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STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN HAWAIIThe undersigned organizations are proud to join in support of sustained annual commitments by theLegislature toward truly affordable housing and core homelessness services.Almost five decades ago, the state of Hawaii declared a “housing crisis” that has continued to worsen ashousing costs outpace wage increases. More families are forced to choose between having a place tolive and having life’s basic necessities, including food. Groups such as Partners in Care (PlC), Bridging theGap (BTG), and the Hawaii Interagency Council on Homelessness (HICH) are working together to turnaround this housing and homelessness crisis, but our efforts alone cannot solve this problem.Last session, the Hawaii Legislature made a bold and unprecedented commitment of 200 million fortruly affordable housing and 50 million for resources to address homelessness nearly seven times theamounts committed from the year before. This level of investment is necessary to make significantprogress in ending this crisis.—With that in mind, we the undersigned support: Sustained annual commitments for truly affordable housing, including targeted housing for thechronically homeless;Sustained annual commitments for core homelessness services that work (such as Housing First)to ensure their long-term viability and success;Funding to test new programs that fill gaps in existing services, such as a program to helpkupuna facing eviction;Changes to mental health laws, ensuring that people incapacitated by mental illness andsuffering on the streets are connected with the help they need.Programs to address affordable housing and homelessness need sufficient, long-term funding to trulymake a difference. Too many Hawaii residents are teetering on the brink of homelessness because thereis not enough affordable housing, and core homelessness programs such as Housing First have provedtheir value and effectiveness. We urge the Legislature to explore options to make such sustainedfunding possible for housing and homelessness. 2 ? PARTNERS IN CARE1L,—L !7TL “ i fIL,. JW\NOAHU S CONTINUUM OF CARE Ma 1I -Kau 1Bridging The G pop4’ ‘ i
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMEL.ESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONConnie MitchellExecutive DirectorExecutive ChairInstitute for Human Services (IHS)Partners in CareBrandee MeninoExecutive DirectorChairHope Services HawaiiBridging the GaoScott MorishigeChairHawaii lntera enc Council onHomelessness (HICH)Marc AlexanderExecutive DirectorCity & County Office of HousingSharon HirotaHawaii County HomelessCoordinatorCounty of HawaiiSusan KimGovernor’s RepresentativeGovernor’s Office. West HawaiiDavid NakamaMaui County HomelessProgram CoordinatorCounty of MauiSharon GrahamHomeless CoordinatorCounty of KauaiBruce AndersonDirectorHawaii State Deoartment of HealthSherry Menor-McNamaraPresident and CEOChamber of Commerce of HawaiiNorm BakerChief Operating OfficerAloha United WayTina AndradeV.P. Mission IntegrationCatholic Charities HawaiiPhil AcostaExecutive DirectorALEA BridgeMais. Jeff and Eloisa MartinDivisional LeadersThe Salvation ArmyHawaiian & Pacific IslandsHeather LuskExecutive DirectorCo-DirectorHawaii Health & HarmReduction CenterHeo Free HawaiiJon BerlinerExecutive DirectorGre orv House ProgramsSamantha ChurchExecutive DirectorFamily Promise of HawaiiGavin ThorntonExecutive DirectorHawaii Appleseed CenterJudith ClarkExecutive DirectorHawaii Youth Services Network-
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONHolly HolowachDirectorHolomua Na Ohana/WeinbergVillage WaimanaloMarva GrambsBoard MemberDrug Policy Forum of HawaiiKim CookExecutive DirectorU.S.VETSJapue Kelley-UveokaDe utv CEOHale Kipa Inc.Mary Scott-LauFounder/Executive DirectorWomen in NeedLinda AhueExecutive DirectorSteadfast Housing DevelopmentBryan L. TalisayanExecutive DirectorPHOCUSEDCraig ShoiiCo-FounderRevive RefreshRobert PiperExecutive DirectorHonolulu Community ActionProgram Inc. (HCAP)Stephanie KendrickPublic Policy AdvocateHawaiian Humane SocietyTerry BrooksPresident, Principal BrokerHousing Solutions Inc.Phyllis DendleChief Executive OfficerWaikiki HealthCarla HouserExecutive DirectorRYSETom McDonaldExecutive DirectorAlternative Structures InternationalDodie RiveraCase Management SupervisorWaianae Coast ComprehensiveHealth CenterPaula ArcenaExecutive Vice PresidentExternal AffairsAlohaCareAlan JohnsonPresident and CEOHina MaukaCarolina JesusExecutive DirectorShelter of WisdomSusan FurutaVP and COOHelping Hands HawaiiEvelyn Aczon HaoPresidentFaith ActionJean LilleyExecutive DirectorHawaii Habitat for HumanityAssociation——Barbers Point
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONJill OmoriDirectorHawaii H.O.M.E. ProlectRoy KatsudaExecutive Director EmeritusHale MahaoluScottv Reis-MonizKaDili Like Hawaii &Waimanalo Youth BuildBrent KakesakoExecutive DirectorHawaii Alliance for CommunityBased Economic Develooment(HACBED)Steve LohseChairChinatown Gateway PlazaTenant Association (CGPTA)Michael RobinsonVice President, GovernmentRelations & CommunityAffairsHawaii Pacific HealthJeff GilbreathExecutive DirectorHawaiian Community AssetsCarl BergciuistDirectorDrug Policy Forum of HawaiiEva AndradeDirectorHawaii Catholic ConferenceLvnette L. MauMental Health Task Force (MHTF)Jennifer ItoPhysicianJennifer Ito M.D. LLCKat BradyCoordinatorCommunity Alliance on PrisonsTrisha KalimuraExecutive DirectorMental Health America of HawaiiCourtney MrowczynskiMemberHawaii Justice CoalitionRyan KusumotoPresident and CEOParents and Children Together(PACT)Laurie TochikiPresident and CEOEPIC ‘Ohana Inc.Andy MounthongdyExecutive DirectorHawaii Homeless Healthcare HuiElizabeth ValentinExecutive DirectorProiect Vision Hawai’i
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONKim Golis-RobelloFamily & EconomicDevelorment CenterProgram CoordinatorParents and Children Together(PACT)Mike GoodmanExecutive DirectorHawaii Kai Homeless Task ForceMonipue YamashitaChief Executive OfficerKa Hale A Ke Ola HomelessResource Centers Inc.Nate Hixflir rtr rLiving Wage HawaiiRick StackRnard ChairCatholic Charities HousingDevelorment CorD.Kevin CarnevVirp Pr cir1pnt I-IawaiiEAH HousingJohn Henry FelixChairHomeless Veterans Task ForceJoyce KawakamiChief Executive OfficerFeed MySheeD Inc.Karen TanPresident and CEOChild and Family ServiceNorth Shore Mental HealthRuth DavisThe Rev. Amy WakeSenior PastorTrinity United Methodist ChurchThe Rev. David GierlachRectorSt. Elizabeth’s EDiscoDa I ChurchThe Rev. Piula AlailimaPastorWesley United Methodist ChurchNoriko NamikiChief Executive OfficerYWCAThe Rev. Liz LeavittPastorChrist Church Uniting DisciDlesand PresbyteriansLisa MaruyamaPr sid nt arid CEOHawaii Alliance of NonDrofitOrganizationsThe Rev. David Baum art TurnerPactnrChurch of the CrossroadsDarlene RodriguesChair, Church and SocietyHarris United Methodist ChurchMaBel Ferreiro-FuiiuchiChief Executive OfficerKauai Economic ODDortunity Inc.Mike DurantState PresidentNAMI Hawai’i
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMEL.ESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONMaude CummingExecutive DirectorFamily Life Center Inc.Jeff StoneCEO and PresidentThe Resort GrounKen KawamotoPresidentJavken Inc.Thelma Akita-KealohaMaui Community DirectorCatholic Charities HawaiiToni SymonsProgram Director forSocial ServicesHawaii Affordable Propertiesat Kahua Hale 0 Ulu WiniTern HollowellDirector of ProgrammingHawaii Island HIV/AIDSFoundation, Kona CharterRita PalmaPrinciDal OfficerHawaii Island Home for RecoveryInc. (HIHR)Alysa LavoieCase ManagerWest Hawaii CommunityHealth CenterHeidi TeraokaNeighborhood Place of KonaDavid DegesNeighbor Island Housing ProgramKim KrellQuality Assurance ManagerBig Island Substance Abuse CouncilRenae MathsonDirector of OrerationsProiect Vision HawaiiEric MathsonMobile Shower UnitManagerProiect Vision HawaiiLaVerne TolmieFaith-Based ReDresentativeInterfaith Communities in Action(ICIA)Paul NormannExecutive DirectorNeighborhood Place of PunaShirley DavidHawaii IslandAdvisory Board ChairCatholic Charities HawaiiChristina BashamProgram DirectorChild & Family ServiceErika EmreyChild & Family ServicePatrick HurneyExecutive DirectorHabitat for Humanity.Hawaii Island
SUPPORTERS OF STATEWIDE RESPONSE TO HOMELESSNESS IN HAWAIINAMETITLEORGANIZATIONThomas MeadFinancial CoordinatorHawaii Island HIV/AIDS FoundationKathy PetersKathleen Peters, PhDCynthia M. TaylorPastoral AssociateSt. Michael the Archangel ChurchKaren BohnerKona Alano ClubRuth Ellen BillionKona Alano ClubBarbara KossowDeøuty Managing DirectorHawaii County Mayor’s OfficeJerrad TrotterOwner/ODeratorStrangers We KnowChristian LambVeterans AffairsJvness JonesThe Church of Jesus Christ ofLatter-day SaintsAngie OnakaDOH WHAPSRandolph HackRetiredDaniel SibongaMental Health HawaiiEric Rainhart-Erica Rainhart
2/3/2019F InsightMajor investment needed for housingBy Connie Mitchelland Brandee MeninoAfrom which family and complace tocanmunitycallgrowhome.andA placethrive.For many Hawaii households, a decent affordable place to live is out ofreach. The strength and health of HawaII’s people and communifies depend on all of us coming together toturn around a problem that’s beengrowing for decades.In 1970, thestate of Hawaii dedared a “housing crisis” here. Year after year it’s gotten worse increases inhousing costs have outpaced Increases in wages. More and more famdies are unable to afford housing andstill have enough left for food and basic necessities.Turning around a housing andhomelessness crisis that’s been growing for 50 years will be difficult, butnot impossible It will require comingtogether around a shared vision, talcing bold action, and using data-drivenapproathes to effidently use renew normal. Recognizing this, PlCand BTG have adopted a comprehensive proposal to address homelessness, also supported by FilCH:Sustained annual commItmentsfor truly affordable housing, indudingConnie Mitchell left, chairs Panners Ui targeted housing for the chronicCaie (Ckthu); BrandeeMenino chairshomelessness. We estimate, for examBridging the Gap (Hawaii Lclan4 Maid ple, that annual commitments of 200andKauai).million, induding 75 million towardchronic homelessness, would savethe state more than 2 billion over 10en induding service providers;years, primarily due to reduced medihealth care organizations; federal,cal and related eniergency servicesstate, and county government leadcosts.en; and business leaders. Sustained annual commitmentsEfficiency Is crItical, but even thefor core homdessness services thatmost efficient system cannot address work— such as Housing First— buta problem of this magnitude without which have previously been fundedsufficient resources. Last year, legisla on a year4o-year basis, hindering thetors made a bold and unprecedented long-term planning necessary to efficommitment of 200 million for truly ciently run programs; historically staaffordable housing and 50 million for He funding for other core servicesresources to address homelessnesssuch as temporary housing needs tonearly seven times the amountsremain in place.committed from the year before. Funding to test new programsTo turn around a problem that’sthat would fill gaps in existing ser—been growing for 50 years, this levelsources. It will take persistence, com of investment needs to become themitinent and limeYears ago, a family facing homelessness would arrive at service provider’s door and receive whatever the14,.provider had to offer whether or not it was the best suited service for thesituation. Or the family might be sentaway with only a list of other providem and a prayer that one of themcould help.Today, regardless of which provider’s door they knock on, families areassessed and matched with the services and providers that can best address their particular situation. Thismore-connected, efficient and effeca,,live system is a result of the work ofII 4Partners in Care (PlC), Bridging theI il j 4Gap (BTG) and the Hawaii interagency Council on Homelessness(RICH) —groups that consists ofnearly 100 homelessness stakehold 1 ,Sunday, 02/03/20 19 Pag.F03 ees, sueb as a program for Joipunafacing eviction because their fixed Incomes haven’t increased with rapidlyrising rents.Changes to mental health lawsto ensure that people incapacitatedby mental illness and suffering on thestreets are connected with the helpthey nee&Hawaii’s housing and homelessness problem has grown to the pointthat It threatens not only those livingin homelessness or teetering on itsbrink; it affects us all. By coming together around a shared vision and byseeldng out the necessary resources,we are gaining ground on addressinghomelessness.We hope more of our communitywill join us share your knowledge,skills and resources in refining thevision and improving our systems soour communities have a stable foundation on which to build and thrive——Copyright (c)20 19 Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Edition 2/3/2019
that It threatensnot onlythose living in homelessness orteeteringon its brink; it affects us all. Bycoming to getheraround a shared vision and by seeldng out the necessary resources, we are gaining ground on addressing homelessness. We hope moreofour community will join us —share your knowledge, skills and resources —in refining the
