KAT WADE / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Unknown homeless gather their belongings after the second sweep of the day along Cooke Street shortly following the announcement of the homeless “Point in Time” count for January 22, 2018.
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I have been homeless for over eight years.
This year there were anecdotes reported by the homeless counters about persons refusing to be counted. Unlike last year when I was counted, this year I did not even see anyone counting the homeless in Kapolei, and I live near the park. In past years I’ve seen groups of counters, but not this year.
The reported homeless population of 4,500 is statistically ridiculous. With Oahu’s population at over 1 million, consider that:
>> 4-5 percent of the population have a mental disability, such as bipolar disorder (as I do);
>> 2 percent suffer from full-on mental retardation;
>> Over 10 percent are alcoholics or addicted to drugs.
Mathematically, even assuming only 0.5 percent of 1 million people aren’t able to house themselves, at least 50,000 should be homeless, not fewer than 5,000.
Crispin
Kapolei
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