Kuawa Street Short-Term Shelter Site Cleaned Following Successful Housing Program
Kuawa Street Short-Term Shelter Site Cleaned
Following Successful Housing Program
County of Hawaiʻi staff and community members teamed up this week to clean the site of a former short-term homeless shelter in Hilo after successfully placing 14 of the 15 participants in housing or long-term shelter.
The Kuawa Street short-term shelter opened the morning of July 31 on private property that the County leased, and welcomed individuals from the Ponahawai Temporary Respite Area who agreed to participate in the initiative. One person left on their own volition.
Throughout the initiative, service providers connected regularly with the residents offering critical housing-focused case management services that included referral to an array of services and resources in the community.
The short-term shelter’s last residents left Nov. 27 for permanent housing or shelter, but were able to return to the site to retrieve belongings through the first week of December. The County’s lease for the property ends Dec. 31, and the site was thoroughly cleaned Thursday morning by a dedicated team of the shelter’s community partners, volunteers, former shelter residents, and County workers.
“Through this initiative, homeless individuals have received services and support to help them move toward permanent housing,” said Mayor Kimo Alameda. “We want to mahalo County staff, former shelter residents, and our community partners for helping to clean the site, and we look forward to building upon this effort to address homelessness in our communities.”
Kehau Costa, administrator for the County Office of Housing and Community Development, said: “This first cohort’s progress is a testament to the effectiveness of this initiative, and we are committed to exploring ways to continue this important work, providing more opportunities for those in need and making a lasting impact.”
She added that the effort wouldn’t have been possible without the many community partners and volunteers who collaborated during the four-month initiative.
“We couldn’t have done it alone,” Costa said. “Providing this temporary shelter where some of the most vulnerable members of our community could receive services and care they need to exit homelessness would not have been possible without the collaboration of our dedicated partners. We are grateful for the collaborative effort from all parties involved.”
The Kuawa Street site only served occupants from the Ponahawai Temporary Respite Area.
The Ponahawai Temporary Respite Area on Ponahawai Street operated from July 5 to July 31 to accommodate several dozen unsheltered individuals who had been residing in and around a storm drain in Hilo. The measure was taken in preparation for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ scheduled assessments of the drainage system.
Looking forward, the County is exploring additional opportunities for temporary sheltering in both East and West Hawaiʻi as our community works together to address homelessness.
Persons experiencing homelessness who may want/need access to community resources, should connect with the Hawaiʻi County Homeless Engagement (HCHE) Hui by visiting https://neighborhoodplaceofpuna.org/hche/ or by calling (808) 501-1413, ext. 3.
In partnership with the County, the HCHE Hui is currently a pilot program inclusive of street outreach around Hawai’i Island to reach homeless individuals who may want/need access to community resources. Current HCHE Hui Partner Agencies include Neighborhood Place of Puna, HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Project Vision Hawaiʻi and Going Home Hawaiʻi.
