NEWS RELEASE

MAYOR RICK BLANGIARDI

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY SERVICES

CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, Sept. 27, 2024

Communications Office: (808) 768-5768

HONU to move operations to Kapolei

New site for the City’s Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered Persons program

O‘AHU – The Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered Persons (HONU) program will be moving from the Neal S. Blaisdell Park in ‘Aiea to a vacant lot across the street from Kapolei Hale effective October 1, 2024. The site is located off Kapolei Parkway between Kamaʻaha Avenue and Alohikea Street, and commonly known by those who live and frequent the area as the “Musubi Lot” due to its triganular shape with rounded corners. This site is located in the midst of growing encampments that have generated numerous complaints.

“Kapolei has been on our radar for a while and finding a location has been a challenge given how busy the Regional Park is,” said Sam Moku, City and County of Honolulu Homeless Coordinator. “The Musubi Lot is something outside the box for us and is being made available for HONU through the collaboration of multiple City departments.”

At HONU’s new site, the City will work with area service providers and businessess to bring an increase in outreach activities to high complaint areas, such as Kapolei Regional Park, along Kapolei Parkway, and areas in Kalaeloa. Earlier this week, HONU received a unanimous vote of support at the Neighborhood Board Meeting for Makakilo, Kapolei, and Honokai Hale.

As a mobile shelter, HONU has been an effective tool in getting unsheltered individuals to engage the system. “With HONU we are able to meet people where they are at, physcially, and connect them with services to address their needs,” added Sam Moku. “HONU continues to positively impact the communities it has visited.”

Shelters setup at a previous HONU location

The HONU program is a mobile triage and shelter site located on public lands, typically at City parks, for approximately 90 to 120 days. The program is funded in partnership with the State of Hawai‘i and can serve between 40 to 50 homeless individuals at a time while navigating them to more permanent housing and services. While enrolled in the program, HONU participants receive navigation services designed to identify the most immediate and appropriate shelter or housing option for them. Since its creation in December of 2019, HONU has touched the lives of over 4,095 people, helping to navigate more than 2,205 people into more permanent living arrangements.

—PAU—

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