Letter: Provide a better cart for houseless to use

I cannot stop thinking about the cruelty of Bill 49 (“Honolulu City Council pushes fines, jail for shopping cart violations,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 10). Shopping carts have always been and will always be a stopgap for those navigating difficult daily life without shelter.

At the risk of grossly oversimplifying a complicated issue, what if we considered this alternative to the City Council’s criminalization of survival?

>> Host a contest among engineering students to design a better cart, uniquely designed to suit Oahu’s environment.

>> Social work and welfare students could interview willing houseless people about helpful practical cart features.

>> Business, advertising, finance and public administration classes could fund the carts with a mix of grants, fundraising campaigns and advertising of local businesses.

>> Nonprofit groups could host cart swap days across the island to recover store carts in exchange for better carts, with no penalty.

A collaborative creative endeavor could minimize sidewalk disruption, reduce law enforcement strain, decrease business financial loss and, most importantly, provide a more dignified alternative for the unsheltered.

Lauren Weldon May

Kapolei

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