Homeless in Hawaii

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When one pictures Hawaii, they will most often think of paradise- beautiful beaches, swimming with dolphins, massive hotels with beautiful views, the perfect tourist destination with endless amounts of money coming in- but something most don't consider is the number of people who live in this paradise without a place to call home. 

There are an estimated 15,000 people in Hawaii who are homeless, with 1,500-2,000 of them being chronically homeless. Although Native Hawaiians only account for about 10% of the population, they make up 51% of the homeless population. Over 4,400 of these people live on the island of Oahu, which is the largest tourist destination of the Hawaiian islands. Tourism is a major contributing factor for the homeless population in Hawaii, especially with the majority of vacation rental units being owned by non-residents. 

Another major contributing factor for the amount of homeless people in Hawaii (which ties in closely with the tourism) is the extremely high cost of living. Between the years of 2007 and 2015 the cost of food went up by 35% . Along with the high cost of living, the minimum wage in Hawaii is extremely low, with the state minimum just going up this October from $10.10 to $12 per hour, and over 60% of employers paying less than $20 an hour to their employees. 

Despite these unfortunate circumstances, there are many ways to help support the homeless population of Hawaii. Some ways to help include: becoming more informed about the homeless population and what can help reduce homelessness, treating homeless individuals with respect, and being an advocate and sharing information with others on how to help. 

Below are some resources to help make a difference:

Kauhale Initiative

Hawaii Homeless Healthcare Hui

Partners In Care Oahu

Sources:

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