“Dumping” Homeless To Hawaii

I was interviewed yesterday by the Hawaiian television news station, KHON, regarding that state’s concern of mainland cities flying their homeless people to Hawaii. The logic is that it would be harder for them to return back to their original community. (An airplane ticket is expensive.)

A local Honolulu City Council member is adamant that this practice is going on. They have interviewed local homeless people in Honolulu, and found a handful of people who were paid to go to Hawaii. Others from the mainland came to Hawaii with their own resources.

Homeless “dumping” is not just a local or regional issue. I write about this in my book. Where cities conveniently give rides to homeless people to other communities. One city in Los Angeles County used to post on its website where the feeding programs are—and they were conveniently located in another city.

Homelessness is a national issue. So it is not surprising for people who are homeless to be sent across state lines. Or in this case, across the Pacific Ocean.

It just shows, once again, that local jurisdictions are not willing to invest enough resources to build a housing and service infrastructure that seriously addresses homelessness.


(Pic from http://pacificprogress.org)