CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON TEMPORARY HOMELESS SHELTER IN KAKA‘AKO

News Release from Office of the Governor, December 1, 2015

HONOLULU – The governor’s coordinator on homelessness announced that construction is underway on a temporary transitional shelter in Kaka‘ako. The state is converting a 5,000 square foot maintenance shed, formerly used by the Hawai‘i Community Development Authority, into a shelter fronting Kaka‘ako Waterfront Park.

“We are continuing to make progress in addressing homelessness throughout our state,” said Scott Morishige, the governor’s coordinator on homelessness. “The shelter site was identified after a thorough vetting process that took into account feedback from shelter providers and homeless families.”

The state anticipates the 24-hour shelter will accommodate about 60 individuals or 15 families at a time, with a stay of no longer than 90 days. The shelter will serve as an entry point to connect families to longer-term transitional or permanent housing. The shelter is expected to serve a total of 240 individuals over the course of one year.

Preliminary work on the facility began in early November when the state conducted soil testing in the surrounding area and gutted the interior of the building to assess the structural integrity of the shed before making the final site selection. The site has existing water and sewer infrastructure and is in close proximity to public transportation and social services.

Construction Engineers and the Department of Accounting and General Services (DAGS) staff will also repair the roof, design and construct the interior and paint the facility. The estimated cost of construction and renovation of the shed is $750,000.

In addition to the shed, the state will also install two portable trailers onsite to serve as office space for the shelter service provider.

The Department of Human Services is currently engaged in conversations with service providers to get their feedback on shelter design and programming. The department will solicit bids from service providers in mid-December.

Construction and service provider selection are scheduled to be completed by February 2016.

The temporary shelter is expected to be in operation for two years after it opens.

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