KYMBERLY PINE
COUNCILMEMBER
(808) 768-5001 (808) 768-1217 (fax)
E-mail: kmpine@honolulu.gov

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
DATE 06/05/19 Tel: (808) 561-0901

City Council Approves $23 Million for Pine’s Plan to Address Homelessness

The Honolulu City Council voted 9-0 to approve Councilmember Kymberly Pine’s $23 million initiative to address homelessness in each of the nine council districts.

“Homelessness is a persistent public health and safety issue with no easy solutions. We need a comprehensive strategy focused on getting people off the street who are willing and able to work their way into permanent, supportive housing,” said Councilmember Pine, who worked at a homeless shelter serving veterans from 2004-2006. “Let’s start with the families and the kupuna who don’t have a place to live.”

The funds are included in the Executive Capital Budget and Program for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020.

The $21M Community Revitalization Initiative will provide funds for the acquisition, lease, development and/or renovation of facilities including urban rests tops, navigation centers, lift zones, shelters, ohana zones, joint outreach centers, community treatment centers, kauhale development, HF Projects, workforce/affordable housing and community-focused projects.

“Each Council District would receive $2.3 million to address homelessness by working with the community to come up with solutions that make sense for their area. What works in Waianae, may not work in Wahiawa.”

“We also budgeted $2 million for homeless service zones for the Waianae Coast.”
These funds are for the acquisition of land in Waianae to be developed into housing, a hygiene facility, and a place where health and human services can be provided for homeless individuals, which will be administered and managed by a nonprofit.

The money could also be leveraged through public-private partnerships to pay for the acquisition of strategic land parcels to be preserved for low income affordable housing.

“Mahalo, to my colleagues for supporting this critical initiative. We look forward to working with the administration and our state and federal partners to help our homeless population.”

Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine represents residents of District One (ʻEwa, ʻEwa Beach, Kapolei, Honokai Hale, Ko ʻOlina, Nanakuli, Maili, Waianae, Makaha, Keaau, Makua) and is Chair of the City Council’s Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism.

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