless issues, on Tuesday presented the idea to the County Council Committee, which in return asked Niimi for a master plan looking at the entire island, and also including treatment and employment options for homeless people.

Hilo Councilman Aaron Chung said the county is looking at a “horrible upward trajectory” of homelessness, and said he is afraid transient people will keep moving to the island if they know facilities are available for them.

Niimi, however, said most of the island’s homeless residents have been here more than 10 years. “It’s a misconception that a majority of our homeless are from somewhere else,” Niimi said.