Helping Waikiki homeless up, and out?

The first of the new Waikiki SMART initiatives, funded by the tourism industry, seems smart: a weekly drop-in homeless service center.

Transportation also is offered to Institute of Human Services centers and medical help, and more frequent outreach stops will follow. Mufi Hannemann, president and CEO of the Hawai‘i Lodging and Tourism Association said the top tourism district should be “uncomfortable” for the homeless; ironically, offering some comfort may help in steering them elsewhere.

See how far Waimanalo park plans go

Several years in the works, the Waimanalo Bay Beach Park Master Plan essentially cleared the way for Phase 1 of city-funded amenities — a multipurpose sports field, a playground and an 11-stall parking lot. However, when site work started in mid-April, opponents — citing concerns about traffic and loss of areas with environmental and cultural significance — responded with sign-waving protests.

Following a work hiatus of several months, Honolulu Hale last week said construction would resume, in part, because scrapping the $1.4 million first phase at Sherwood Forest would cost the city up to $300,000. It’s a safe bet that Phase 2 is a no-go.