Application for the Sand Island homeless shelter was submitted this morning to personnel at the Iwilei homeless shelter. The process, as defined by both Scotty and the formerly-homeless buddy, has commenced. There is no anticipation. Who really wants to be homeless?
However, the ends justify the means. If five-year waiting lists can be sidestepped, then all the better. Yet, is the sacrifice and inconvenience of homelessness worth it?
The entire area surrounding the Iwilei homeless shelter has become a huge homeless "camp." A few months ago, the "camp" was fairly small. Now, there are "campers" lined up on the sidewalk along all the adjacent streets. No photographs were taken. Homeless "campers" do not respond kindly to outsiders filming them.
Scotty pointed out that the Iwilei homeless "campers" are ruthless. Crime and violence amongst them is commonplace. They have essentially nothing, so they have nothing to lose.
Incidentally, the closure of Thomas Square Park in town for "renovations" has forced a large number of homeless back onto the streets. Thus, the number of visible homeless has increased dramatically. Homelessness is out of control.
The unsupervised paid parking facility across from A'ala Park is no longer. It is fenced off for some kind of construction. Thus, the only cheap unsupervised overnight parking venue is gone. Only the riskier street parking is available in town for homeless motorhomes.
By the way, there are now four full-time homeless motorhomes parked on the outskirts of 'Nalo, all of them older minivans, during morning and early evening observations. There's no telling how many are actually "camping" there at night.
Koko Marina in Hawai'i Kai is still the homeless hub of the area. The 70-ish homeless guy is a fixture there during the day. About four or five other motorhomeless have also been spotted. There also a number of conventional homeless milling about Koko Marina and the two other shopping plazas across Kuapa Pond.
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