From the Honolulu Star-Advertiser:
Wednesday marks one year since Mayor Kirk Caldwell signed Honolulu’s first sit-lie bill into law, banning people from sitting and lying on Waikiki sidewalks 24 hours a day. The new law quickly shifted the landscape in the government’s handling of homelessness . . .
Council members Kymberly Pine and Brandon Elefante have consistently voted against the bills.
Pine said sit-lie has eased the homeless situation in Waikiki and urban Honolulu at the expense of other Oahu neighborhoods. A growing number of homeless are being pushed into Pearl City, Waipahu, Ewa and Waianae, she said.
People from recent city sweeps have been bused to shelters in Waipahu and Waianae, taking up space that could instead be used for the homeless in those areas, she said.
“We love them but we have our own problems we have to deal with and we’re barely surviving handling that,” Pine said . . . read more.
