Homeless are not deterred by tent ban
Many say they will take down their shelters but remain in the parks
POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Apr 19, 2010
A man with a long white beard, who identified himself as Daniel and goes by the nickname Banyan, sat in a fold-up chair under a large umbrella yesterday afternoon talking with friends.
"I'm going to sit here and watch them enforce it," Daniel said. "This is a collapsible structure," he said referring to his large umbrella, "but it's not a tent."
"Where they like us move?" asked Brady Mahiko, a friend who also lives in the park.
For the last two weeks the city has posted notices at the park and on tents used by the homeless informing them of the new law and where they can go to seek legal shelter.
The City Council passed the law banning shopping carts and camping tents with more than one wall in March. It became effective when Mayor Mufi Hannemann signed it a few weeks ago.
Honolulu Police spokeswoman Carolyn Sluyter said police have been working with city officials and social service providers to get information about the law out to park users.
"The law applies to all park-goers, and we are hopeful that most will voluntarily comply with the new law," Sluyter said. "Enforcement will be conducted at parks throughout the island and may take the form of a warning, citation or possibly arrest."
Many of the homeless at Queen's Beach yesterday said they would comply with the law and remove the tents but will continue living in the park.
Jason Sampson said he and his wife have nowhere else to live after he lost his job as a car detailer eight months ago.
"We just obey the rules," Sampson said.
His wife, who gave her name as D, said the homeless shelter has bedbugs, and she does not like the rules, which require them to leave at 7 a.m. and be in by 10 p.m.
D Sampson said she and her husband have applied for veterans' assistance but cannot find a place to live that they can afford.
Roy Goya said he got mental health assistance to find housing but still visits with friends in the park.
The law "is kind of targeting the homeless," he said, adding that police will have to enforce the law for families enjoying the park on holiday weekends.
"It should be fair," Goya said.
Chuck Mailo said he does not sleep in a tent, but still finds places to stay in the park.
"I just sleep where they can't see me or walk around at night," he said.
A man who identified himself as Slein Kein said he climbs through kiawe trees to sleep in a cave on the side of Diamond Head.
"To me they just try to sweep everything under the rug, like we're not people," James Sampson said. "It seems they cater to the tourists more than anything."
When s they cater to the tourists more than anything."
Replies
One thing for sure; when this kind of community spirit gets publicised then your government will be embarrassed into taking proper action.
To me "houseless" and "homeless" are the same but then when I was a child I had no house or a home so it's relative to me. I lived with my paternal grandfather and during the summers was fortunate to have lived with my maternal Hilo Grandma in Hilo and my grand aunt in Keaukaha. Some people never gave a damn though and some people still do not give a damn. However they gave a damn about who is "right" and who is "wrong."
Unfortunately Hawai'i is not the Hawai'i that I grew up in. Nowadays it has gotten much worse. Tourists and what THEY see are more important than the lives of local people. Unfortunately this epitomizes it. However it is their policies that created this homeless problem yet are the last to take responsibility for their actions.
Jason Sampson supposedly said that he and his wife have nowhere else to live after he lost his job as a car detailer eight months ago. Yeah they have NOWHERE else to go yet they are treated worse than dogs. Come to think of it... the people at the Humane Society provide the basics for dogs, cats, etc like food, shelter, and WATER... yet some HUMANS who have nowhere else to go are treated worse than dirt! Kicked off beaches, parks, etc. Messed up priorities and I adopted three dogs and three cats from the SPCA and Humane Society and I know how some people can be.
Instead of pushing for affordable housing... they do otherwise so I am not surprised. This is where true grassroots efforts come into play. Affordable housing is lacking. Fortunately some people are doing some thing about it.
Homeless are the people continental states send to Hawai'i which no one cares for or will help; not even their families if they have any and some who are indign and mentally unstable. The deal is, Hawai'i cannot send them back to where they come from unless there is someone to receive them back in the states. This has been ongoing for about fifty years now.
Our kuleana is our people who are houseless and cannot afford the high rents and expenses. The disparity is earning power which is slave wages versus high cost of living to capture tourist dollars and pecuniary interests of political corruption.
Tane