Three Honolulu Homeless Shelters Are Closing, Leaving Clients With Uncertainty … The service providers are vacating their current locations in Chinatown and Kakaako without a plan for where to go next.
For many people experiencing homelessness in Honolulu, the Safe Haven center in Chinatown has been a reliable place to sleep, shower, store belongings and receive services.
It’s been an “anchor” for people like Christie Claussen, whose mental illness and addiction have prevented her from living in stable housing for most of the last several years, her mother Marti Claussen said. Christie sleeps on the sidewalks and parks near the center and visits Safe Haven daily. It’s where her mother leaves messages for her.
“It’s just been kind of a home base,” Marti Claussen said.
But it won’t be for long. Safe Haven will be closing its doors on Pauahi Street later this year.
