It’s been about two months since Pulama Ola Kauhale, the medical respite housing project across the street from the Queen’s Medical Center, opened its doors to homeless patients who have been discharged from the hospital but are not healthy enough to return to the streets.

So far, so good. After one month, all the beds were filled and a waiting list formed, according to the governor’s office. Patients are getting help in recovering from strokes, chemotherapy and surgery. One resident is preparing to move into permanent housing after five years of homelessness.

In terms of raw numbers, it’s not much; there are an estimated 4,000 people living on the street at any given time. Pulama Ola only has 10 tiny houses, and patient stays are temporary. Success is measured one person at a time.

Also, round-the-clock staffing and medical support aren’t cheap, and the cumulative cost savings that come from keeping the homeless out of the hospital remains to be seen.

But there are other ways to measure success.

It wasn’t that long ago when the city’s vaunted solutions to urban homelessness were limited to moving the homeless along, throwing away their trash (and belongings), placing them in out-of-the-way shelters, fighting lawsuits by the ACLU, and promoting the distant promise of Housing First.

The overarching goal seemed to be to separate the unkempt homeless from the rest of us.

Now, with much fanfare and little backlash, the state and nonprofit Project Vision are operating a full-service homeless facility in Downtown Honolulu. And it’s not just for 10 people at a time; so far, more than 300 people have been drawn to the on-site hygiene trailer, using the restrooms and taking hot showers, even though they don’t live there. Nonresidents also have received basic medical care and help with life’s necessities, such as acquiring ID cards and permanent housing.

Meanwhile, the city opened a 19-bed medical respite center in Iwilei in June. It complements the work at the nearby Punawai Rest Stop, which offers medical care, hygiene facilities, social services and 20 studio apartments.

And there’s more to come. Gov. Josh Green has promised to expand permanent kauhale across the islands — “a community within the wider community,” said James Koshiba, the governor’s coordinator on homelessness.

It’s hoped that this more humane approach — offering solutions rather than a strong-arm — will prove more successful than past efforts. The proof will be twofold: a significant reduction in the number of homeless, yes, but also a society made kinder by its ability to effectively help the homeless as they are, where they are.