GOVERNOR’S COORDINATOR ON HOMELESSNESS ANNOUNCES PROGRESS IN HELPING INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FIND SHELTER

News Release from Office of the Governor, October 9, 2015

HONOLULU – Scott Morishige, Governor David Ige’s coordinator on homelessness, announced today that a total of 48 people who had been living in Kaka‘ako (including eight families, three couples and five singles) have moved into shelter in the past week. Individuals and families were primarily placed at the Institute for Human Services, Next Step Shelter and the Lighthouse Emergency Shelter.

“By working together, we have made a positive difference in the lives of these individuals and families. This would not have been possible without close coordination between homeless outreach providers, shelters, the state and the City and County of Honolulu,” Morishige said.

Since August 7, state-contracted outreach providers have offered shelter and permanent housing resources to individuals and families in the Kaka‘ako makai area. A total of 152 people (including 23 families) have been placed into shelter or permanent housing.

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IHS STATEMENT ON KAKAAKO HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT

News Release from IHS, October 9, 2015

HONOLULU – “In our 37 years of delivering homeless services, we have not seen a more coordinated, organized and well-executed outreach campaign take place in Hawaii. We would like to congratulate the State’s Homeless Coordinator, Scott Morishige, and the Governor’s leadership team on homelessness for their successful effort in addressing one of our country’s largest homeless encampments. Their leadership brought homeless providers together to share resources and provide various services to addressing the individual needs of many people throughout Kakaako. We also acknowledge our government leaders who worked closely with service providers to ensure adequate shelter space and housing resources were available throughout each enforcement phase.  

Because of this collaboration these past 2-months, IHS staff moved 18 families (44 individuals) and 32 single individuals from shelter into housing. This allowed 73 additional individuals from Kakaako to seek safe shelter and housing during this time period for themselves and their children:

• 10 families (15 adults and 24 children) and 23 single adults into shelter. 
• 3 families (6 adults and 5 children) placed directly into housing. 

We will continue working with each client to ensure housing and self-sufficiency becomes their end goal.

And we look forward to continued progress as we develop new coordinated strategies and approaches to addressing other homeless encampments throughout Hawaii.”  -- Jerry Coffee, Clinical Director, IHS, The Institute for Human Services, Inc. 

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About IHS, The Institute for Human Services, Inc.: 

IHS is Hawaii’s oldest and largest and most comprehensive homeless service provider that is working to end and prevent homelessness on Oahu. As an emergency shelter, IHS stabilizes homeless individuals and families by assessing and triaging their core reasons for becoming homeless. The organization then delivers an array of services that qualifies them to obtain and maintain a home and live a sustainable lifestyle. Its services include emergency shelter, daily meals and food programs, healthcare, case management, employment, children enrichment, housing and homeless outreach. As a housing-focused non-profit agency, IHS works with various government and private sector programs to qualify and place on average 1,500 each year into housing programs. For more information, please visit: www.ihshawaii.org