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What have you and the city done so far to change Honolulu’s approach to homelessness?
We are looking to develop our plans and set our strategies on some basic principles that can set a foundation and enable us to take advantage of opportunities as they become available. The basic principle is that we are looking to help individuals achieve personal success in their journey. That can include healing, life preparation, housing and connecting with others — basically, making better decisions. The supportive principle is to seek systematic success. That means looking at both the availability and quality of our provider network, our stabilization and shelter capabilities, our temporary housing inventory and permanent housing.
Let’s talk new approaches as we build this foundation. One new approach is Crisis Outreach Response and Engagement (CORE). Another is working with the Prosecutor’s Office to execute a Weed and Seed program. The first implementation will be in Chinatown/Downtown. This program will work with individuals who have been arrested for a crime. It gives them a choice of prosecution or treatment or shelter; again, making better decisions (weed). After an area is stable and we have a more open environment for gatherings, we work on neighborhood events that add positive activity to that area (seed).
We have opened a second Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered Persons (HONU) site at Whitmore Village in Wahiawa. That adds 40 beds to the system and will allow us to assist individuals in reuniting with their families, find and move to shelters or housing. This is a state-funded project executed by the city.
I feel that the village concept will be effective on Oahu. We have a couple in operation and they work well. Look for more to come. It is important that our communities embrace this concept; without cooperation from our communities it will be difficult to make a difference.
Regardless of its overall effect on reducing homelessness, some argue that “compassionate disruption” is necessary for public health and sanitation, and to prevent large, entrenched homeless camps from getting out of control. Do you disagree?
The “compassionate disruption” in and of itself does not work as a homeless strategy. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to clean up our public areas. A better goal is to have sanitation and clean-up activities that are community-oriented with city participation. When I say community-oriented, it can include the homeless individuals as well.
When will your CORE teams hit the streets? How will it work, how many teams, and how much will it cost?
We are developing and implementing a different crisis engagement method. The city has the responsibility for crisis response. It has been almost solely handled by the Honolulu Police Department. HPD has developed community policing teams that are effective. This program is in addition to the work they are doing.
I estimate the program startup and first year will be $3 million; look for wheels to hit the roads in the fall. The development and design of this program is a collaborative effort. In addition to city departments at the design table, we have state and community leaders, providers and individuals who have experienced homelessness. This group will design how the program will work and the metrics to be held accountable.
What is being done to create more affordable units? Have any developers applied for Bill 1 grants to build affordable rental housing?
Bill 1 is an outside-the-box idea for building affordable rental housing units. Instead of the government building the homes, which is often slow and expensive, private property owners can receive thousands of dollars in incentives for each rental unit they build for the people. There are already 11 Bill 1 applications in process. The target is to have more than 1,100 units built by May 2024.
Besides homelessness, what are your top priorities right now?
We are changing the Mayor’s Office of Housing to the Office of Housing and Homelessness. For the level of importance of these issues, it was underfunded. A top priority is to put together a comprehensive housing strategy. The strategy will systematically look at how we are aligned with the state, our financing capabilities, managing our inventories, incentivizing development and leveraging state and federal programs. The execution of the strategies will lie in the city departments.
Bonus question
One year from now, what progress do you expect Honolulu to have made in regards to housing and the houseless?
Put CORE on the streets and have plans in place to build at least two more villages. Positive improvements are on the way.
THE BIO FILE
>> Current position: Executive director, Office of Housing and Homelessness
>> Previous experience: General manager, IBM Pacific; president and CEO, Tissue Genesis, Inc.
>> Personal background: My father was in the U.S. Navy and was in the battle of Pearl Harbor on the USS Preble. My mother is Hawaiian and was a nurse at Queen’s. I attended the University of Maryland, and have a degree in criminology. My wife Julie and I have five children and two grandchildren and we reside in Hawaii Kai.
>> Outside interests: I have consulted in leadership management and strategic planning. I like fly-fishing, deep-sea fishing, basketball and running.
>> One more thought: Success is helping someone find their success.
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