Much like there are many variations of the colors blue and red, there are also many nuances to homelessness. To oversimplify by labeling the homeless as a single homogenous group is misinformed, and will lead to more frustration for all parties involved. So, what then to do?
If you’re going to discuss homelessness locally, you probably should look first at the actual housing availability picture. Soon, moving some short-term, illegal rentals into long-term local rentals may help those able to pay “reasonable” rents, but we need more out-of-the-box thinking so that we don’t keep kicking this can (and individuals) down the road. Some great work has been accomplished locally, but we need more.
California last year announced it would retrofit pandemic-vacated, shopping mall space and empty big box retail locations into housing units. Obviously, this involves legislative work in conjunction with builders, planners, realtors, etc., but it’s worth delving into.
On the homeless front, we have innovative villages, communities, mini-housing areas, and more in place and/or on the drawing board. A local real estate executive asked me recently- what about setting up trailer parks and importing RVs for housing? Recreational vehicles might be available at discount prices now that the pandemic has subsided (we hope) and wanderlust has diminished among those tired of being couped up on the mainland. Could a consortium of benefactors, landowners, infrastructure departments (water, sewage), shipping companies, etc., brainstorm and bring a bunch of these ready-to-inhabit homes to Hawai`i?
And finally, check out Medicine Hat, Alberta, a small Canadian town that pledged years ago to “cure” homelessness. While it’s seen some backsliding during the pandemic, it has used the “housing first” model that other large, American cities have used to give people hope as well as a home. The theory is that providing a home first gives needy ones a sense of security, pride and purpose, and then their other problems can be dealt with. And no, it’s not a freebie; tenants pay. London, Ontario apparently did great work dealing with veteran homelessness through housing first- yet one more source to contact.
RVs, shopping malls, local rentals reclaimed from visiting, short-term tenants, housing first- it’s time to continue to fully explore real-world examples of how other locations deal with homelessness and immediate housing needs. No single answer can solve all of the issues, but there is hope, opportunity, and there are real success stories.
Think about it…