Having just read through the first bunch of comments, I really appreciate the active discussion. Even if we can't all agree on the methodology, I'm glad we can acknowledge that something more needs to be done. 🤙
To answer this problem you have to do an investigation into who makes money on bringing the drugs to the island, and who makes money by pretending to want to fix the homeless problem. Corruption pays; There's a lot of corruption in high places in Hawaii. Those who are benefiting from the condition of the poor and addicted, don't live or work around it and they don't care.
I have to also add, that many homeless don't want the help that is offered. Help comes with conditions as well, ie: you can't take your dog into the shelter, you can't take drugs in the shelter, you have to follow the rules in the shelter for everyone's safety. How do you make people take help when they refuse the rules and don't want it?
The reason behind it is inflation or drug abuse. what causes inflation? Govt over spending. What causes drug abuse, freely available drugs and no laws enforced.
Have you ever thought about running for office in your local area? Your perspective I think is very beneficial and something the locals would appreciate because it comes from the heart of someone they trust. Aloha from San Diego 🤙🏽 God bless 🙏🏽
My friend works at a homeless shelter and she tells me how a lot of homeless people brag about how much money they made from begging and how it almost always goes to drugs. I know its sad to see a fellow human deteriorate before your eyes but giving them money is only making things worse. Mahalo for the video, substance abuse is a huge problem, I hope more people continue the conversation.
Usually they come from abusive, neglectful homes where they can't trust people. They tend to have issues trusting doctors, politicians, etc. Some have suffered a head injury and their brain chemistry is off. A lot don't think they're worthy enough to live a good life. The bragging about how much money they make panhandling is just typical street survival stuff. I can't imagine anyone living on the streets or at the dangerous homeless shelters and not doing drugs. It's super depressing. They're drowning out their pain and fear. One of the agencies where I live has started opening apartment buildings for them that have the offices in the building to ensure they are taking meds, etc. It can take years to earn the trust of a homeless person and get them off the streets. There's a psychiatrist and a married couple where I live that work with the homeless on the street to get them off. It does take years usually.
100% the drug problem on Hawaii needs attention. Isn't it strange how one of the worlds most remote islands (where almost everything goes through customs/ports/inspections) still has a HUGE illegal drug trade? Makes you wonder who is allowing the drugs to flow in (and how much money they must be making off the backs of the people they're killing). Government must be involved at some level; no doubt about it. That said, affordable housing for all is definitely a noble goal, and something we should strive for. In order to achieve that, though, these deeper issues with society must be resolved. Or else we're just shufling the problem areas around. Instead of parks being slums, we'll have slummy apartments, unsafe to live in. Which is better? Or worse? In the end, we must first treat the corruption or our people; curb/control the flow of drugs (which shouldn't be that hard; it's an island after all), remove corrupted officials, restore some element of order to our society, and the scale of the problem will lessen with time. There will always be some homeless people (and drug abusers at that), sure, but not at the scale we're seeing on Oahu. Hopefully we'll be able to come together and solve this once and for all!
As a citzen of Washington i can agree that the homelessness crises is worse because of subatance abuse. The state is dealing with a fentanyl crisis and its has affected how people behave. I was planning to take a trip to Seattle during spring break but had to retracted after hearing that someone at the hotel we wanted to stay got stabbed all for a cellphone.
It is everywhere, even to the point the working class are living in vans or SUV. My son just moved from the island of Kauai He stated that the homeless there have the best weather, he met a black guy there homeless, who moved there 7yrs ago, and was just stuck there. It's sad ! Many people are stuck in addiction, no direction. My son said he was truly a nice man just lost, the guy was like somewhere from California. Stuck and lost for that long😢
@ron whitfield you may be right. I imagine the hard-working ones were not sitting on the beach all day getting drunk and high. There probably should be a distinction of homeless-by-choice and involuntarily-homeless.
Drug abusers are usually hung up on getting that next fix. They need counseling and rehab first. Nothing else even self won't seem to matter to them otherwise.
I work in the substance abuse field. I think you did a great job of nailing the problem. Treatment in general doesn't work for most people and it certainly doesn't work for most people the first time around. It's an overpriced one size fits all solution that is a fair offering but not very good overall. Maintenance therapies can be helpful but if people want to continue to use drugs and use them on the street and laws aren't enforced it makes the problem worse. Remember too that the opposite of addiction isn't sobriety, the opposite of addiction is connection. We have disconnected people out there which the addiction only exacerbates. I'm not sure what to tell you being that there's plenty of jobs available and other things to get off the street but if it's just easier to stay high live on the sidewalk destroy property rummage to garbage cans and throw the litter all over the place without any caring for one's fellow human, all the treatment housing or other things in the world won't make a difference. People should be housed, that said laws should also be enforced. Letting people live on the street only makes the problem worse.
Drug addiction, crime and homelessness are lucrative industries for some very unscrupulous people.. This is why the problem won't be solved, just isolated.
It all starts with your family and family values. When I walk the parks almost every day I can watch and listen how people interact especially adults/ parents with kids as small as 2-3 year old. I watch and can hear what language is used " f... this f... that " to communicate right in front of their kids. This is how you grow up ? Is this your guideline for your adult life? That's how you going to talk and work later at your job? You think you have a real shot at your future ? Homeless, you become one for many reasons one definitiv is how you grew up in your house as a child that marks who will become. Family values is the foundation for the rest of your life, just listen next how people interact with children around.
In a book I read, written by the daughter of homeless parents living on the street in NYC......she tried to get them off the street, but they said it was so easy to be homeless with all the free handouts and empty buildings to sleep in etc., so that they did not want to give up their easy life.
@@ronwhitfield8356 past a certain age, choices and patterns become engrained in one's psyche. Change, consistent long term change is hard for most people. Yet, hope springs eternal.
I remember pre 911 there was a large homeless community that lived at the airport. You would’ve never known these people were homeless. Most of them worked. Some with good jobs. But they were down on their luck and the airport provided safety and clean bathrooms. After all these years I still think about and wonder where all those airport homeless went after 911.
@bigkanak797, that would be a great investigative story for news documentary! I recently watched a guy (not related to homelessness but reminded me of airports/illegal drug trafficking) who worked for 12:40 one of the large major airports on the East Coast (if I remember correctly) handling baggage outside the landed planes, facilitating transfer of drug cargo . He was being surveilled because of a tip.
Another thing to note is that the US tends to have far higher rates of substance abuse per capita than most western countries. We should also be asking ourselves why substance abuse levels are so high in the US compared to other locations.
You would be crazy to try to model a solution after what Seattle is doing. And Portland is even worse. I haven't seen a major city on the West coast that is managing this well. It's clear that mental health and drug abuse are major factors. It's hard to tell if the homelessness drove them to these other problems or if its the other way around.
Aloha Chris! Once again, you've nailed it while being compassionate and not commenting out of emotion alone like most people do. I know it's not simple, but I feel there's two basic categories we can start with. 1. Want help? - let's do what we can to help you. 2. Don't want help and don't want to be told what to do? Go directly to jail/tent city. You don't get to set up camp wherever you want. Yes, we need more prison space but can we stop building billion dollar prison hotels? Sorry, save that for another discussion...
Hi Chris, you really nailed it on what the underlying problem is with homelessness. The realty is drug addiction, and largely crystal meth. I work for the Addiction Foundation of Manitoba, CANADA. I know 100% that the majority of people living in the streets need a rehab facility to stay at and detox and get councelling. Unfortunately, it’s usually only a 3 week program, and then what. This drug is unlike any other, and there needs to be a much bigger plan to get people off meth and to give hope for what seems a very bleak future. I met a homeless girl in Oahu in May while I was there on holidays for 17 days. I was providing food for her and her dog, Roxy. It’s heartbreaking, she told me her story but I already knew it. I’ve seen it many times, she wanted to get off the streets, it’s so dangerous at night. It’s hard, I still think about her and her little dog.
Drug addiction, crime and homelessness are lucrative industries for some very unscrupulous people.. This is why the problem won't be solved, just isolated.
Aloha Chris, thank you for an amazing channel. As a local born and raised in Mo'ili'ili, who moved away but witnessed homelessness and rising cost-of-living, which is not unique to Hawaii and exists in other states, other countries, I applaud you for the thoughtful discussion. Examining and analyzing the statistics, whether economic, social or civil will not provide the magic algorithm to fix homelessness, substance abuse or cost-of-living, that has been overdone, with the same to similar outcomes; miniscule temporary changes. It is not easy to write this because I no longer live there, but seeing and reading the comments here, shows the support of most of these individuals towards these problems. This is a start for change. Please continue with the mindful content Chris. Mahalo
I believe some people want to remain homeless because they feel it's a "lifestyle." I have spoken to a few homeless people in Oahu and they all said it's a "lifestyle." They enjoy being in the outdoors, living in the jungle, living in this communal outdoor setting. Here in Los Angeles what I have been seeing and noticing are young people purposely choosing to be homeless instead of either finding job or permanent housing. Yes, homelessness is a multifaceted issue. It's a very difficult problem to deal with.
It's like the wife experiencing domestic violence. At first it's horrible , but eventually it becomes easier and as humans we are very resilient and it can become comfortable. But experiencing domestic violence like homelessness is not really living in modern times.
@@alexcarter8807 no often drugs and addiction are after effects of homelessness and coping. Not the factor of homelessness. A major problem with us in America. We associate poverty with morality vs a social economic issue. It's kinda an old wives tale like all the homeless in Hawaii are majorly mainlanders who flew to Hawaii to be homeless. It's not true.
@@ronwhitfield8356 you can't house people who don't want to be housed? It's very simple. You can't lock them up or expect them to come back to a facility on a daily basis for temporary housing. That's why homelessness is a multifaceted issue that cannot be solved by just throwing everyone in shelters and expect them to be functioning normally to be accepted into society.
This seems like a really dumb take. It's very simple as to why there are homeless people in Hawaii. Extreme cost of living. Rent is unaffordable, gas, utilities, groceries, overall cost of living are not feasible. The jobs you can get are limited and too competitive AND don't pay much. The people on the streets turn to drugs because there is nothing else left at that point. Many people living on the island have 2-3 jobs and live paycheck to paycheck. It only takes a few bad things to happen in a row and they end up homeless.
Problem is also that we are not asking the right questions and publishing the right responses. I spoke with someone that was way up there in government trying to solve Hawaii’s homeless. He said the surveys are wrong. What is asking is ‘have you been living in Hawaii for more than one year?’ That would show that 7% homeless are from the US mainland. If they were asked, ‘have you been living in Hawaii for more than four years?’ That would show that 30% are from the US mainland. If other states that are fiscally stingy in helping their poor pulled their weight, that might fix up to 30% of the homeless issues in Hawaii, California, Oregon Washington, Illinois…
Me and my family have a ministry that we do on the island of Kauai. Two times a month we go and set up 3 tents to give away free clothing, toiletries, bedding, prayer, and a hot meal. For me it hurts to hear the label of "These people" many of our brothers and sisters have their stories of how they ended up on the street and or started using alcohol or substances. There is a big community that we have that are in their 60's, 70's, even 80's and the only reason they got into alcohol or substances was because they had a server situation they went through and are just wanting to not wake up the next day. When we were able to get some of our brothers and sisters to open up and share their story it was heartbreaking to hear they were never alcoholics or substance users. But after being heard and re-directed helping them feel that they are not doing this journey alone we have seen many come off the street and get the help they truly need. So my say is stop labeling as "THESE PEOPLE" and take the time to "HEAR THEM OUT"
God bless you and your team in this work! You all are a Godsend. This is what is needed. Thanks for caring enough to do this good work. I know it's not easy and you are helping a lot of people find their humanity.❤❤❤
Japanese homeless don't want to burden others, where as the homeless here expect things... hand outs. I'm about the same age as you and Hawaii has changed so much over the last decade. My hugest pet peeve is when they J walk while taking their time and endangering others and themselves... zero F's given
Japan has sensible drug laws and a sensible legal system, and good policing. The TH-camr "Life Where I'm From" has an excellent 4-part series on homelessness in Japan and it's very very much different because of Japanese culture and because of Japan's sensible drug laws and approach to policing.
There is always so much emphasis on someone’s drug and housing issues is someone else’s problems. I understand everyone needs help and support and we should as a community do that. I also think there has been a loss self efficacy. People needing to take responsibilities for their choices and the consequences of those choices. If people are not willing to put an effort into making better personal choices and effort into fixing their own problems then the expectation will continue to be that someone else is supposed fix problems for them.
Most people don't wake up one morning and decide to become substance abusers, and they usually don't start because it's "fun." There are a lot of extenuating factors, usually having to deal with physical and mental health. As someone who has been addicted to multiple substances (and quit, but it was very difficult and I am very determined), I can say that having a chronic, extremely painful autoimmune disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder played a huge role into my substance abuse. The US medical system coupled with the lack of medical assistance in Hawaii makes it very hard for someone to seek appropriate help, and so they turn to substances because either they can't get seen by a doctor at all for a very long period of time, or the doctor gives suggestions that are not useful. For example, for my pain, they recommend taking acetaminophen (when 13 years ago, I was on 100 mg / day of hydromorphone / Dilaudid). Acetaminophen does nothing for my pain at all. The opioid crisis has completely cut me off of appropriate pain management (even the pain management clinics no longer prescribe opioids), so I'm stuck either suffering in huge amounts of pain that go from 6 - 10 on the pain scale or find alternative means of treating my pain. (At least kratom is legal here and it works really well, but we don't even know if it's safe. It's unlikely to make you homeless or necessitate you getting into property crime, though, to obtain enough.) Claiming that people need to take responsibility for their actions in a culture where priority on health care is so low suggests to me that you don't know what people go through. Nobody wants to be an addict, and telling people to "fix their own problems" when that's not feasible, and the resources aren't there to help them (or aren't financially feasible) is one of the attitudes in the US that had led to this completely broken health care system in the first place that perpetuates the problem.
I don't feel sorry at all they one that choices to live like that because there addiction they one sit by Walmart or home Depot they ask money all the time they have two legs and two hand not handicap they are able to go look for a job
@@vorpal22that just excuse because I have chronic pain and anxiety disorder what u speak it just a lot excuses I work two job and single mother and try run my own business and have mental issue and PTSD
@@TeishaGuillen-l3u Just because you have chronic pain, anxiety, etc. and are able to work two jobs and be a single mother and try to run your own business and have mental issues and PTSD, it doesn't mean that everyone can do what you do. I mean, good for you on being able to handle all that and be functional, but you are a data point, and not some norm to which everyone can aspire. Furthermore, you ignore most of what I said about the lack of health care and resources that people might need. Like I said, nobody wants to become an addict: people don't just wake up one morning and decide, "Today I'm going to get addicted to meth!" and then go about it.
40 year ER RN-your video highlights the truth-most homelessness is due to substance abuse snd we don’t have the treatment available. -I do think Waikiki is cleaner ,the pavilions with concessions have made a difference. And yes you should for City Council;you are so aware of the issues in Hawaii and so well spoken. Thank you.
Mahalo for the comment. I actually heard that the situation in Waikiki is still pretty bad. I'll be going there soon so I'll get a chance to see for myself.
This a multifaceted problem. The different stakeholder agencies and community groups must first be identified. (Include the police department and judges). Tougher laws on the drug dealers. (I don't know if Hawaii has Drug courts that deal this specific issue). They need all need to work together. Stop the bureaucratic silos that slow progress. Form an accountable Task Force that brings everyone to the table. Let everyone know what the other is doing. No more duplication of effort. Form an overall strategy that all parties including the homeless have input. Work with Governor and legislators who are will to put money and authority into this Task Force. The State government can get private and federal grants. Publish where the money is being spent in the newspaper. Get the media behind this effort. Find out who is obstructing the Taskforce and name names. Start with the easiest and work each problem in chunks. Identify the people who are will to be the champions and the worker bees on front line. Social worker are angels in disguise. Treat them well. Follow and analyze data to determine what is working and what is not. Stop wasting energy and time on projects with minimal returns. Start with the low hanging fruit. Get things done, assure the program is working and then move on. Out of the box thinking. As in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, homelessness is not going away. In Hawaii, the homeless will start attacking local people. Crime, theft and prostitution will go up to pay for drug habits. Stores will close because they are being robbed or afraid for their customers and staff. Car break ins and garage thief will also skyrocket. Stop those who prey on the homeless. This a lot of work but it has to be done. No more "woe is me" from locals. Go to the schools to educate and activate / rally locals students and parents to plug in and donate time. Just do it.
I'm sorry, unko Chris but. I disagree, brah. Yes the substance abuse is there but the real problem in Hawaii is definitely lack of affordable housing. It's the main key reason why so many are actually quietly homeless. We don't hear about them because unlike the crazy one's the quiet one's suffer in silence. The majority is normal Kama Aina just no can afford standard fair lifestyle no more and paradise. I when ask my anty and unko guys, kapuna born n raised and other friends situations. The housing market crisis is definitely #1 problem in Hawaii to homeless situation. No offense but the substance abuse people are not the most important focus. They are a distraction to the real truth people are very uncomfortable to talk about modern day Hawaii. Eh' cuz, you know what they say. Da kine tru'ta hurt. Aloha from a priced out of paradise family near Dallas outskirts Texas from a Hawaiian family born and raised Big Island and Oahu over the years. 🤙🏽🌴,🥲
Mahalo for sharing. Appreciate the comment. I agree that housing availability may be an initial reason for homelessness. And those who need help there should have assistance. But I think substance abuse keeps people in homelessness. I think there are ways to help both populations.
The issue is that most of these homeless individuals don't want help. I have friends that refuse to go to some playgrounds because of all the tents and drug addicts around. Waikiki has improved, but the areas around Kapahulu, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, and Kahala have all gotten worse. Look at the underpass near Kapahulu and H1. Look near Kaimuki High School. They are both filled with tents and homeless everywhere.
Houselesness is something that we all need to tackle. We see it here in on the mainland, all due to similar issues(affordable housing, lack of mental healthcare, ect..) These are the points where we as a nation need to work together and get the folks who want the housing into much safer situations.
I wanna take this time to apologize to you for judging you so harshly in the past. I’m taking a step back and listening to your contacts better and trying to understand you better. You genuinely care about your community and I think it’s a really good thing. Hopefully this will encourage you to possibly run for public office so that you can help make positive changes for the Hawaiian islands and native Hawaiians specifically. So I hope you accept my apology and I plan to sit back and observe and listen better in hopes to understand and find common ground on things I might disagree with. I will like your content and try to encourage people to view your TH-cam. Aunty Shawna
Mahalo for the comment. Any harsh comments are just part of being on TH-cam. Frankly, we're all strangers here and I've found that it takes time to understand where people are coming from on a platform like TH-cam. It's why I like it over other social media platforms. It's not supposed to be quick 30 second clips for laughs. But over several videos, people start to see where others are coming from. Mahalo and appreciate you commenting 🤙
Aloha brah, howzit? Good to see input. I was homeless 20+ years on Maui, mostly Kihei. So many diverse reasons contribute. My case was mostly housing costs. I did not drink or do meth. I worked full time, Eskimo Candy. Had a bank account. I lived several years in the concrete cane fields drainage tunnels under Pialani hiway. Lots centipedes and cane spiders. I never allowed my homelessness to impact anyone else. I spent most time not working building bikes to help the less fortunate homeless. I started DA KIHEI BIKE CHURCH, a non profit co-op. My sister is 63 and Kihei homeless. I got off the rock. Retired comfortable mainland now. So much cheaper. Hawaii is a brutal climate to be homeless....
In Finland, the government actually solved their homeless issue by giving *all* homeless people apartments/roofs over their heads, no matter what. They gave people full healthcare including drug treatment, dentist, general health, etc. They gave people education & help finding jobs, and lifetime help if necessary. Homes, health care, nutrition, education.. These are the things which support successful life. We cannot be shortsighted or narrow on this issue. Different states have different needs & reasons. We must be prepared to help them all.
Sounds ike a good solution but will never happen in the US. Most people either ignore the issue or have the I've-got-mine-and-I'm-not-giving-it-to-you attitude. Sad.
Hawaii has the strongest health care regimen of all the states. Likewise it has a strong addiction program. During the Covid, New York City put some homeless in a hotel which they trashed. Most states have drug addiction programs ad nauseam. Back when I grew up, I didn't hear much about the homeless, but decade by decade they have increased in number as more and more services were provided for them. Mental illness and drug addiction are the main drivers but some people have adopted homelessness as a lifestyle.
Are we wrong to assume, that there are current laws in place that make it illegal to be "living" on a sidewalk, a grass strip, on the hillside of the freeway, at the beach, etc? And, if so, why do the police drive by and allow this illegal activity to continue? Has law enforcement changed to the point that you "wait" for someone to make a formal complaint? (i.e. how long did it take for the row of tents across from the Convention Center to be cleared?) It's ridiculous that the city/state requires you to get a camping permit, yet we have a lot of homeless "camping" for free. How come? Don't laws apply to everyone? Regardless if you are homeless or not, if you don't want to comply with existing laws, then you are choosing to be arrested and/or cited.
@chaka3084, I thought Hawaii Democrats follow what the California Democrats want. Hawaii keeps a low profile so they don't have to spend/waste government money to enforce laws they really should to protect their island citizens.
@@HelloFromHawaii Yep ... so, for the lawbreaker who sees the police pass by, that would be an indication to them that "it's alright for me to live here." Okole backwards! 🤔
In many studies they have found that prolonged exposure to poverty and the stress of the high cost of living and low wages causes mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness. The findings show that most substance abuse, addiction, and mental illness is caused by economic disparity and prolonged poverty, and that leads to homelessness. The solution is to reduce poverty, reduce the stress of economic disparity, and to reduce the economic causes of poverty, like housing. The strategy should gravitate toward Universal Basic Income and substance abuse, addiction and mental illness help which is the right path forward.
Mahalo for sharing. In Hawaii, many are exposed to poverty. It seems like in the past, though, many more were able to climb out of that situation, like my grandparents. Today, I'm not so sure.
@@HelloFromHawaii yes, I agree. The issues that keep people down are artificial economic constructs (unfettered capitalism). I've studied it for decades. I'm an ex-cop, ex-Hawaii resident, and I used to belong to the Maui Homeless Alliance. I currently do research and write about these issues. In my experience, Hawaii is filled with some of the most wonderful people who are trapped not by their own doing, but by a systemic barrier that's permeated every aspect of our lives--nickel and dimed us endlessly. Our take-home isn't enough to keep a home. Wages never keep up with inflation. Every year more and more of what used to be affordable or free becomes pay-to-play, inflated, or monetized to the extreme. Poverty is a cycle that rarely allows anybody to escape. Over time, most give up because the stress overcomes them, health declines, mental facilities give in, and we fall into a nose dive finding ourselves drunk on a park bench being hassled by cops telling us we can't sleep or lay down there. Sadly. Yes, today is different.
It’s not just that mental health issues cause homelessness, homelessness also causes mental health issues! Try living on the streets for a week, and see what happens!
Also Chris: People are not homeless always due to substance abuse. Many lose their jobs and cannot pay their rents. So, they get evicted and bam, they are out on the streets. It is not always fair to assume that homeless people are abusing substances, such as drugs and alcohol. Many are not. Many are not mentally ill, either. At least not here in Seattle. Many are scraping by on the streets which harden anyone.
Yeah, I tried to clarify on the video that substance abuse may not necessarily be the initial cause of homelessness, but could eventually become the primary reason after being homeless.
So very true I got homeless when my husband went jail and I couldn't afford the rent even though I went resources to get help me my daughter had live in shelter for 6 month we end get hud and we got place then that landlord told us live our new place they was money hungry we wait for our hud inspection didn't pass they didn't want fix anything at all they keep haressment me and my child we end homeless again for like a month went in other shelter got out in two week now been live in our new place sense September hud help pay half the rent I pay rest
Seattle did address the drug problem but not in the way you would think. There are proponents to legalize drugs including Fentanyl etc to make it more accessible. Not surprisingly, homelessness is Seattle has worsened despite spending 1 billion dollars. Hawaii should not follow the footsteps of a city that's slowly dying.
Hawaii needs to start thinking of itself as the edge of Asia, not the edge of the USA. Be more like Asia. Harden up the drug laws, adopt a "police box" system for on-the-streets policing, toughen up!
This population tends towards treatment resistance. Substance abusers need to buy into wanting to be clean and sober. Even when they do relapse, is common. Mentally ill persons often refuse precibed medication because they don't like the side effects or prefer to self medicate with alcohol or street drugs. There is no one or easy solution for everyone. A really great outreach program would be a start.
This is why you set up a camp, asylum, whatever you want to call it, and one big aspect of it is FREE DRUGS. They'll want to stay there instead of on the street. Problem solved.
Chris: Thank you for bringing the substance abuse issue to the forefront regarding the continuing situation of homelessness. I agree it is a strong element of the triangle of cost of living, affordable housing & the subject you cover in this video edition. I myself have family living under bridges & what makes the situation worse for my family is that it is soooooo hard identifying their addictions; in our case, it is substance abuse AND gambling.
Same thing happening in California. The majority of people mainly left leaning/ liberals always say "is housing, or discrimination" but dont never say that 80% of homeless have a serious drug addiction and refused help, or shelter and would rather stay in their tents smoking meth all day. We can't let our communities, kids, families be exposed to open drug scenes, needles, trash, and crime because of someone who has no control over their life. These people need major intervention in their life and I agree forced and law needs to be used to put in order to put them in a place where they will get help
Hey Chris, I work in homeless services in Northern California. Homelessness is a worldwide issue and there are so many reasons why people are homeless Vets having a difficult transition to Civi life, mental health, and yes - sometimes substance abuse. Trust/believe, this is not an easy issue to fix. Our shelters are at capacity, we're lucky to have what homeless services, we do have. Some places don't have basic homeless services....when I was home (Hawaii) there were none, has that changed? Hoping things change for the better for all of us
@@HelloFromHawaii Good to know, no matter funding and $ allocation the services never seem to be enough, it seems we can never do enough, we can never offer enough. It's difficult especially when the services I can offer are pretty limited (in my case). Again, I can only speak for myself and what we can provide with health, housing and homeless in my area.
So #grateful for you having this conversation you are such a good speaker and well-mannered I hope you can do it several times a year to bring more awareness I don't think you could have picked a better spot to have your video there has to be a solution I'm not sure exactly what it is but having the conversation is working in the right direction
I think homelessness is getting worse. But unfortunately, I don't know the solution. But I still feel relatively safe here. I have reason to be in various cities on the mainland once each year. I've been approached by homeless people wanting money. Since I don't know the places or the people there, I felt very vulnerable/insecure. I've noticed that the homeless don't want food, etc. They seem to only want MONEY. Possibly to buy drugs? I'm guessing, YES!
how do you compare a person with potential to buy a "decent" proterty with the homeless who just need a tent, Making a campsite for the homeless isnt that difficult, just like hot spots for refugees, Why do all big counties just let them out in the streets? It looks like its on purpose
I’m here now on vacation, in Honolulu and the homeless situation is bad. Thought I was escaping sf but the smells and visuals are as bad, not the paradise I recall 5-6 yrs ago.
In Florida there is a Community-based Housing village that has had great success in housing the houseless. Community First Village in Austin, TX haas housed the chronically homeless with great success as well. In Utah & Colorado, The Other Side Academy & their sister-program The Other Side Village has had great success in a self-sustaining approach to ending their homelessness problem. Hoping to see it happen in all states in America, including Alaska, Puerto Rico & Hawai'i! Thank-You for this perspective. Let's end the Illegal-Occupation, then we can end the high-cost of living for all in Hawai'i.
Substance abuse has been a problem in the United States for decades but the U.S. has always viewed substance addiction as a crime instead of a health issue. Do we really want to solve these problems.
Recent visitors to Waikiki. Took a Sunday drive on 6.25.23 to the leeward side of the island, our first stop Barber's Point Lighthouse and last stop Kaena Point State Park. Left Waikiki early, Siri had us driving surface roads to Barber's Point. Just before the point we found ourselves driving amongst hopped up trucks with Hawaiian flags and passengers in chairs in the flat beds, some with "defend Hawaii" bumper stickers. It seemed like a very important part of Hawaiian culture. Do you know anything about this event, does it happen every Sunday? After hiking to the lighthouse we drove to Ko Olina and enjoyed swimming at lagoon #4. From Ko Olina to Kaena it was a mass of homeless settlements. It has such a different vibe than the windward side.
High taxes, costs of living, affordable housing for the rich and not the poor, no politicans no governor, no mayor, no council members bring down taxes in Hawaii
I really appreciate your channel and information. You have a talent for not taking sides but addressing issues and sharing information from a multi-perspective empathetic angle. I’ve never been to Hawaii but the situation there is unique due to limited long distance mobility. As an older person (56) that teaches in public school on the mainland I really think besides the obvious issues of mental illness and addiction many people of all ages need to do a re-set, or just learn for the first time the differences in needs and wants. I think some people sort of opt out of society because they really don’t understand those differences. Prioritizing these can help people get on their feet to build a life of independence and self reliance. Maybe I’m really off but teaching kids/people how to be self- sufficient might go a long way to getting people off the streets.
Mahalo for the comment. What also makes the homeless situation here different is the climate and growing tolerance. Most people see the issue, but since we're on an island, it's hard to start "rocking the boat".
I am very picky about which parks I take my kids to, especially as a woman and especially when it's just me. Even then, i'm always a bit on edge. I have found a lot of peace in investing in some memberships where you need to pay to enter and my kids can have fun, that has made me feel much safer. And yeah, I'm probably never taking them to stadium park even though I grew up playing there too!
Yes, this is one of the toughest problems confronting Hawaii and there is no easy solution. I had a childhood friend, since 9 years old, who lived on the streets of Honolulu for about 15 years until he died in 2015, at 60 years old. He lost his job, family and friends due to his meth addiction. I tried many times to get to get him off meth, into housing and a job but he always adamantly refused the help. Sadly, living on the streets for many years eventually dulled the essential skills needed for daily survival; hygiene, responsibility, self respect, nutritional foods, etc. In short, he was a broken man. In the last 6 months of his life, he finally got housing but died from a meth overdose alone at home. Can Hawaii fix broken people?
Not your job or Hawaii job to fix people. What happened to personal responsibility?Let the homeless and addicts fix themselves. If not then jail them, force treatment. Otherwise let them past tense themselves b/c deep down that’s what they want, slow suicide. Can’t lead a horse…. You know the cliche
I wish you could see my face and feel my heart while I'm watching and listening to you. My heart breaks for this situation. You put it into wise words! I saw a program a few years ago in which they made a test regarding the homeless. One struck me! They took a man that had been living under a bridge. He was bathed, shaved, haircut and brand new clothes. He was given $28,000.00 for him to start a new life. Sadly, within a short time, he misused the money, back to drinking and back to living under a bridge 💔 As you say, best to help hard working family men, for them not to go homeless. 😭😭😭 🙏
I dont know about there but I used to live in the bay area and used to love to go to San Francisco. But now its so bad I dont realky go there due to all the drug issues. I mean there are needles and poop on sidewalks. Cops dont arrest anyone it feels like anymore. I have seen a drug deal right infront of a cop and the cop just kept going. The city gives out free needles to all who ask. Its crazy how bad its gotten. So many busineses have left. Some huge conventions no longer take place due to all the crime and drugs. Its crazy over there and I am so glad I moved away up north to get away from that whole area. I hope it does not get as bad here as it is there. Becuase I dont know if SF can be saved at this point. The local goverment seems to keep it as it is sadly.
Aloha Chris.. I love watching your channel and love what you talk about. Homelessness has gotten worst in the whole state. There are alot of factors into homelessness. Mental Health, substance abuse, cost of living, no affordable housing. When I live on Oahu, I lived with family who "rented" out rooms in their house. This girl that lived in the room across me, decided that she was going to live on the streets with her "boyfriend" because she didn't have to pay rent anymore and they can use her money to buy food and stuff. I think we really need to focus on mental health and provide more assistance. There are programs and housing to assist those, but most of the time I hear that the rules in these shelters are what they don't want to deal with-and choose to live on the streets. We need to find a way to get better mental health care...
Aloha Chris! I completely agree. Although, I am curious to learn more about the homeless that were shipped by plane from Arizona a few years ago. Many of the folks that we see with substance abuse/mental challenges are not from here. Also, I am the first to stand up for human rights but, believe that folks that are violent towards the community or themselves should receive medication treatment (even against their will). On another note, great hat! Mahalo nui.
@@HelloFromHawaii I think that the Native Hawaiian encampments are mostly Makaha/Waianae, and then Punalu’u/Hau‘ula. I live Diamond Head and can tell you that there are families at Kapi’olani Park and some of the homeless behaviors get really “scary“. It truly is a complicated issue!
Aloha Nephew, Please do the research. The fastest growing population of homeless people is single women who are heads of families with children and the victim of domestic violence. I rush to add that there are a wide variety of histories that led to homelessness. You were perhaps not yet born when former President Regan closed all of the mental institutions and threw the patients out on the street without any support. This was called "integration into the community". I could go on, but it would seem like ranting and raving. Let me summarize this by telling you that homelessness is a symptom of a disease and not the disease itself. If you would like to see a country that has solved homelessness then I direct you to educate yourself about Finland's solution. Mahalo for your discussion of this topic.
In Kona, our mayor was able to help pay for about 14 homeless persons fly back to the continental US. We are trying to build more affordable housings. Maui has a great local housing program initiative.
A very common story for homeless people is that they become disabled or elderly, then they receive an SSI check, but that check is too small to afford to rent anything. The maximum payment for SSI is $914 a month for an individual. This is why I believe so heavily in affordable housing that needs to be under that threshold of affordable to someone only making $914 a month.
My guess is that there are many here that are not aware of Pu'uhonoa O Wai'anaie. It is a group of about 250 homeless. They have strict village rules. No drugs, camp clean up, community service, quiet time from 8 pm so kids can sleep. As they have a deaf child in the village, they teach sign language. Don't obey the rules, then they are out. Most of the adults work, but they are priced out of paradise. They may be houseless but not homeless. Twinks Borge is their leader. They have raised money and bought land to build homes and farm to be more self sustainable. Prior to this their encampment looked similar to most homeless areas. Tarps, tents, make shift shelter. The difference is that they kept it clean. They used restroom facilities at the harbor and they would have tasks to clean up the facilities. Would this model, shelters or low cost housing work for all homeless? Sadly, I believe the answer is no, due to the mental health issues. I've volunteered and walked down Skid Row by myself. Yes, you smell pot here and there. The stench from the urine in the streets will make ypu gag. There is a lot of trash littering the streets.. I know a man who builds tiny homes for homeless in the LA area to give shelter from the elements. The tiny homes have wheels as well as alarm, locking door, small solar panel to charge items such cellphones and an American People have reported some sweet homeless veterans of using their tiny homes for drug dealing and prostitution. Nothing can be further from the truth, but often houseless are stereotyped. So sad to hear about Stadium Park. I have memories of walking to the Stadium from my grandpa's house as a keiki.
Thanks for your insights. It's universal. You could change your video by inserting Seattle / San Francisco / LA / San Diego wherever you say Hawai'i or Honolulu and your thoughts would be 100% spot on.
With A.i on the rise we have to shift the way we live. People living in the jungle is fine but we have the materials to build beautiful stadium sized greenhouses that have housing. It would help with interconnecting the community and controlling substance abuse simultaneously. We keep building massive stadiums for play but not for living. Large corporate buildings that are truly unnecessary can be green towers. We're in the age where we need to shed the corporate monopoly brain and reconnect with eachother.
As someone who has had substance abuse issues but never been homeless, I can definitely say that substance abuse makes it very difficult, especially if you let it consume your life. Here in Hilo, there's a lot of homeless people, and while I'm sure not all of them are substance abusers, I have seen it right in front of me plenty of times.
I just came back from 10 days in Vancouver, BC; a beautiful city with friendly, polite, and engaging people, great restaurants, fabulous food markets, and lots of beautiful parks. East Hastings St. near Chinatown and Granville St. south of Nelson are where the "homeless" live. Cannabis is legal and is sold in shops that dot the city, some of which are very posh. Cannabis is produced according to strict guidelines; people smoke openly in public but it's not widespread. You'll smell it once in a while walking downtown. There's a lesson there about legalization. That said, I concluded that the homeless are just as happy as the Asians standing in line to buy designer items here in Ginza, Tokyo. The pakalolo is just a part of the daily hygiene routine. Homelessness has always existed, think Victorian London, and is a phenomenon in large cities. Honolulu has joined the ranks. Outreach and support is a better strategy than trying to put the homeless in "shelters" so "we can feel comfortable and forget about them again". The root problems--jobs, COL, socialization, inequality--remain unsolved and unsolvable. Can't go to the park because of the "homeless"? Go find another park... PS-Whenever and wherever I travel, I always buy food for the homeless, often dividing my meal in half into a takeout box, or getting a sandwich from a convenience store. That's my solution to the crisis.
There are two major types of homelessness. One is regular people who fell in hard times due to lay off from jobs, healthcare bills, etc. For those people, temporary housing (6-12 months with some exceptions) is the right way to go until they stand up on their feet again. The other one is substance abuse and mental issues. Those ones are the ones that need a lot more help than just housing. As long as these people aren’t forced to get help by law, there is very little one can do to help them get better. Just by putting a free roof over their heads won’t solve the real issue long term. We need to be compassionate and know that forcing help onto them is most likely the best solution.
1. No land to build on or very limited. 2. COL very difficult to lower due to cost of shipping and continuing inflation. 3. Substance Abuse can be controlled with laws. Where are the laws? 4. Mental Health requires massive resources and how do force homeless to treatment? Gov has little control over one and two, they (HA gov.) has no will to do anything serious about 3&4. I know taxes in general are super high especially proper tax. I grew up in Hawaii and remember a two-lane road from Pearl City and Wahiawa. No Mililani Town, all pineapples and sugar cane. Very different times and HA had almost no crime.
I knew a visiting nurse from Philadelphia who was amazed at the drug abuse here. She said back home, meth users tend to die fairly young. They’ll get caught outside during a winter storm and freeze. Or the cold takes such a toll on them physically that they deteriorate and can’t fight off pneumonia or other illnesses. So actually the climate here, as great as it is, actually helps people survive and function even if they are incapacitated in some way. our drug abuse prevention programs have to be a lot more robust and all encompassing than in other places to account for this. They have to look at the long term, which is not easy.
Is substance abuse caused by high cost of living? I am not sure. I left some food on the street today. It was gone by the end of the day. Go to China, or another US cities to see how big the issue is. How about the US at war 91% of its life, not investing in education, healthcare, and veteran services? How about building tinyhomes or mobile homes in HI? Duplexes, Rowhouses...etc. Why are people moving away from HI?
As someone who lived next door to someone with affordable housing AND had substance abuse, simply giving out housing is not the answer. This man absolutely destroyed his living unit, costing thousands of dollars in repair, and left. He didn't get clean, he just destroyed his house and moved on.
My daughter lives in Oahu and during my recent visit, it's gotten worse. Much worse. Every hiking parking place is littered with glass. They will smash your windshield/windows. She has had her catalytic converter stolen. Her car burglarized while at a local beach. We took the popular waterfall hike and had a negative encounter with a homeless person in the woods. It was very scary. She was involved in an active shooter event in downtown Waikiki. It was a homeless mentally ill person who had a illegally obtained gun. She literally had to run and hide for over an hour.
Excellent topics. Finding out the root causes is easy. Finding out the solutions that everyone would agree on is nearly impossible today. For example, I don't think everyone would agree on whether menially ill, or substance abused people should ALWAYS be institutionalized. and homeless people must accept government provided shelter at a more affordable community with some type of work agreement. Building more "affordable housing" in any high prices cities is a waste of public money, unfair, and can never solve the problems.
Lowering the cost of living won't necessarily help or eliminate the homeless problem. It's a societal problem that is multi-layered and complex. Society needs to decide if it has the intestinal fortitude and the will, the vision, along with the billions or trillions of dollars needed to address this problem. I fear that we don't, and homelessness as we see it now will simply continue and get progressively worse. As fractured as society is now, there is little hope that we can all view this problem under one giant lens and agree how to address it. Sad...
I think it's often a cycle. The expensive cost of living in Hawaii makes it a struggle just to get by making it difficult to save for emergencies. Life is unpredictable and throw in something like a job loss or unexpected medical emergency and those already on the precipice of poverty/homelessness may be thrown over the edge. Those who are vulnerable may be looking for a reprieve, even one that's bad for them and temporary, from their current situation. That's one way addictions can start and then snowball from there. Get the right mix of unfortunate conditions, maybe some genetic predispostion to addiction, and a run of just plain old bad luck and you have a recipe for someone becoming a homeless addict. To fix the homeless problem, the state is going to have to get at the root of it an do something about the cost of housing. If even you as someone who has done all the "right" things is having trouble finding a good affordable home for your growing family I imagine how much more difficult it is for someone who doesn't make as much, doesn't have a support system and had some major life things thrown at them. Allieviate the sky high cost of housing and I think you would see a lessening of some of the reasons that push people into homelessness. It doesn't stop all the reasons people become addicts, but it's one way.
Aloha, homeless in hawaii has always been a problem but if you ask me it's getting worst. Speaking from my personal experience my family and I have been homeless we were staying at IHS now were in temporary transitional housing to get permanent housing. Yes low income housing does help a lot but it wouldn't work for all homeless individuals especially those suffering from substance abuse. Before I was homeless I was always working, sometimes 3 jobs at a time and i still was just "making" by....the solution shouldn't be just low income housing for homeless, in order to see changes BIG changes need to happen, increase pay, decrease the prices in stores etc.
2 months later. I am bring some innovate solutions to State of Hawaii due to what led people to live on the street to have a street address with social services who provide homeless services the same if a person receives medical treatment for addiction is not posting things has you can see what State I post some of this information from is State of Illinois look at the information this how you can start helping people on this level. I donot have say more.
I think the homeless should not be allowed to camp right in the middle of downtown prime real estate where briskness and people pay millions of dollars to buy or rent. I mean I'd like to wake up to and ocean view but does that mean I can put up a tent in the back yard of a beach front house? Some areas should just be off limits. Plus if they were pushed further from the city it might hinder easy access to substances.
It was interesting in 2017 And now i know that a lot of my friends there have lost their businesses. Hanging on by a thread in their lives . Blaming politics and covid issues. Sadly I think they have given up. And finding a blaming place that there is nothing they can do about that. I know i want to be there. My hesitation to come back is that. Makes me very sad what i saw substance abuse and then all the things that go with it like you say. Why is it not addressed? Also the salary and living gap gosh its like what can be done …. Sorry rambling in essences Chris you are right on the Button
We were at baby beach in Waikiki and a homeless man was chasing another man with a knife, yelling, then he pulled out his man parts and started flinging it around. We had a 4 year little one with us. Two police women got him and cuffed him within 10 mins. very sad for everyone involved. The man is probably mentally ill, so we pray he gets the help he needs. Some homeless were pooping/peeing in the public showers at that beach as well. It's near the Duke Statue happened in June 2022.
I grew up on O'ahu in the 1970's thru 1980's and the homeless problem was never this bad. The 50th state is suffering from "too much of everything all at the same time syndrome," and everyone's quality of life is suffering because of it.
It's not just drugs that cause homelessness and poverty. I grew up poor in an abusive home. I went to live with relatives when I was 15 because my mom couldn't afford to take care of all us so I made the sacrifice to move away to ease the burden on my mom. Ever since then, I've worked minimum wage jobs and lived out of people's homes, renting their rooms. The only place I had to call my own was an apartment and that lasted 4 years until I was evicted because the landlord wanted the unit back. I have NEVER been addicted, never had a drug problem or even indulged in drugs. I don't have a mental health problem. I will be 51 soon and my health has now deteriorated some. I have two cars - one is a daily driver and the other is the backup in case the first car breaks down. The second car is a SUV and I also keep it as insurance in case I get evicted again and I can use the SUV to live in.
Being born in Honolulu, Hawaii and still having family members living there it is sad to see so many more homeless people in Hawaii. I live in California and the homeless population is the highest in all of the United States. It is going to get worse because people are living with a lot of debt and when the economy tanks like is doing and people get laid off or fired there is going to be alot more people homeless. Have to live like a minimalist even if you have a job nowadays.
What about having the goverment monitor benefits to the low income people. Back then I remember my neighbor wearing gold chains, driving nice expensive cars, and coming home with full bags of groceries and the weird part is that we live in housing and pay 46$ in rent. I even remember when I collected unemployment the proof I gave was filling out a questionaire asking if I look for job or not with a box to answer yes or no. Many people took advantage of it and that is probably why lots are not working, have no exp etc.
The driving factor is cost of living and not enough good paying steady jobs. I was living down the beach with my wife and kids for years. Now we live mainland good job low cost of living. Only one in my family who own a house on 10 acres
Seems like it goes back to the family level. Strong connected families help (but do not guarantee) responsible adult behavior. There's accountability and support. The breakdown of the family unit is destroying many children. And those make hurting adults who find relief in drugs.
Also, there is NO incentive for politicians to ACTUALLY fix the homelessness problem. Where there is rampant homelessness, there are corrupt politicians.
It's super complicated and it is also "more" complicated than we can solve. Us locals are supposed to have family & friends to help. If they can't help them, then it's a messed up situation. I used to tell my friends who had drug problems that I would be there for them. Now I have kids, so I don't want to bring them into my space. It sucks no matter what. Life sucks 🤷♂️sorry
Stop it, it's not complicated. It's asinine views like this why this doesn't get solved and gets worse. The solution is simple, either stop using drugs or go to prison, that's all.
@@Law19157 I can't even stop 'using' so it is difficult. I make positive decisions all day, until it's the end of the day and then I get drunk and high 🙏🤙🤙🤙🤷♂️ Sad I know
Was just in Oahu and the main Island recently and moving there in 3 months It's drugs and mental health mostly Just like California or Oregon We need rehabs and mental health
The people with the money and control, don't know how to handle the issue. The case managers, counselors and former homeless know how to handle the issue effectively, but don't have the funds. The people with the money need to be humble enough to communicate with and listen to the people with the experience.
Substance abuse gets worse with homelessness. It can even start after a person becomes homeless. So just seeing substance abuse in homeless people doesn't tell you anything. In Denver, policies designed to "help" homeless people actually caused a big surge in meth use. The camping ban gave Denver homeless the choice of going into the shelters and losing their jobs, or falling asleep and freezing to death. Obviously this is not going to play out the same way in Hawaii. But living on the street can be torture and people living like that are looking for anything that makes it less hellish.
The investigative reporters in California have exhausted themselves on this issue. Follow the money. Literally, no one wants to listen or look. The investigators shook their heads and washed their hands of the issue. Yet here we are, gosh, how do we fix this problem. FOLLOW THE MONEY!
I think it's building codes for residential property. They need to do away with it. I'm buying land in Oregon but live in an RV in Washington state. I want to live on my own land but the county says I need a full septic before I could move on the land to even start building a house. A full septic cost around $8,000. I could go cheaper with a holding tank that gets pumped out ever 6 months or so for about $1,000. But the county says no. Even though I am buying and will own property there are so many rules to make it useless until I jump threw hoops. That is why people are homeless. I should know. I live out of a fricken vehicle 🤪😂👍 my guess Hawaii is no different on the rules. Why can't people do what they want with land if they own it?
@@HelloFromHawaii I wish they would get rid of building codes for residential use. It's understandable if it's a commercial property like an apartment complex. But for families that are just using it themselves. I wish government would keep their nose out of it. I bet then allot of people could survive allot better.
Having just read through the first bunch of comments, I really appreciate the active discussion. Even if we can't all agree on the methodology, I'm glad we can acknowledge that something more needs to be done. 🤙
To answer this problem you have to do an investigation into who makes money on bringing the drugs to the island, and who makes money by pretending to want to fix the homeless problem.
Corruption pays; There's a lot of corruption in high places in Hawaii. Those who are benefiting from the condition of the poor and addicted, don't live or work around it and they don't care.
yep IHS is enabling this behavior. 96%+ are able bodied fat people / losers
I have to also add, that many homeless don't want the help that is offered. Help comes with conditions as well, ie: you can't take your dog into the shelter, you can't take drugs in the shelter, you have to follow the rules in the shelter for everyone's safety. How do you make people take help when they refuse the rules and don't want it?
Drug boat probably the same boat where all these fireworks come
@@normandea I'll bet you don't want to move into a shelter, but if you were offered a better home situation you'd be interested. so are most of them.
Alot of the meth on island is made here. Today there are one hour instructions on line and all ingredients can be purchased at ace hardware. So sad.
Homelessness is getting worse everywhere.😕
The reason behind it is inflation or drug abuse. what causes inflation? Govt over spending. What causes drug abuse, freely available drugs and no laws enforced.
getting better in Maui because more affordable housing needs to be built.
not here !!!!
Have you ever thought about running for office in your local area? Your perspective I think is very beneficial and something the locals would appreciate because it comes from the heart of someone they trust.
Aloha from San Diego 🤙🏽
God bless 🙏🏽
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My friend works at a homeless shelter and she tells me how a lot of homeless people brag about how much money they made from begging and how it almost always goes to drugs. I know its sad to see a fellow human deteriorate before your eyes but giving them money is only making things worse. Mahalo for the video, substance abuse is a huge problem, I hope more people continue the conversation.
This is why I only offer food
I totally agree with u beg for money for drugs and alcohol
I saw this one lady she gave the guy food he threw the food back in her face and said he wants the money
Usually they come from abusive, neglectful homes where they can't trust people. They tend to have issues trusting doctors, politicians, etc. Some have suffered a head injury and their brain chemistry is off. A lot don't think they're worthy enough to live a good life. The bragging about how much money they make panhandling is just typical street survival stuff. I can't imagine anyone living on the streets or at the dangerous homeless shelters and not doing drugs. It's super depressing. They're drowning out their pain and fear. One of the agencies where I live has started opening apartment buildings for them that have the offices in the building to ensure they are taking meds, etc. It can take years to earn the trust of a homeless person and get them off the streets. There's a psychiatrist and a married couple where I live that work with the homeless on the street to get them off. It does take years usually.
100% the drug problem on Hawaii needs attention. Isn't it strange how one of the worlds most remote islands (where almost everything goes through customs/ports/inspections) still has a HUGE illegal drug trade? Makes you wonder who is allowing the drugs to flow in (and how much money they must be making off the backs of the people they're killing). Government must be involved at some level; no doubt about it.
That said, affordable housing for all is definitely a noble goal, and something we should strive for. In order to achieve that, though, these deeper issues with society must be resolved. Or else we're just shufling the problem areas around. Instead of parks being slums, we'll have slummy apartments, unsafe to live in. Which is better? Or worse?
In the end, we must first treat the corruption or our people; curb/control the flow of drugs (which shouldn't be that hard; it's an island after all), remove corrupted officials, restore some element of order to our society, and the scale of the problem will lessen with time.
There will always be some homeless people (and drug abusers at that), sure, but not at the scale we're seeing on Oahu. Hopefully we'll be able to come together and solve this once and for all!
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Mahalo for the comment. Again, I'm still not sure why we don't talk about this more. And if we do, I guess it doesn't make the headlines.
As a citzen of Washington i can agree that the homelessness crises is worse because of subatance abuse. The state is dealing with a fentanyl crisis and its has affected how people behave. I was planning to take a trip to Seattle during spring break but had to retracted after hearing that someone at the hotel we wanted to stay got stabbed all for a cellphone.
There was a recent incident in Waikiki.
Blue policies. Wake up. But I doubt it.
It is everywhere, even to the point the working class are living in vans or SUV. My son just moved from the island of Kauai He stated that the homeless there have the best weather, he met a black guy there homeless, who moved there 7yrs ago, and was just stuck there. It's sad ! Many people are stuck in addiction, no direction. My son said he was truly a nice man just lost, the guy was like somewhere from California. Stuck and lost for that long😢
As someome who has spent a lot of time talking to the homeless on Oahu, i can confirm that nost homeless dont want homes, they want drugs.
those are the minority you encountered, the rest were busy working.
@ron whitfield you may be right. I imagine the hard-working ones were not sitting on the beach all day getting drunk and high. There probably should be a distinction of homeless-by-choice and involuntarily-homeless.
Drug abusers are usually hung up on getting that next fix. They need counseling and rehab first. Nothing else even self won't seem to matter to them otherwise.
I work in the substance abuse field. I think you did a great job of nailing the problem. Treatment in general doesn't work for most people and it certainly doesn't work for most people the first time around. It's an overpriced one size fits all solution that is a fair offering but not very good overall. Maintenance therapies can be helpful but if people want to continue to use drugs and use them on the street and laws aren't enforced it makes the problem worse. Remember too that the opposite of addiction isn't sobriety, the opposite of addiction is connection. We have disconnected people out there which the addiction only exacerbates. I'm not sure what to tell you being that there's plenty of jobs available and other things to get off the street but if it's just easier to stay high live on the sidewalk destroy property rummage to garbage cans and throw the litter all over the place without any caring for one's fellow human, all the treatment housing or other things in the world won't make a difference. People should be housed, that said laws should also be enforced. Letting people live on the street only makes the problem worse.
Great post. Thank you for the insight and what you do!
Great words!
Thank you for your insight, and well said
Drug addiction, crime and homelessness are lucrative industries for some very unscrupulous people..
This is why the problem won't be solved, just isolated.
Mahalo for the insight. Agree that connection, not sobriety, may be the solution.
It all starts with your family and family values. When I walk the parks almost every day I can watch and listen how people interact especially adults/ parents with kids as small as 2-3 year old. I watch and can hear what language is used
" f... this f... that " to communicate right in front of their kids. This is how you grow up ? Is this your guideline for your adult life? That's how you going to talk and work later at your job? You think you have a real shot at your future ? Homeless, you become one for many reasons one definitiv is how you grew up in your house as a child that marks who will become. Family values is the foundation for the rest of your life, just listen next how people interact with children around.
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And cussing out their toddlers for walking too slow or crying. So sad!
In a book I read, written by the daughter of homeless parents living on the street in NYC......she tried to get them off the street, but they said it was so easy to be homeless with all the free handouts and empty buildings to sleep in etc., so that they did not want to give up their easy life.
It's sad that it's become that way.
you think that's the same story for every person on the street?
@@ronwhitfield8356 past a certain age, choices and patterns become engrained in one's psyche. Change, consistent long term change is hard for most people. Yet, hope springs eternal.
I remember pre 911 there was a large homeless community that lived at the airport. You would’ve never known these people were homeless. Most of them worked. Some with good jobs. But they were down on their luck and the airport provided safety and clean bathrooms. After all these years I still think about and wonder where all those airport homeless went after 911.
@bigkanak797, that would be a great investigative story for news documentary!
I recently watched a guy (not related to homelessness but reminded me of airports/illegal drug trafficking) who worked for 12:40 one of the large major airports on the East Coast (if I remember correctly) handling baggage outside the landed planes, facilitating transfer of drug cargo . He was being surveilled because of a tip.
Another thing to note is that the US tends to have far higher rates of substance abuse per capita than most western countries. We should also be asking ourselves why substance abuse levels are so high in the US compared to other locations.
You would be crazy to try to model a solution after what Seattle is doing. And Portland is even worse. I haven't seen a major city on the West coast that is managing this well. It's clear that mental health and drug abuse are major factors. It's hard to tell if the homelessness drove them to these other problems or if its the other way around.
Aloha Chris! Once again, you've nailed it while being compassionate and not commenting out of emotion alone like most people do. I know it's not simple, but I feel there's two basic categories we can start with. 1. Want help? - let's do what we can to help you. 2. Don't want help and don't want to be told what to do? Go directly to jail/tent city. You don't get to set up camp wherever you want. Yes, we need more prison space but can we stop building billion dollar prison hotels? Sorry, save that for another discussion...
Exactly, people has no right to camp wherever they want just like you can't stay over night in the day use areas in many parks
Mahalo. I like that approach. It helps people who want it and keeps those accountable who don't.
@@JM-gz1ej you want them to stand somewhere out in the elements far away so you don't see them?
1) what are you going to help them with? 2) covid is still a thing, people are still dying, you want to enclose them. you don't learn well.
@@ronwhitfield8356 then, what is your answer or solution?
Hi Chris, you really nailed it on what the underlying problem is with homelessness. The realty is drug addiction, and largely crystal meth. I work for the Addiction Foundation of Manitoba, CANADA. I know 100% that the majority of people living in the streets need a rehab facility to stay at and detox and get councelling. Unfortunately, it’s usually only a 3 week program, and then what. This drug is unlike any other, and there needs to be a much bigger plan to get people off meth and to give hope for what seems a very bleak future. I met a homeless girl in Oahu in May while I was there on holidays for 17 days. I was providing food for her and her dog, Roxy. It’s heartbreaking, she told me her story but I already knew it. I’ve seen it many times, she wanted to get off the streets, it’s so dangerous at night. It’s hard, I still think about her and her little dog.
Drug addiction, crime and homelessness are lucrative industries for some very unscrupulous people..
This is why the problem won't be solved, just isolated.
@@LoveVanillaRose so very true unfortunately
Mahalo for sharing and being so generous when you were here. Three weeks of rehab hardly seems enough.
Aloha Chris, thank you for an amazing channel. As a local born and raised in Mo'ili'ili, who moved away but witnessed homelessness and rising cost-of-living, which is not unique to Hawaii and exists in other states, other countries, I applaud you for the thoughtful discussion. Examining and analyzing the statistics, whether economic, social or civil will not provide the magic algorithm to fix homelessness, substance abuse or cost-of-living, that has been overdone, with the same to similar outcomes; miniscule temporary changes. It is not easy to write this because I no longer live there, but seeing and reading the comments here, shows the support of most of these individuals towards these problems. This is a start for change. Please continue with the mindful content Chris. Mahalo
Mahalo for sharing. Great insight. Hope we see some changes soon. After all, many of the homeless are locals too.
I believe some people want to remain homeless because they feel it's a "lifestyle." I have spoken to a few homeless people in Oahu and they all said it's a "lifestyle." They enjoy being in the outdoors, living in the jungle, living in this communal outdoor setting. Here in Los Angeles what I have been seeing and noticing are young people purposely choosing to be homeless instead of either finding job or permanent housing. Yes, homelessness is a multifaceted issue. It's a very difficult problem to deal with.
It's like the wife experiencing domestic violence. At first it's horrible , but eventually it becomes easier and as humans we are very resilient and it can become comfortable. But experiencing domestic violence like homelessness is not really living in modern times.
Bye "lifestyle" you mean drugs, yeah.
@@alexcarter8807 no often drugs and addiction are after effects of homelessness and coping. Not the factor of homelessness. A major problem with us in America. We associate poverty with morality vs a social economic issue. It's kinda an old wives tale like all the homeless in Hawaii are majorly mainlanders who flew to Hawaii to be homeless. It's not true.
so you found a few who fit the narrative you live by, as tho that's the norm for the masses? it's simple, they need homes. start there.
@@ronwhitfield8356 you can't house people who don't want to be housed? It's very simple. You can't lock them up or expect them to come back to a facility on a daily basis for temporary housing. That's why homelessness is a multifaceted issue that cannot be solved by just throwing everyone in shelters and expect them to be functioning normally to be accepted into society.
This seems like a really dumb take. It's very simple as to why there are homeless people in Hawaii. Extreme cost of living. Rent is unaffordable, gas, utilities, groceries, overall cost of living are not feasible. The jobs you can get are limited and too competitive AND don't pay much. The people on the streets turn to drugs because there is nothing else left at that point. Many people living on the island have 2-3 jobs and live paycheck to paycheck. It only takes a few bad things to happen in a row and they end up homeless.
Problem is also that we are not asking the right questions and publishing the right responses. I spoke with someone that was way up there in government trying to solve Hawaii’s homeless. He said the surveys are wrong. What is asking is ‘have you been living in Hawaii for more than one year?’ That would show that 7% homeless are from the US mainland. If they were asked, ‘have you been living in Hawaii for more than four years?’ That would show that 30% are from the US mainland. If other states that are fiscally stingy in helping their poor pulled their weight, that might fix up to 30% of the homeless issues in Hawaii, California, Oregon Washington, Illinois…
Me and my family have a ministry that we do on the island of Kauai. Two times a month we go and set up 3 tents to give away free clothing, toiletries, bedding, prayer, and a hot meal. For me it hurts to hear the label of "These people" many of our brothers and sisters have their stories of how they ended up on the street and or started using alcohol or substances. There is a big community that we have that are in their 60's, 70's, even 80's and the only reason they got into alcohol or substances was because they had a server situation they went through and are just wanting to not wake up the next day. When we were able to get some of our brothers and sisters to open up and share their story it was heartbreaking to hear they were never alcoholics or substance users. But after being heard and re-directed helping them feel that they are not doing this journey alone we have seen many come off the street and get the help they truly need. So my say is stop labeling as "THESE PEOPLE" and take the time to "HEAR THEM OUT"
God bless you and your team in this work! You all are a Godsend. This is what is needed. Thanks for caring enough to do this good work. I know it's not easy and you are helping a lot of people find their humanity.❤❤❤
Japanese homeless don't want to burden others, where as the homeless here expect things... hand outs. I'm about the same age as you and Hawaii has changed so much over the last decade. My hugest pet peeve is when they J walk while taking their time and endangering others and themselves... zero F's given
Japan has sensible drug laws and a sensible legal system, and good policing. The TH-camr "Life Where I'm From" has an excellent 4-part series on homelessness in Japan and it's very very much different because of Japanese culture and because of Japan's sensible drug laws and approach to policing.
@@alexcarter8807 Id have to disagree with that
Sometimes I see homeless individuals walking in traffic. So confident that everyone will stop.
There is always so much emphasis on someone’s drug and housing issues is someone else’s problems. I understand everyone needs help and support and we should as a community do that. I also think there has been a loss self efficacy. People needing to take responsibilities for their choices and the consequences of those choices. If people are not willing to put an effort into making better personal choices and effort into fixing their own problems then the expectation will continue to be that someone else is supposed fix problems for them.
Most people don't wake up one morning and decide to become substance abusers, and they usually don't start because it's "fun."
There are a lot of extenuating factors, usually having to deal with physical and mental health. As someone who has been addicted to multiple substances (and quit, but it was very difficult and I am very determined), I can say that having a chronic, extremely painful autoimmune disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder played a huge role into my substance abuse.
The US medical system coupled with the lack of medical assistance in Hawaii makes it very hard for someone to seek appropriate help, and so they turn to substances because either they can't get seen by a doctor at all for a very long period of time, or the doctor gives suggestions that are not useful. For example, for my pain, they recommend taking acetaminophen (when 13 years ago, I was on 100 mg / day of hydromorphone / Dilaudid). Acetaminophen does nothing for my pain at all. The opioid crisis has completely cut me off of appropriate pain management (even the pain management clinics no longer prescribe opioids), so I'm stuck either suffering in huge amounts of pain that go from 6 - 10 on the pain scale or find alternative means of treating my pain. (At least kratom is legal here and it works really well, but we don't even know if it's safe. It's unlikely to make you homeless or necessitate you getting into property crime, though, to obtain enough.)
Claiming that people need to take responsibility for their actions in a culture where priority on health care is so low suggests to me that you don't know what people go through. Nobody wants to be an addict, and telling people to "fix their own problems" when that's not feasible, and the resources aren't there to help them (or aren't financially feasible) is one of the attitudes in the US that had led to this completely broken health care system in the first place that perpetuates the problem.
I don't feel sorry at all they one that choices to live like that because there addiction they one sit by Walmart or home Depot they ask money all the time they have two legs and two hand not handicap they are able to go look for a job
@@vorpal22that just excuse because I have chronic pain and anxiety disorder what u speak it just a lot excuses I work two job and single mother and try run my own business and have mental issue and PTSD
@@TeishaGuillen-l3u Just because you have chronic pain, anxiety, etc. and are able to work two jobs and be a single mother and try to run your own business and have mental issues and PTSD, it doesn't mean that everyone can do what you do. I mean, good for you on being able to handle all that and be functional, but you are a data point, and not some norm to which everyone can aspire.
Furthermore, you ignore most of what I said about the lack of health care and resources that people might need. Like I said, nobody wants to become an addict: people don't just wake up one morning and decide, "Today I'm going to get addicted to meth!" and then go about it.
40 year ER RN-your video highlights the truth-most homelessness is due to substance abuse snd we don’t have the treatment available. -I do think Waikiki is cleaner ,the pavilions with concessions have made a difference. And yes you should for City Council;you are so aware of the issues in Hawaii and so well spoken. Thank you.
Mahalo for the comment. I actually heard that the situation in Waikiki is still pretty bad. I'll be going there soon so I'll get a chance to see for myself.
This a multifaceted problem. The different stakeholder agencies and community groups must first be identified. (Include the police department and judges). Tougher laws on the drug dealers. (I don't know if Hawaii has Drug courts that deal this specific issue). They need all need to work together. Stop the bureaucratic silos that slow progress. Form an accountable Task Force that brings everyone to the table. Let everyone know what the other is doing. No more duplication of effort. Form an overall strategy that all parties including the homeless have input. Work with Governor and legislators who are will to put money and authority into this Task Force. The State government can get private and federal grants. Publish where the money is being spent in the newspaper. Get the media behind this effort. Find out who is obstructing the Taskforce and name names.
Start with the easiest and work each problem in chunks. Identify the people who are will to be the champions and the worker bees on front line. Social worker are angels in disguise. Treat them well.
Follow and analyze data to determine what is working and what is not. Stop wasting energy and time on projects with minimal returns. Start with the low hanging fruit. Get things done, assure the program is working and then move on. Out of the box thinking.
As in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, homelessness is not going away. In Hawaii, the homeless will start attacking local people. Crime, theft and prostitution will go up to pay for drug habits. Stores will close because they are being robbed or afraid for their customers and staff. Car break ins and garage thief will also skyrocket. Stop those who prey on the homeless.
This a lot of work but it has to be done. No more "woe is me" from locals. Go to the schools to educate and activate / rally locals students and parents to plug in and donate time.
Just do it.
no need, all they gotta do is provide more living space for the thousands who need it via available housing programs.
I'm sorry, unko Chris but.
I disagree, brah.
Yes the substance abuse is there but the real problem in Hawaii is definitely lack of affordable housing.
It's the main key reason why so many are actually quietly homeless.
We don't hear about them because unlike the crazy one's the quiet one's suffer in silence.
The majority is normal Kama Aina just no can afford standard fair lifestyle no more and paradise.
I when ask my anty and unko guys,
kapuna born n raised and other friends situations.
The housing market crisis is definitely #1 problem in Hawaii to homeless situation.
No offense but the substance abuse people are not the most important focus.
They are a distraction to the real truth people are very uncomfortable to talk about modern day Hawaii.
Eh' cuz, you know what they say.
Da kine tru'ta hurt.
Aloha from a priced out of paradise family near Dallas outskirts Texas from a Hawaiian family born and raised Big Island and Oahu over the years. 🤙🏽🌴,🥲
Mahalo for sharing. Appreciate the comment. I agree that housing availability may be an initial reason for homelessness. And those who need help there should have assistance. But I think substance abuse keeps people in homelessness. I think there are ways to help both populations.
The issue is that most of these homeless individuals don't want help. I have friends that refuse to go to some playgrounds because of all the tents and drug addicts around. Waikiki has improved, but the areas around Kapahulu, Diamond Head, Kaimuki, and Kahala have all gotten worse. Look at the underpass near Kapahulu and H1. Look near Kaimuki High School. They are both filled with tents and homeless everywhere.
Houselesness is something that we all need to tackle. We see it here in on the mainland, all due to similar issues(affordable housing, lack of mental healthcare, ect..) These are the points where we as a nation need to work together and get the folks who want the housing into much safer situations.
I wanna take this time to apologize to you for judging you so harshly in the past. I’m taking a step back and listening to your contacts better and trying to understand you better. You genuinely care about your community and I think it’s a really good thing. Hopefully this will encourage you to possibly run for public office so that you can help make positive changes for the Hawaiian islands and native Hawaiians specifically.
So I hope you accept my apology and I plan to sit back and observe and listen better in hopes to understand and find common ground on things I might disagree with. I will like your content and try to encourage people to view your TH-cam.
Aunty Shawna
Content not contact spellcheck is horrible
Mahalo for the comment. Any harsh comments are just part of being on TH-cam. Frankly, we're all strangers here and I've found that it takes time to understand where people are coming from on a platform like TH-cam. It's why I like it over other social media platforms. It's not supposed to be quick 30 second clips for laughs. But over several videos, people start to see where others are coming from.
Mahalo and appreciate you commenting 🤙
Aloha brah, howzit? Good to see input. I was homeless 20+ years on Maui, mostly Kihei. So many diverse reasons contribute. My case was mostly housing costs. I did not drink or do meth. I worked full time, Eskimo Candy. Had a bank account. I lived several years in the concrete cane fields drainage tunnels under Pialani hiway. Lots centipedes and cane spiders. I never allowed my homelessness to impact anyone else. I spent most time not working building bikes to help the less fortunate homeless. I started DA KIHEI BIKE CHURCH, a non profit co-op. My sister is 63 and Kihei homeless. I got off the rock. Retired comfortable mainland now. So much cheaper. Hawaii is a brutal climate to be homeless....
Mahalo for sharing 🤙
In Finland, the government actually solved their homeless issue by giving *all* homeless people apartments/roofs over their heads, no matter what. They gave people full healthcare including drug treatment, dentist, general health, etc. They gave people education & help finding jobs, and lifetime help if necessary. Homes, health care, nutrition, education.. These are the things which support successful life. We cannot be shortsighted or narrow on this issue. Different states have different needs & reasons. We must be prepared to help them all.
Sounds ike a good solution but will never happen in the US. Most people either ignore the issue or have the I've-got-mine-and-I'm-not-giving-it-to-you attitude. Sad.
Hawaii has the strongest health care regimen of all the states. Likewise it has a strong addiction program. During the Covid, New York City put some homeless in a hotel which they trashed. Most states have drug addiction programs ad nauseam. Back when I grew up, I didn't hear much about the homeless, but decade by decade they have increased in number as more and more services were provided for them. Mental illness and drug addiction are the main drivers but some people have adopted homelessness as a lifestyle.
Well, Finland must have common sense😮
Finland has less of a problem because you'll die if you try living outdoors in Finland.
Mahalo for sharing. 🤙
Are we wrong to assume, that there are current laws in place that make it illegal to be "living" on a sidewalk, a grass strip, on the hillside of the freeway, at the beach, etc? And, if so, why do the police drive by and allow this illegal activity to continue? Has law enforcement changed to the point that you "wait" for someone to make a formal complaint? (i.e. how long did it take for the row of tents across from the Convention Center to be cleared?) It's ridiculous that the city/state requires you to get a camping permit, yet we have a lot of homeless "camping" for free. How come? Don't laws apply to everyone? Regardless if you are homeless or not, if you don't want to comply with existing laws, then you are choosing to be arrested and/or cited.
I don't know the current laws for the sidewalk ban. I think the only time I see that enforced is if people complain.
@chaka3084, I thought Hawaii Democrats follow what the California Democrats want. Hawaii keeps a low profile so they don't have to spend/waste government money to enforce laws they really should to protect their island citizens.
@@HelloFromHawaii Yep ... so, for the lawbreaker who sees the police pass by, that would be an indication to them that "it's alright for me to live here." Okole backwards! 🤔
In many studies they have found that prolonged exposure to poverty and the stress of the high cost of living and low wages causes mental illness, substance abuse, and homelessness. The findings show that most substance abuse, addiction, and mental illness is caused by economic disparity and prolonged poverty, and that leads to homelessness. The solution is to reduce poverty, reduce the stress of economic disparity, and to reduce the economic causes of poverty, like housing. The strategy should gravitate toward Universal Basic Income and substance abuse, addiction and mental illness help which is the right path forward.
Mahalo for sharing. In Hawaii, many are exposed to poverty. It seems like in the past, though, many more were able to climb out of that situation, like my grandparents. Today, I'm not so sure.
@@HelloFromHawaii yes, I agree. The issues that keep people down are artificial economic constructs (unfettered capitalism). I've studied it for decades. I'm an ex-cop, ex-Hawaii resident, and I used to belong to the Maui Homeless Alliance. I currently do research and write about these issues. In my experience, Hawaii is filled with some of the most wonderful people who are trapped not by their own doing, but by a systemic barrier that's permeated every aspect of our lives--nickel and dimed us endlessly. Our take-home isn't enough to keep a home. Wages never keep up with inflation. Every year more and more of what used to be affordable or free becomes pay-to-play, inflated, or monetized to the extreme. Poverty is a cycle that rarely allows anybody to escape. Over time, most give up because the stress overcomes them, health declines, mental facilities give in, and we fall into a nose dive finding ourselves drunk on a park bench being hassled by cops telling us we can't sleep or lay down there. Sadly.
Yes, today is different.
It’s not just that mental health issues cause homelessness, homelessness also causes mental health issues! Try living on the streets for a week, and see what happens!
Also Chris: People are not homeless always due to substance abuse. Many lose their jobs and cannot pay their rents. So, they get evicted and bam, they are out on the streets. It is not always fair to assume that homeless people are abusing substances, such as drugs and alcohol. Many are not. Many are not mentally ill, either. At least not here in Seattle. Many are scraping by on the streets which harden anyone.
Yeah, I tried to clarify on the video that substance abuse may not necessarily be the initial cause of homelessness, but could eventually become the primary reason after being homeless.
So very true I got homeless when my husband went jail and I couldn't afford the rent even though I went resources to get help me my daughter had live in shelter for 6 month we end get hud and we got place then that landlord told us live our new place they was money hungry we wait for our hud inspection didn't pass they didn't want fix anything at all they keep haressment me and my child we end homeless again for like a month went in other shelter got out in two week now been live in our new place sense September hud help pay half the rent I pay rest
Seattle did address the drug problem but not in the way you would think. There are proponents to legalize drugs including Fentanyl etc to make it more accessible. Not surprisingly, homelessness is Seattle has worsened despite spending 1 billion dollars. Hawaii should not follow the footsteps of a city that's slowly dying.
Hawaii needs to start thinking of itself as the edge of Asia, not the edge of the USA. Be more like Asia. Harden up the drug laws, adopt a "police box" system for on-the-streets policing, toughen up!
This population tends towards treatment resistance. Substance abusers need to buy into wanting to be clean and sober. Even when they do relapse, is common. Mentally ill persons often refuse precibed medication because they don't like the side effects or prefer to self medicate with alcohol or street drugs. There is no one or easy solution for everyone. A really great outreach program would be a start.
This is why you set up a camp, asylum, whatever you want to call it, and one big aspect of it is FREE DRUGS. They'll want to stay there instead of on the street. Problem solved.
@alex carter You believe this can be legally mandated and there is no free will to resist.
❤❤
Chris: Thank you for bringing the substance abuse issue to the forefront regarding the continuing situation of homelessness. I agree it is a strong element of the triangle of cost of living, affordable housing & the subject you cover in this video edition. I myself have family living under bridges & what makes the situation worse for my family is that it is soooooo hard identifying their addictions; in our case, it is substance abuse AND gambling.
Same thing happening in California. The majority of people mainly left leaning/ liberals always say "is housing, or discrimination" but dont never say that 80% of homeless have a serious drug addiction and refused help, or shelter and would rather stay in their tents smoking meth all day. We can't let our communities, kids, families be exposed to open drug scenes, needles, trash, and crime because of someone who has no control over their life. These people need major intervention in their life and I agree forced and law needs to be used to put in order to put them in a place where they will get help
Hey Chris, I work in homeless services in Northern California. Homelessness is a worldwide issue and there are so many reasons why people are homeless Vets having a difficult transition to Civi life, mental health, and yes - sometimes substance abuse. Trust/believe, this is not an easy issue to fix. Our shelters are at capacity, we're lucky to have what homeless services, we do have. Some places don't have basic homeless services....when I was home (Hawaii) there were none, has that changed?
Hoping things change for the better for all of us
Mahalo for sharing. I believe there are services here for homeless individuals. Just not sure how well funded they are.
@@HelloFromHawaii Good to know, no matter funding and $ allocation the services never seem to be enough, it seems we can never do enough, we can never offer enough. It's difficult especially when the services I can offer are pretty limited (in my case).
Again, I can only speak for myself and what we can provide with health, housing and homeless in my area.
So #grateful for you having this conversation you are such a good speaker and well-mannered I hope you can do it several times a year to bring more awareness I don't think you could have picked a better spot to have your video there has to be a solution I'm not sure exactly what it is but having the conversation is working in the right direction
I think homelessness is getting worse. But unfortunately, I don't know the solution. But I still feel relatively safe here. I have reason to be in various cities on the mainland once each year. I've been approached by homeless people wanting money. Since I don't know the places or the people there, I felt very vulnerable/insecure. I've noticed that the homeless don't want food, etc. They seem to only want MONEY. Possibly to buy drugs? I'm guessing, YES!
Mahalo for sharing. Glad you still feel generally safe here.
how do you compare a person with potential to buy a "decent" proterty with the homeless who just need a tent, Making a campsite for the homeless isnt that difficult, just like hot spots for refugees, Why do all big counties just let them out in the streets? It looks like its on purpose
I’m here now on vacation, in Honolulu and the homeless situation is bad. Thought I was escaping sf but the smells and visuals are as bad, not the paradise I recall 5-6 yrs ago.
In Florida there is a Community-based Housing village that has had great success in housing the houseless. Community First Village in Austin, TX haas housed the chronically homeless with great success as well. In Utah & Colorado, The Other Side Academy & their sister-program The Other Side Village has had great success in a self-sustaining approach to ending their homelessness problem. Hoping to see it happen in all states in America, including Alaska, Puerto Rico & Hawai'i! Thank-You for this perspective. Let's end the Illegal-Occupation, then we can end the high-cost of living for all in Hawai'i.
Substance abuse has been a problem in the United States for decades but the U.S. has always viewed substance addiction as a crime instead of a health issue. Do we really want to solve these problems.
Recent visitors to Waikiki. Took a Sunday drive on 6.25.23 to the leeward side of the island, our first stop Barber's Point Lighthouse and last stop Kaena Point State Park. Left Waikiki early, Siri had us driving surface roads to Barber's Point. Just before the point we found ourselves driving amongst hopped up trucks with Hawaiian flags and passengers in chairs in the flat beds, some with "defend Hawaii" bumper stickers. It seemed like a very important part of Hawaiian culture. Do you know anything about this event, does it happen every Sunday? After hiking to the lighthouse we drove to Ko Olina and enjoyed swimming at lagoon #4. From Ko Olina to Kaena it was a mass of homeless settlements. It has such a different vibe than the windward side.
High taxes, costs of living, affordable housing for the rich and not the poor, no politicans no governor, no mayor, no council members bring down taxes in Hawaii
I really appreciate your channel and information. You have a talent for not taking sides but addressing issues and sharing information from a multi-perspective empathetic angle. I’ve never been to Hawaii but the situation there is unique due to limited long distance mobility.
As an older person (56) that teaches in public school on the mainland I really think besides the obvious issues of mental illness and addiction many people of all ages need to do a re-set, or just learn for the first time the differences in needs and wants. I think some people sort of opt out of society because they really don’t understand those differences. Prioritizing these can help people get on their feet to build a life of independence and self reliance. Maybe I’m really off but teaching kids/people how to be self- sufficient might go a long way to getting people off the streets.
Mahalo for the comment. What also makes the homeless situation here different is the climate and growing tolerance. Most people see the issue, but since we're on an island, it's hard to start "rocking the boat".
I am very picky about which parks I take my kids to, especially as a woman and especially when it's just me. Even then, i'm always a bit on edge. I have found a lot of peace in investing in some memberships where you need to pay to enter and my kids can have fun, that has made me feel much safer. And yeah, I'm probably never taking them to stadium park even though I grew up playing there too!
The park by Ward is nice. Clean and good shade. No problems with sketchy people.
Yes, this is one of the toughest problems confronting Hawaii and there is no easy solution. I had a childhood friend, since 9 years old, who lived on the streets of Honolulu for about 15 years until he died in 2015, at 60 years old. He lost his job, family and friends due to his meth addiction. I tried many times to get to get him off meth, into housing and a job but he always adamantly refused the help. Sadly, living on the streets for many years eventually dulled the essential skills needed for daily survival; hygiene, responsibility, self respect, nutritional foods, etc. In short, he was a broken man. In the last 6 months of his life, he finally got housing but died from a meth overdose alone at home. Can Hawaii fix broken people?
Not your job or Hawaii job to fix people. What happened to personal responsibility?Let the homeless and addicts fix themselves. If not then jail them, force treatment. Otherwise let them past tense themselves b/c deep down that’s what they want, slow suicide. Can’t lead a horse…. You know the cliche
Mahalo for sharing. It's tough if people refuse help. Not sure how to change that.
I wish you could see my face and feel my heart while I'm watching and listening to you. My heart breaks for this situation. You put it into wise words! I saw a program a few years ago in which they made a test regarding the homeless. One struck me! They took a man that had been living under a bridge. He was bathed, shaved, haircut and brand new clothes. He was given $28,000.00 for him to start a new life. Sadly, within a short time, he misused the money, back to drinking and back to living under a bridge 💔 As you say, best to help hard working family men, for them not to go homeless. 😭😭😭 🙏
I dont know about there but I used to live in the bay area and used to love to go to San Francisco. But now its so bad I dont realky go there due to all the drug issues. I mean there are needles and poop on sidewalks. Cops dont arrest anyone it feels like anymore. I have seen a drug deal right infront of a cop and the cop just kept going. The city gives out free needles to all who ask. Its crazy how bad its gotten. So many busineses have left. Some huge conventions no longer take place due to all the crime and drugs. Its crazy over there and I am so glad I moved away up north to get away from that whole area. I hope it does not get as bad here as it is there. Becuase I dont know if SF can be saved at this point. The local goverment seems to keep it as it is sadly.
Aloha Chris.. I love watching your channel and love what you talk about. Homelessness has gotten worst in the whole state. There are alot of factors into homelessness. Mental Health, substance abuse, cost of living, no affordable housing. When I live on Oahu, I lived with family who "rented" out rooms in their house. This girl that lived in the room across me, decided that she was going to live on the streets with her "boyfriend" because she didn't have to pay rent anymore and they can use her money to buy food and stuff. I think we really need to focus on mental health and provide more assistance. There are programs and housing to assist those, but most of the time I hear that the rules in these shelters are what they don't want to deal with-and choose to live on the streets. We need to find a way to get better mental health care...
Aloha Chris! I completely agree. Although, I am curious to learn more about the homeless that were shipped by plane from Arizona a few years ago. Many of the folks that we see with substance abuse/mental challenges are not from here. Also, I am the first to stand up for human rights but, believe that folks that are violent towards the community or themselves should receive medication treatment (even against their will). On another note, great hat! Mahalo nui.
I'm not sure where most of the homeless are from. However, from what I understand, the majority are Native Hawaiian.
@@HelloFromHawaii I think that the Native Hawaiian encampments are mostly Makaha/Waianae, and then Punalu’u/Hau‘ula. I live Diamond Head and can tell you that there are families at Kapi’olani Park and some of the homeless behaviors get really “scary“. It truly is a complicated issue!
Aloha Nephew, Please do the research. The fastest growing population of homeless people is single women who are heads of families with children and the victim of domestic violence. I rush to add that there are a wide variety of histories that led to homelessness. You were perhaps not yet born when former President Regan closed all of the mental institutions and threw the patients out on the street without any support. This was called "integration into the community". I could go on, but it would seem like ranting and raving. Let me summarize this by telling you that homelessness is a symptom of a disease and not the disease itself. If you would like to see a country that has solved homelessness then I direct you to educate yourself about Finland's solution. Mahalo for your discussion of this topic.
Mahalo for the comment. I wasn't aware of the Reagan Administration. And someone else mentioned Finland. I'll go look into that 🤙
In Kona, our mayor was able to help pay for about 14 homeless persons fly back to the continental US. We are trying to build more affordable housings. Maui has a great local housing program initiative.
A very common story for homeless people is that they become disabled or elderly, then they receive an SSI check, but that check is too small to afford to rent anything. The maximum payment for SSI is $914 a month for an individual. This is why I believe so heavily in affordable housing that needs to be under that threshold of affordable to someone only making $914 a month.
My guess is that there are many here that are not aware of Pu'uhonoa O Wai'anaie. It is a group of about 250 homeless. They have strict village rules. No drugs, camp clean up, community service, quiet time from 8 pm so kids can sleep. As they have a deaf child in the village, they teach sign language. Don't obey the rules, then they are out. Most of the adults work, but they are priced out of paradise. They may be houseless but not homeless. Twinks Borge is their leader. They have raised money and bought land to build homes and farm to be more self sustainable. Prior to this their encampment looked similar to most homeless areas. Tarps, tents, make shift shelter. The difference is that they kept it clean. They used restroom facilities at the harbor and they would have tasks to clean up the facilities.
Would this model, shelters or low cost housing work for all homeless? Sadly, I believe the answer is no, due to the mental health issues. I've volunteered and walked down Skid Row by myself. Yes, you smell pot here and there. The stench from the urine in the streets will make ypu gag. There is a lot of trash littering the streets..
I know a man who builds tiny homes for homeless in the LA area to give shelter from the elements. The tiny homes have wheels as well as alarm, locking door, small solar panel to charge items such cellphones and an American People have reported some sweet homeless veterans of using their tiny homes for drug dealing and prostitution. Nothing can be further from the truth, but often houseless are stereotyped.
So sad to hear about Stadium Park. I have memories of walking to the Stadium from my grandpa's house as a keiki.
Mahalo for sharing. What they are doing in Waianae is interesting. Not sure it will work everywhere, but glad it seems to work in that community.
Thanks for your insights. It's universal. You could change your video by inserting Seattle / San Francisco / LA / San Diego wherever you say Hawai'i or Honolulu and your thoughts would be 100% spot on.
🤙
With A.i on the rise we have to shift the way we live. People living in the jungle is fine but we have the materials to build beautiful stadium sized greenhouses that have housing. It would help with interconnecting the community and controlling substance abuse simultaneously. We keep building massive stadiums for play but not for living. Large corporate buildings that are truly unnecessary can be green towers. We're in the age where we need to shed the corporate monopoly brain and reconnect with eachother.
As someone who has had substance abuse issues but never been homeless, I can definitely say that substance abuse makes it very difficult, especially if you let it consume your life. Here in Hilo, there's a lot of homeless people, and while I'm sure not all of them are substance abusers, I have seen it right in front of me plenty of times.
I just came back from 10 days in Vancouver, BC; a beautiful city with friendly, polite, and engaging people, great restaurants, fabulous food markets, and lots of beautiful parks.
East Hastings St. near Chinatown and Granville St. south of Nelson are where the "homeless" live. Cannabis is legal and is sold in shops that dot the city, some of which are very posh. Cannabis is produced according to strict guidelines; people smoke openly in public but it's not widespread. You'll smell it once in a while walking downtown. There's a lesson there about legalization.
That said, I concluded that the homeless are just as happy as the Asians standing in line to buy designer items here in Ginza, Tokyo. The pakalolo is just a part of the daily hygiene routine. Homelessness has always existed, think Victorian London, and is a phenomenon in large cities. Honolulu has joined the ranks. Outreach and support is a better strategy than trying to put the homeless in "shelters" so "we can feel comfortable and forget about them again". The root problems--jobs, COL, socialization, inequality--remain unsolved and unsolvable.
Can't go to the park because of the "homeless"? Go find another park...
PS-Whenever and wherever I travel, I always buy food for the homeless, often dividing my meal in half into a takeout box, or getting a sandwich from a convenience store. That's my solution to the crisis.
There are two major types of homelessness. One is regular people who fell in hard times due to lay off from jobs, healthcare bills, etc. For those people, temporary housing (6-12 months with some exceptions) is the right way to go until they stand up on their feet again. The other one is substance abuse and mental issues. Those ones are the ones that need a lot more help than just housing. As long as these people aren’t forced to get help by law, there is very little one can do to help them get better. Just by putting a free roof over their heads won’t solve the real issue long term. We need to be compassionate and know that forcing help onto them is most likely the best solution.
1. No land to build on or very limited.
2. COL very difficult to lower due to cost of shipping and continuing inflation.
3. Substance Abuse can be controlled with laws. Where are the laws?
4. Mental Health requires massive resources and how do force homeless to treatment?
Gov has little control over one and two, they (HA gov.) has no will to do anything serious about 3&4. I know taxes in general are super high especially proper tax.
I grew up in Hawaii and remember a two-lane road from Pearl City and Wahiawa. No Mililani Town, all pineapples and sugar cane. Very different times and HA had almost no crime.
I knew a visiting nurse from Philadelphia who was amazed at the drug abuse here. She said back home, meth users tend to die fairly young. They’ll get caught outside during a winter storm and freeze. Or the cold takes such a toll on them physically that they deteriorate and can’t fight off pneumonia or other illnesses. So actually the climate here, as great as it is, actually helps people survive and function even if they are incapacitated in some way. our drug abuse prevention programs have to be a lot more robust and all encompassing than in other places to account for this.
They have to look at the long term, which is not easy.
Is substance abuse caused by high cost of living? I am not sure. I left some food on the street today. It was gone by the end of the day. Go to China, or another US cities to see how big the issue is. How about the US at war 91% of its life, not investing in education, healthcare, and veteran services? How about building tinyhomes or mobile homes in HI? Duplexes, Rowhouses...etc. Why are people moving away from HI?
Good question. Not sure if there are studies linking substance abuse to high cost of living areas.
As someone who lived next door to someone with affordable housing AND had substance abuse, simply giving out housing is not the answer. This man absolutely destroyed his living unit, costing thousands of dollars in repair, and left. He didn't get clean, he just destroyed his house and moved on.
My daughter lives in Oahu and during my recent visit, it's gotten worse. Much worse. Every hiking parking place is littered with glass. They will smash your windshield/windows. She has had her catalytic converter stolen. Her car burglarized while at a local beach. We took the popular waterfall hike and had a negative encounter with a homeless person in the woods. It was very scary. She was involved in an active shooter event in downtown Waikiki. It was a homeless mentally ill person who had a illegally obtained gun. She literally had to run and hide for over an hour.
Excellent topics. Finding out the root causes is easy. Finding out the solutions that everyone would agree on is nearly impossible today. For example, I don't think everyone would agree on whether menially ill, or substance abused people should ALWAYS be institutionalized. and homeless people must accept government provided shelter at a more affordable community with some type of work agreement.
Building more "affordable housing" in any high prices cities is a waste of public money, unfair, and can never solve the problems.
I'm still trying my best to find help for them, but doing it long-distance is incredibly challenging.
Lowering the cost of living won't necessarily help or eliminate the homeless problem. It's a societal problem that is multi-layered and complex. Society needs to decide if it has the intestinal fortitude and the will, the vision, along with the billions or trillions of dollars needed to address this problem. I fear that we don't, and homelessness as we see it now will simply continue and get progressively worse. As fractured as society is now, there is little hope that we can all view this problem under one giant lens and agree how to address it. Sad...
I think it's often a cycle. The expensive cost of living in Hawaii makes it a struggle just to get by making it difficult to save for emergencies. Life is unpredictable and throw in something like a job loss or unexpected medical emergency and those already on the precipice of poverty/homelessness may be thrown over the edge. Those who are vulnerable may be looking for a reprieve, even one that's bad for them and temporary, from their current situation. That's one way addictions can start and then snowball from there. Get the right mix of unfortunate conditions, maybe some genetic predispostion to addiction, and a run of just plain old bad luck and you have a recipe for someone becoming a homeless addict. To fix the homeless problem, the state is going to have to get at the root of it an do something about the cost of housing. If even you as someone who has done all the "right" things is having trouble finding a good affordable home for your growing family I imagine how much more difficult it is for someone who doesn't make as much, doesn't have a support system and had some major life things thrown at them. Allieviate the sky high cost of housing and I think you would see a lessening of some of the reasons that push people into homelessness. It doesn't stop all the reasons people become addicts, but it's one way.
I am homeless ,and going to Hawaii to get free stuff!!
If you are, I hope you can connect with social services for help.
Aloha, homeless in hawaii has always been a problem but if you ask me it's getting worst. Speaking from my personal experience my family and I have been homeless we were staying at IHS now were in temporary transitional housing to get permanent housing. Yes low income housing does help a lot but it wouldn't work for all homeless individuals especially those suffering from substance abuse. Before I was homeless I was always working, sometimes 3 jobs at a time and i still was just "making" by....the solution shouldn't be just low income housing for homeless, in order to see changes BIG changes need to happen, increase pay, decrease the prices in stores etc.
Income And Food Insecurities,Instabilities and Limitations. This gentleman is addressing not just homeless, homeless status, immigration status.
The gentleman is addressing what I mentioned for past 7 years.
2 months later. I am bring some innovate solutions to State of Hawaii due to what led people to live on the street to have a street address with social services who provide homeless services the same if a person receives medical treatment for addiction is not posting things has you can see what State I post some of this information from is State of Illinois look at the information this how you can start helping people on this level. I donot have say more.
I think the homeless should not be allowed to camp right in the middle of downtown prime real estate where briskness and people pay millions of dollars to buy or rent. I mean I'd like to wake up to and ocean view but does that mean I can put up a tent in the back yard of a beach front house? Some areas should just be off limits. Plus if they were pushed further from the city it might hinder easy access to substances.
I've seen the homeless tents moved from Kakaako to elsewhere. Not sure how that's worked overall.
It was interesting in 2017
And now
i know that a lot of my friends there have lost their businesses. Hanging on by a thread in their lives . Blaming politics and covid issues. Sadly I think they have given up. And finding a blaming place that there is nothing they can do about that.
I know i want to be there. My hesitation to come back is that.
Makes me very sad what i saw substance abuse and then all the things that go with it like you say.
Why is it not addressed?
Also the salary and living gap gosh its like what can be done ….
Sorry rambling in essences Chris you are right on the Button
Does the Honolulu Airport have strict enforcement on people who bring in illegal drugs?
We were at baby beach in Waikiki and a homeless man was chasing another man with a knife, yelling, then he pulled out his man parts and started flinging it around. We had a 4 year little one with us. Two police women got him and cuffed him within 10 mins. very sad for everyone involved. The man is probably mentally ill, so we pray he gets the help he needs. Some homeless were pooping/peeing in the public showers at that beach as well. It's near the Duke Statue happened in June 2022.
city should build a shelter under the piikoi st. underpass. it's huge and already has overhead covering and near the buslines.
I grew up on O'ahu in the 1970's thru 1980's and the homeless problem was never this bad. The 50th state is suffering from "too much of everything all at the same time syndrome," and everyone's quality of life is suffering because of it.
Affordable housing is an issue, but it's different then homelessness.
It's not just drugs that cause homelessness and poverty. I grew up poor in an abusive home. I went to live with relatives when I was 15 because my mom couldn't afford to take care of all us so I made the sacrifice to move away to ease the burden on my mom. Ever since then, I've worked minimum wage jobs and lived out of people's homes, renting their rooms. The only place I had to call my own was an apartment and that lasted 4 years until I was evicted because the landlord wanted the unit back. I have NEVER been addicted, never had a drug problem or even indulged in drugs. I don't have a mental health problem. I will be 51 soon and my health has now deteriorated some. I have two cars - one is a daily driver and the other is the backup in case the first car breaks down. The second car is a SUV and I also keep it as insurance in case I get evicted again and I can use the SUV to live in.
Being born in Honolulu, Hawaii and still having family members living there it is sad to see so many more homeless people in Hawaii. I live in California and the homeless population is the highest in all of the United States. It is going to get worse because people are living with a lot of debt and when the economy tanks like is doing and people get laid off or fired there is going to be alot more people homeless. Have to live like a minimalist even if you have a job nowadays.
And how, exactly, is the economy tanking???
What about having the goverment monitor benefits to the low income people. Back then I remember my neighbor wearing gold chains, driving nice expensive cars, and coming home with full bags of groceries and the weird part is that we live in housing and pay 46$ in rent. I even remember when I collected unemployment the proof I gave was filling out a questionaire asking if I look for job or not with a box to answer yes or no. Many people took advantage of it and that is probably why lots are not working, have no exp etc.
The driving factor is cost of living and not enough good paying steady jobs. I was living down the beach with my wife and kids for years. Now we live mainland good job low cost of living. Only one in my family who own a house on 10 acres
Seems like it goes back to the family level. Strong connected families help (but do not guarantee) responsible adult behavior. There's accountability and support. The breakdown of the family unit is destroying many children. And those make hurting adults who find relief in drugs.
Also, there is NO incentive for politicians to ACTUALLY fix the homelessness problem. Where there is rampant homelessness, there are corrupt politicians.
It's dumb that there aren't any restrictions on who can come to the island and use public resources. It's an island.
It's super complicated and it is also "more" complicated than we can solve. Us locals are supposed to have family & friends to help. If they can't help them, then it's a messed up situation. I used to tell my friends who had drug problems that I would be there for them. Now I have kids, so I don't want to bring them into my space. It sucks no matter what. Life sucks 🤷♂️sorry
Stop it, it's not complicated. It's asinine views like this why this doesn't get solved and gets worse. The solution is simple, either stop using drugs or go to prison, that's all.
@@Law19157 I can't even stop 'using' so it is difficult. I make positive decisions all day, until it's the end of the day and then I get drunk and high 🙏🤙🤙🤙🤷♂️
Sad I know
Was just in Oahu and the main Island recently and moving there in 3 months It's drugs and mental health mostly Just like California or Oregon We need rehabs and mental health
I remember Stadium Park being nice too.
The people with the money and control, don't know how to handle the issue. The case managers, counselors and former homeless know how to handle the issue effectively, but don't have the funds. The people with the money need to be humble enough to communicate with and listen to the people with the experience.
Substance abuse gets worse with homelessness. It can even start after a person becomes homeless. So just seeing substance abuse in homeless people doesn't tell you anything. In Denver, policies designed to "help" homeless people actually caused a big surge in meth use. The camping ban gave Denver homeless the choice of going into the shelters and losing their jobs, or falling asleep and freezing to death. Obviously this is not going to play out the same way in Hawaii. But living on the street can be torture and people living like that are looking for anything that makes it less hellish.
Mahalo for sharing what's been going on in Denver 🤙
The investigative reporters in California have exhausted themselves on this issue.
Follow the money.
Literally, no one wants to listen or look.
The investigators shook their heads and washed their hands of the issue.
Yet here we are, gosh, how do we fix this problem.
FOLLOW THE MONEY!
It’s hard to talk about because there’s no easy fix (or may not be any fix from chronic mental health issues with/without drug abuse).
Good stuff my Bradda 🤙🏾
I think it's building codes for residential property. They need to do away with it. I'm buying land in Oregon but live in an RV in Washington state. I want to live on my own land but the county says I need a full septic before I could move on the land to even start building a house. A full septic cost around $8,000. I could go cheaper with a holding tank that gets pumped out ever 6 months or so for about $1,000. But the county says no. Even though I am buying and will own property there are so many rules to make it useless until I jump threw hoops. That is why people are homeless. I should know. I live out of a fricken vehicle 🤪😂👍 my guess Hawaii is no different on the rules. Why can't people do what they want with land if they own it?
Building codes are an issue I may talk about in the future. Just trying to get a building permit is taking forever for my parents.
@@HelloFromHawaii I wish they would get rid of building codes for residential use. It's understandable if it's a commercial property like an apartment complex. But for families that are just using it themselves. I wish government would keep their nose out of it. I bet then allot of people could survive allot better.