HomeMy WebLinkAbout 09/27/2017 Community Assistance & Veterans Services Committee minutes MINUTES
COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE & VETERANS SERVICES COMMITTEE
September 27, 2017
A meeting of the Community Assistance &Veterans Services Committee of the
Council of the County of Kaua`i, State of Hawai`i, was called to order by Arthur Brun,
Chair, at the Council Chambers, 4396 Rice Street, Suite 201, Lihu`e, Kaua`i, on
Wednesday, September 27, 2017, at 8:53 a.m., after which the following Members
answered the call of the roll:
Honorable Ross Kagawa
Honorable Arryl Kaneshiro
Honorable Derek S.K. Kawakami
Honorable JoAnn A. Yukimura
Honorable Arthur Brun
Honorable Mason K. Chock, Ex-Officio Member
Honorable Mel Rapozo, Ex-Officio Member
There being no objections, the Committee recessed at 8:53 a.m., to convene in
Budget & Finance Committee.
The meeting was called back to order at 11:24 a.m., and proceeded on its
agenda item as follows:
CAVS 2017-02 Communication (09/19/2017) from Council Chair Rapozo,
requesting the presence of the Mayor and the Managing
Director, to provide a briefing/update on its efforts and
plans to address homelessness in the County of Kaua`i; a
list of agencies/organizations partnering with the County
in this effort, a list of available programs, if any, an
explanation of each of the program's goals, objectives, and
timeline, including related costs and funding source; and a
list of other programs that are available to assist homeless
individuals and families. (This item was Deferred.)
Councilmember Kaneshiro moved to receive CAVS 2017-02 for the record,
seconded by Councilmember Kagawa.
Committee Chair Brun: Members, this item was a request of Council
Chair Rapozo, requesting the presence of the Mayor and the Managing Director,
along with the resource people, for a discussion on their efforts to address
homelessness in the County of Kaua`i. Council Chair, do you want it address it first
or do you want to have the Administration come up?
Council Chair Rapozo: I can explain why the request was made. I
think, as we all know, just within our own area here at the County Council building,
we have been having some incidents. Last week, we had the "messing" of our
restroom and we have had numerous complaints regarding the homeless here. As I
was speaking with several of the police officers, the homelessness problem on Kaua`i
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 2 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
is growing. I asked the Kaua`i Police Department (KPD) if they could put something
together and be here today—unfortunately, they are not—but just to get an idea of
where we are islandwide. I understand that we got a memorandum from the
Administration requesting a deferral because they are not prepared. But right now,
today, I want the discussion here on the Council of what is really going on, where the
troubled areas are, and if there is anything that we, as a Council...we better get a
handle on this. We need to. If it involves funding, then this is the body that has to
make it happen. Although I can appreciate the fact that Housing...long-term
solutions is one thing, and I do not have a problem with a deferral for that, but there
are immediate actions that we should be taking. That was what today's meeting was
for. What are we going to do now? What are we going to do in the next week or two,
or three? At least inform this body on what is going on out there and what better
people to get that information from than KPD. So we were set to have a presentation
today, but I received an E-mail from Deputy Chief Contrades saying that they are not
going to come because the Mayor has asked for a deferral and the Mayor did not want
anybody coming today. That is frustrating and actually that upsets me. For me—I
am being blunt—it shows a clear disrespect for this body. It is not an RSVP, "Come
if you want to." We want the department here, so the department should come. If
the department has an issue, then the department should tell us that they are not
prepared, but in this case, they were. The Deputy has given me the okay to play his
presentation, which I will. I am sick of this, "We are not ready so we are not coming."
No, you come when we call. I am upset. I was shaking this morning. I think I got
over it. I understand, and I like I said, I can appreciate the Mayor wanting to come
as...I can respect that, but one, KPD is a totally separate entity. The information I
am looking for today can only be given by KPD. So fine. If you folks want to defer
this later, then that is fine, but obviously I am very upset. We have a meeting once
a week. It is not an RSVP invitation, "Can you make it?" No, it is, "Come, because
we want you to give us information that we need for our job." That is not happening
today and I am frustrated. I do not want to hear excuses...I already got the
memorandum from the Administration that they want to come as a united front to do
a long-range plan. Good. But that is not what I was looking for today. I was looking
for where we are at, what we can do, and there is a specific location that I want to get
addressed now. I will explain that in the presentation. Whatever—that is my vent
for the day. How do we collaborate when one does not want to play? I do not dig that.
Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Chair, do you want to have Wally address all
of the questions?
Council Chair Rapozo: I received the memorandum and it said that
they want a deferral, so that is fine. If you want me to do the presentation, then I
will do the presentation and we can have the discussion on that.
Committee Chair Brun: Okay. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I just wanted to know if we are going to focus
on a specific place where homelessness is a problem, and if so, where are we talking
about?
Council Chair Rapozo: No, today's discussion is all homeless. I think
Councilmember Kagawa has some concerns about the homeless here. I asked the
department to take a look at the homeless issues and basically let me know. After
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 3 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
the incident last week here at the County Building, Councilmember Brun was
traumatized and that is not an exaggeration. I felt that it is about time that this body
have the discussion, because it is here and this is not an attack on the homeless
people. This is about what can we do as a County to make a safe environment for
these unfortunate people that are just on down times? That is what this is about. It
is not about, "I want to see the police arrest all of these people and put them in jail."
Absolutely not. That is one thing that Deputy Chief Contrades has assured me that
that is not their intent. We have to be a County that is going to provide an area, a
location, or some resources to these people that are going through some tough times.
That is what today was about. I am not talking about a plan where we are waiting
for State money for housing. I am not talking about that. I am talking about what
are we going to do today? What are we doing today about our employees who have to
be traumatized every time they come to work? What are we are going to do today
about our employees that have to clean up messes that should not be there? That is
what I want to talk about today; not about housing and that grant and this grant.
What are we going to do today to protect our citizens, our employees, and our
homeless people? That is what today is about.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: Part of why this agenda item is on is because
I called Council Chair Rapozo and I wanted an agenda item and he felt that
Councilmember Brun's committee was most suited. I think it has been years of
tolerance and frustration with this Council headquarters or building and the staff
being basically a "homeless shelter/Council building." As I have visited all of the
other council buildings on all of the other islands, I do not see them being part
homeless shelter and I think our employees deserve better. Today, we were greeted
by one of the homeless members sitting right at the entrance on the floor and our
employees walk through that door. I feel like we are teetering on a verge on a lawsuit
or an employee grievance that will come about because of a workplace environment
that is intolerable. Yes, I do sympathize because a couple of them out there are my
friends from high school; however, I believe that this Council building, the restrooms
are for the users of Council Services or the Historical Society. I do not believe it is a
facility that should be used to bathe in and defecate in daily. This is not an incident
that happened just last week; we have been getting numerous pictures and E-mails
over six (6) years already and I think we need to remove the tables out there and we
need to do some enforcement, like a park, and we need to do a sit and lie ban. This
is for all of the residents of Kaua`i, including our children who should be able to feel
welcomed, coming to this building and presenting their case to this body who makes
important decisions for the island. Right now, it is not an inviting place. Most of the
parking here, at the beginning, fronting the tables, are taken up daily by numerous
homeless cars. Where is the parking for our public? Where is our welcome to the
public? For me, it is a situation that is getting bad, but definitely, I think with KPD,
we need to clean it up for the sake of our employees so that we can just get down to
our business. Our employees should not come in and be subject to that. We should
not have janitors cleaning up after that. I suggest putting locks on the doors of the
restrooms and users of the facility may ask for permission, just like a store. You can
go and ask to use the restroom if you are a buyer. It is not for the homeless to use.
There are other sites that they can use. This is just my personal opinion and my
reasoning is that I am standing up for the employees and the general public. It is not
the majority of them. However, they could help. Playing loud music during Council
Meeting days or even during the work days, blasting music, snapping bull whips out
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 4 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
there is not appropriate. It is a violent act and it is not appropriate here at the
Council building. Do you see this at any other county? Should we tolerate it? My
answer is no. Let us do something. Even for the Civic Center bathroom, I suggest
putting locks there. There is people bathing there in the morning and waiting, when
as soon as the janitor opens the door, they wash themselves, they mess it up, and
some defecate and leave their mess in there. Are we going to get Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Hepatitis B, or something happen before we are
going to do something? This is for the users of the County facility. I know there is a
portable, but there are other areas that we can...the City and County of Honolulu
does it...do I like it all of the time? No. Where else are they are going to go? I am
saying not at the County workplace. Would you put it at a school? Would you allow
them to stay at the schools? The schools have restrooms. No, because it is dangerous.
Well, children come here, too. What about the children that come here and get
certificates or want to learn about county business? Do you think they want to come
here? Let us get serious. I know it is not an easy problem, but I think certainly what
we have here has got to stop or has to get better. They have to self-monitor each
other. If loud music is blasting then one of them has to step up. There are appropriate
ways to behave and certainly they have gone beyond that acceptable level. Thank
you, Chair.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I am grateful that the subject is on the agenda
because it is a very pressing subject for all of us. I guess the biggest evidence of its
urgency is that it is in our face, who are Councilmembers. If it were not, I do not
know if it would be that urgent. The normal reaction is to just get rid of them where
we are because it is bothering us. That is what they have done in Waikiki and they
move and that is what they do in other parts of the Honolulu, and then they move
and that is what they do now under the freeways. It is not a solution. What really is
needed is a comprehensive plan and a long-term solution. That is what cities who
are succeeding in addressing this problem are actually doing and it is called"Housing
First" and it was discussed at a houseless summit that the Mayor convened, at least
two (2) years ago. It is a good question to ask of the Administration, what is the plan?
There were a lot of good ideas, but it needed some coordination and some addressing,
and to my knowledge...well, let me say that there is a core of people who have been
working on this Housing First solution and there are a group of nonprofits and they
include the Housing Agency. They have had some excellent training sessions. In
terms of an actual project that is going to demonstrate Housing First—I have not
seen it yet. That is where it really has got to start, because where the cities are doing
it, like I think in Houston, and of course I am sure they are in total chaos now, but
they actually were looking to achieve an"end of homelessness for veterans" in a year's
time. That is how effective this Housing First program is, and in Salt Lake City and
in elsewhere where they are doing it. That is the best practice. The mayor of Hawai`i
island is trying this other situation where you create a temporary shelter and it
sounded like a good idea, but the problems that these places cause is showing that
they are not a long-term solution. We need a plan for this island. There is a group of
people working on it, but I do not feel like they have really gotten support or
leadership to actually make things happen. That is why I am glad this discussion is
happening. I do believe there may be some temporary things we can do to address
the problem here, but I also would hesitate to label everybody who is without a house
with this kind of behavior characteristics that have been so offensive, because it may
just be one (1) or two (2) people. We are not even sure if it is a homeless person.
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 5 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
These are public restrooms. We need public restrooms that are open to any and all
members of the public. If their behavior is not appropriate, we need to find ways to
stop the inappropriate behaviors. I know when I visited New Zealand, where they
have really well-run bathrooms and there are bathrooms in every town that are
available as public bathrooms to visitors and to anybody who needs them, they do
have cameras and that is one of the ways that apparently...I was there for vacation
and not for work, so I did not do all of the investigation, but we may have to look at
some of these remedies. But not everybody who is homeless behaves like that, so we
need to really try to address the problem without mass labeling, which as we know
from the national scene, does not really work either and it is not fair.
Committee Chair Brun: For me, a lot of people know where I came
from and what I did in the past. The homelessness issue was really touching to me
and I met with the Administration about it and doing homeless camps. I am kind of
realizing what it is now and there is a lot of people that want to get help, but there is
a lot of people that do not want to get help. For me, two (2) weeks ago, walking into
that bathroom and basically seeing what I saw, just stuff all over the floor, all over
the person's leg, and it was just all over...I came out of there—and yes, I had to vomit.
I went back in the afternoon—I had to call Councilmember Kaneshiro—after it was
cleaned completely up, I opened the door and there was a pile on the ground from
somebody else. Seeing that twice on a Wednesday was just disgusting for me. When
I walked in today and opened the door, I was really slow going in because I did not
know what I was going to see. Yes, we can laugh about it now, but it was not funny
on that day. You can ask Councilmember Kaneshiro—I turned white, pale. It was
horrible. I am one of them who have always been fighting to help the homeless, this
and that. We went to the Administration. I know a lot of church groups went to the
Administration and they want to do camps and stuff. I think I addressed this before
and nothing has really been done. I think that is why this is on the agenda. Just
seeing what I saw two (2) weeks ago kind of woke me up a little. Then you look down
on the west side where we are getting complaints because people cannot use the
pavilion. When you drive past there, you are going to know what they are talking
about. They are just sleeping in that pavilion the whole day and nobody else can use
it. They have their clothes hanging on the fence. We are trying to help them and do
what is right, but they are not trying to help themselves. I think that is the problem.
I think that is our big problem right now and that is what is kind of getting to me,
because I was fighting...Councilmember Kaneshiro had these talks before I even got
elected and Councilmember Kaneshiro made me wise-up a little and told me, "You
need to really look what you are doing," and I said, "No, Councilmember Kaneshiro,
we have to," and we kind of argued about it and now I realize what he was trying to
tell me. Now I see it. It is hard. Yes, we want to help them, but to what extent? I
guess a couple of weeks ago when I saw that, that just drove me crazy. The person
basically wiped it across all of the walls—do you think that is right for our custodian
to be in there and to deal with that? That is crazy. I do not think anyone signed up
for, "I will be the first one to do that on overtime." Do you know what I mean? Nobody
wants to do it. It is crazy. Just seeing that kind of stuff, seeing what we see out
here...it looks like we have a mechanic shop out here. People were ripping cars apart
and the whole front end was out one day in the parking lot. Maybe we should go see
those people if they need a job, maybe we can hire them. The person put the car back
together and the car was running after that. Maybe give them a job and maybe we
can help them out so that he is not out here on the table. That is the kind of stuff we
have to look at. Seeing that two (2) weeks ago kind of woke me up a little. Any other
discussion? Councilmember Kawakami.
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 6 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that it is
incumbent upon us to be compassionate, as well as leaders. I do not know what the
details are of this individual that had an accident or if it was on purpose in the
restrooms, but a lot of our homeless issues are based on mental health issues and
substance-abuse issues, and the comments that some of these people just do not want
to comply, that is a huge part of it, too. There is a sector of this homeless population
that will refuse to abide by any type of the rules and regulations, which makes it
challenging when we have initiatives to create shelters, housing programs, and we
have service providers that want to provide the necessary services, and when we have
this sector that does not want to comply with any type of parameters. I believe this
is the sector that really causes a lot of the inconveniences that we have been talking
about. Now, there are service providers—we have pastors and faith-based
organizations and nonprofit organizations that quite frankly have been frustrated
because the State has a homeless initiative and they have appropriated money. They
also have said that the counties need to enact some sort of long-range plan before
they just start throwing money at the counties to disperse. I am not sure that has
even happened and that is what this agenda item attempts to resolve. I think
holistically in addressing the issue, it is going to require public/private partnerships
and people from the community to step-up. One of the good examples is Duane Kuriso
from O`ahu, who is a Big Island boy, who, out of the goodness of his own heart,
purchased a parcel of property and is creating a very innovative and a pilot project to
bring back the old plantation-style of life where everybody needs to coexist and
everybody needs to get their paddle into the canoe and pull their weight, and we are
going to see the results of this type of private/public partnership very soon. I
understand, and for the employees of the County, I think it is a good reminder as to
where we fall short. I look forward to seeing what actually becomes of this deferral
when we start talking about what kind of plan we have in action. Like I said, it is
going to require help from the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and faith-based
communities holistically to address this issue, because I do not think it is going to be
able to be solved by any one entity on its own. But at the root of all of this, I think
we still need to remember that it is upon us to help those that are in need. That is
our number one, which is to help people and these people need help. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Has anyone gone and talked to the people out
front?
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Kagawa.
Councilmember Kagawa: To answer Councilmember Kawakami's
question, the bathroom is dirty every day. I have talked to the janitor, Royce Ebesu,
and he said his job is disgusting to clean that kind of mess every day. I do not know
if it is one (1) individual doing it every day. My second response is to Councilmember
Yukimura, who says that the bathroom is open to the public—well, if the bathroom
cleaner just cleans it and somebody messes it up, how is it going to be used by the
public after that?
Councilmember Yukimura: Agreed.
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 7 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Councilmember Kagawa: So say, "Yes, it is for the public," but if the
person messes it up, it is not a service to the public until the cleaner comes back. To
play-down the situation, for me, is not right either. We have a problem. If you folks
do not know what the problem is then go and talk to the janitors, talk to Milicent
Agena, the head of the janitorial department. The same issue happens at the Civic
Center. I did my homework and talked to Milicent and her supervisor, Warren Koga,
and they have serious concerns about somebody getting seriously sick from
Hepatitis B, MRSA, or what have you. People are taking a bath first thing in the
morning. Loads of people go in as soon as that bathroom opens. As soon as the
cleaner cleans it and opens the bathroom, the bathroom is all dirty. So then the
cleaner has to go and clean it again. If more people make it dirty again, then it is not
of use to the public. I am worried about the entire public.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I agree that public bathrooms need to be
cleaned for public use. The thing is if this kind of really inappropriate use of the
bathrooms is being caused by one (1) or several people then we need to identify those
people and properly arrest them, or if it is not against the law then we should make
it against the law. We should deal with them, but not label everybody for their
behavior, because there may be many others who are homeless, who are using the
bathrooms properly, and they are entitled to use it properly. They are part of the
public. The reason I asked if anybody has gone to talk to them is because we need to
find out. The people there might know who it is and they may have some suggestions
and exert some self-patrolling. I do not know. I have been really concerned about the
whips because they are very disturbing to me; it is hard to work and concentrate. I
have gone to talk to the people who crack the whips and I have arranged a meeting.
I have not yet been able to sit down and talk with them, but I want to find out why
they do it and what they would think about legislation that restricts it and just find
out more than rather make assumptions. I will go and talk to them about the
bathroom problem, too, and see what information I get. I am saying that we should
address the immediate problem, but to think that we are going to solve the overall
problem by just banning people from this particular place is not going to work. The
issue is homelessness, so we are not only talking about just banning people, but how
do we address the issue of homelessness? We have to address it. I am hoping the
Administration, which took the lead on the summit...I did not think the summit
included everybody who should have been included because we are going to need
everybody's help, but there were some good suggestions, but good suggestions are
worthless unless they are tied together in a program that we can all support and try
and modify as we see how it works or does not work.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just want to
clarify that I am not ignorant to the problem at-hand. My statements were based on
the incident that had happened. I do not know if this person was ill or I do not know
who it came from. So that is what my statements were based on, not on the ignorance
of what the problem is. I understand that there is a problem. It is right in front of
our face. As far as the bathrooms and the workers, I am very much concerned for the
workers' safety and health. If that is not in place that we are ensuring that our
workers are safe, then something needs to be done. I do not want any implication out
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 8 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
there that I am ignorant to the problem; I think the problem is right in our face, so I
just wanted to clarify that for the public's edification. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Chock.
Councilmember Chock: The whole issue with homelessness is that
there are so many reasons for it, as we were just discussing, whether it is mental
issues, drug issues, or really, just the fact that they cannot afford a home. The
complexity of that is exactly what we were talking about with the three (3) different
areas that we need to look at: one, which is something that we need to react to right
here, right now that is in our face in this workplace; the second is a temporary
solution because we need something temporary. Whether or not these encampments
work or not, I think it behooves us and is the only thing that will actually probably
get done in the interim immediately. That is a discussion worth having that we have
not had here at this table. The third thing is this long-range plan that really needs
to be done and should have been done already. I think it was longer than two (2)
years when I went to that summit and to this date, we have not acted on anything.
That is why we are seeing the escalation of this problem on our island. It is a
multipronged approach. I think that as much as we talk about restriction, we also
have to be about inclusiveness and focusing on the root cause and the solutions that
are associated with it. I think what I am hearing around this table is clearly that we
all want to address it and we all want to do something. It is just that we need to get
something from not only our Administration, but everyone else of the partners to say,
"Come on, let us get together and let us take action already, because enough is
enough." Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: I think Councilmember Chock said it best,
that it has been a long time and this did not happen yesterday or last week. In
response to the question from Councilmember Yukimura of if we have spoken to
them, I have spoken to that group of people on numerous occasions, I have stopped
fights out there, and wrestled people up here—it is not a new issue. I have spoken to
them on numerous occasions. When I first became the Chair, one of the first things
I was asked was, "Mel, can we remove the benches? It is causing a problem with the
homeless." I said, "No, we are not removing the benches. That is a public park. That
is for everyone, including the homeless." I got asked several times subsequent to that
initial request. I spoke with the people in the park and I said, "Listen, I think I am
your only supporter. Everyone else wants to clear out this park, so you folks have to
take care of this park," which for a long time, they did. For a long time, they were
raking and respecting everyone. Then probably within the last six (6) months or so,
and I am not sure why, probably because there is no enforcement and no oversight...
I saw Councilmember Yukimura one day walk and I watched her because I was afraid
that they may hurt her. There was the person with the whip and she went out there.
A lot of us may have talked to them and they are very respectful, but at the end of
the day, it has just become a problem. I met with the Mayor a long time ago, last
year, maybe longer than that about needing a solution, and if you talk to the experts,
they will tell you that thirty percent (30%) of the people out there today are legitimate
homeless, houseless. They just do not have anywhere to go. They are not criminals,
not drug addicts, not suffering from mental illness; they just are having a rough time.
The other thirty percent (30%) are suffering from mental illness. The rest of them
just do not care, for whatever reason. So we, as a County, have to identify these
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 9 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
people. We have to figure out where is that thirty percent (30%) that need help with
homes or help with getting into some kind of transitional housing or emergency
housing. Which thirty percent (30%) of you are suffering from mental illness that we
have to get you some help? The law provides that if the officers determine that
someone is in need of mental help, and if they do not want to go, the officers have an
opportunity to take them to get an evaluation. We have not done that. Unless they
have committed a crime or unless they have come across an officer who he may have
threatened to hurt himself or others, no one is going out. We talked that story about
how we do all of this outreach, but really, outreach to where these people are
accessible. They are not going in the bushes of Ahukini or the bushes of Hanamd'ulu.
That is why I am frustrated because those are the ones that we have to get to. I spoke
to the Mayor and had a great discussion with the Mayor and said, "Mayor, let us
dedicate an area." You can say how you want about how these things do not work
somewhere else, but I do not want to hear that. I do not want to hear that that is not
going to work. We do not know because we never tried it. I asked the Mayor, "Let us
dedicate an area," and I suggested Hanamd'ulu Beach Park and boy did I get
crucified. But Hanamd'ulu Beach Park is not used at night, it is closed; we have
closed that park at night. I said, "Let us set up ninety-day pilot program where we
can get everyone there." We are not going to kick people out of someplace if we do
not have somewhere to send them. Why in the world would we kick people out, unless
they are committing a crime, with nowhere to send them? So I had this wonderful
idea that, "Hey, let us get everybody there, set up a nice, little tent city, keep it clean
and safe, and put in some showering facilities, like the military does, and then we
could have the social people go there and have these people be assessed by social
services so that we can identify these people." Once the identification was made, the
ones that do not want to comply, you force compliance or you arrest them. "If you do
not want to play by the rules in this public park, then you get arrested. If you do not
want the services that we are offering you, then you either comply with the law or
you suffer the consequences." Again, for people with mental illness, we have to get
them the help. To pretend this is going to go away is foolish. Then the ones that are
legitimate houseless, they are working...we say, "One paycheck away from being
homeless"—well, that paycheck came or did not come and they are homeless. Those
we work with the plan of housing and stuff. But for now, to sit back...so the Mayor
decided...he thought it was good idea until he spoke to his advisor and said, "No, let
us do a summit." So we did the summit. The Council paid ten thousand dollars
($10,000) for that summit. I went to that summit and it was faith-based community
with us trying to figure out who can do this for us. No, we have to be the leader. We
cannot push this off on the faith-based community. I agree with Councilmember
Kawakami that it has to be public/private, but we have to be the leader and we have
to ask for the help of the private sector. To offer no solution and to just wait for a
plan for that may never happen...I stand by that today. I am going to show the
presentation and you will see a location which I think may be a place where we can
clear and make safe for the homeless people. I want to do something. I do not want
to just sit back and say, "We will wait for the housing study." Housing is one (1) arm
or one (1) finger of this solution. If you go to the doctor with an injury, they treat the
injury right away with some will call a "band-aid," but then there is a recovery plan.
We have to stop the bleeding. If the Administration is going to take their time, then
we, this Council, needs to figure out how we are going to do it. That is all I am
suggesting. Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Kagawa.
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 10 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Councilmember Kagawa: I just wanted to share an article that came out
maybe three (3) days ago—so I am reading the paper a lot lately—it was either Maui
County or Hawai`i island where a councilmember had a plan to build relatively cheap
housing and they selected an area and were working together with the Mayor, and
then there was last-minute pull back by the Mayor in supporting the plan, because
he is afraid that it would invite other homeless from the mainland to come and they
do not want to become the "homeless capital" of the nation. Again, that is a fear, too.
You build the facilities, then what do we do? We already get our amount of transit
homeless. Whoever says that there is not a transit homeless population here on
Kaua`i...they believe in a false truth—there are. There are many homeless...I go and
talk to them and ask them, "What high school did you go to?" They are not from here.
There are plenty of them. Then you are going to have some homeless advocates that
are going to say, "No, that is all of ours." No way, there are a lot from the mainland.
If we build these luxury homes, as some Councilmembers are suggesting, build these
facilities, be very careful because you might be inviting a lot of them from the
mainland and they are going to come right here and we are going to have to build a
lot more. Be very careful of what you ask for. It is actually happening right now, as
we speak, on Hawai`i island or Maui County where they are pulling back their plans.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I would like to at least be briefed by the people
of the Continuum of Care Group because they have actually been working hard on
this Housing First solution and we should at least do that homework to find out how
it works and what it would take, because it is a relatively small amount of money
compared to other programs. The most important thing is that it has been shown to
work and actually get people into houses, into services, and into bettering their lives.
Committee Chair Brun: Seeing no further discussion, Wally, can you
provide a briefing or what is the Administration's intention?
There being no objections, the rules were suspended.
WALLACE G. REZENTES, JR., Managing Director: When we received
the communication in the later part of last week, I just wanted to say that we did
request for a deferral. We just honestly needed time to coordinate with the multiple
agencies that work on homelessness, at least in part of their function is having to
work with the homeless community. Our Housing Agency is one, KPD is obviously
another, and the Department of Public Works (DPW) as well. I know we had our
KPD folks update us on what was the situation recently at Ahukini and they reached
out to DPW and the Department of Parks & Recreation...I forgot to mention the
Department of Parks & Recreation earlier...but they reached out about how we can
coordinate efforts to look into a plan to address the situation there. That same day,
on Monday, Lyle and I went with KPD with the Deputy Chief to go and look at the
area for ourselves. I have not been down there in over a year on a mountain bike and
it has changed quite a bit and there is a lot of debris and a lot of rubbish. We did not
see too many homeless people, maybe there were a handful of them. I was able to
talk to a local lady to just ask her some questions, just to get a handle of the extent
of what is there. Just in that area alone, it is going to take a lot of effort from multiple
agencies and DPW is trying to work on putting together a plan and it might have to
involve some money pieces that we have to address. We just did not have enough
time before today's meeting to kind of get a handle of everything. It is not that we
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 11 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
are trying to delay a response. We just want a cohesive report back to you folks. To
some of the other points raised relative to the Continuum of Care and how do the
homeless folks get help from multiple agencies and how are we providing that kind
of information, we are providing that kind of information to them through nonprofits,
as well as the church community. We definitely need everyone's support, including
the State of Hawai`i, and I know Councilmember Yukimura mentioned the Housing
First program, the Administration has definitely looked at that and supported that
and we are hoping that when we come back we can not only have a discussion that
includes our County departments, but maybe State agencies, as well as some of the
nonprofit community that support efforts. I know the Mayor continues to try to meet
with the faith-based community, as well as other players, nonprofits, that have not
yet had too much of a presence on Kaua`i in the homeless area and want to get
involved. These are the kind of stuff that is happening relatively in the last couple of
months. So hopefully we can collectively make a lot of end roads in addressing
homelessness issues on a short-term basis, like Councilmember Chock said, as well
as long-term. It is not going to be just the County. We are going to have to do it with
a lot of help from everyone else.
Committee Chair Brun: Thank you. Any questions? Councilmember
Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I just want to say I am glad that you see it as
a thing that is not just the County, but there is a lot of public/private agencies and
entities involved, but we do need a plan, Wally, and we do need leadership. I have
not seen much since the summit. There was a lot of talk at the summit and maybe
there has been a lot of meetings, but I have not seen any actual outcome, so I think it
is overdue. Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Council Chair Rapozo.
Council Chair Rapozo: Wally, you mentioned that you are working
with the United Public Workers (UPW) union?
Mr. Rezentes: Did I mention that?
Committee Chair Brun: No, DPW.
Mr. Rezentes: DPW.
Council Chair Rapozo: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Any other questions? Seeing none, thank you,
Wally. Do we have any public testimony?
Council Chair Rapozo: Can I just do the presentation real quick?
Committee Chair Brun: Sure.
Council Chair Rapozo: I will go through it very quick because I think
it is self-explanatory. I think it is important to understand what is happening. We
see what is here at the County building, but we do not see what is happening at...well,
Lydgate, Hanamd'ulu Beach Park, and Ahukini. This is where we are talking
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 12 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
about—that area—this is just KPD's presentation that I asked if I could use the
photos, but this is what is going on down there. Derelict vehicles can be removed
immediately. We do not need to give them twenty-four (24) hours' notice or any of
that. We go down there with the equipment, pick them up, load them up, and get
them out of there. The broken window theory in criminal justice is very simple. It
says that if you leave a window broken then more broken windows are going to
happen. If you fix the broken window, chances are that you will prevent that from
happening. If you look, you can see all of the campsites. There is even a Japanese
boat from the tsunami. How many of you have ever saw this before?
Councilmembers? Members of the public? Has anyone seen this "Kokua Card"
before? This is an awesome tool. I guess it is a front and back or it is a brochure. I
am not sure...I have not seen it, but I just saw it here. This is all the resources that
we have on our island. Ironically, when I saw this presentation and I went down to
the people down here and none of them have seen this...none of them...no one ever
heard of a Kokua Card before or a Kokua brochure. I do not know how much we spent
on printing this...I do not even know if this is ours...its says, "County of Kaua`i,
Kaua`i Police Department," but this tool, I am assuming, is being used every time an
officer comes across someone that they feel can use some services. But this should be
handed to every person that we come in contact with. Have we done that? I do not
think so because I did not even know this existed. But this right here, as simple as
it is can be the answer for so many people. We just have to get them in their hands.
Anyway, getting back to this place; why would we not want to clean this area, find a
nice little portion of that area, clear it out, clean it up, and put some portable
restrooms down there and allow these houseless/homeless people, that we can
identify, and allow them to stay there safely and clean? The resources can go there
or someplace like that. I know Councilmember Yukimura is smiling, so I cannot wait
to hear what she has to say. Really, if that does not work then tell me another
solution. Or are we just going to wait and defer until we get a plan and defer until
the State gives us twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) to build little, tiny homes for
homeless? In the meantime, Councilmember Kagawa, what happens? Do you think
it is going to get any better? Let us be real. I am telling you that it is not going to
get better. While I agree with until we know who the culprits are that are doing these
things, it is very hard to kick people out of places that we do not have a place to sell.
Anyway, I just wanted the people to understand. That is just one (1) area.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I do not know how easy it is to get water over
there, but I think Vice Chair's issue about it becoming a magnet for a lot of other
homeless has to be considered. At minimum, we need to get briefed by the people
who have been dealing with this problem. We need to have Wayne Law and Mental
Health Kokua, who knows about the issue; we need to have Bricen from the Housing
Agency; Catholic Charities, those people who have actually been working on it; and
Scott Morishige from the Governor's Office who is the homeless coordinator. We can
even have the Honolulu Star Advertiser who actually did a series and maybe Civil
Beat did, too, and Hawai`i Public Radio on studying what is being done across the
country, because it may have some information that will be useful to us as we craft
our own plan.
Council Chair Rapozo: I have a real quick question for
Councilmember Yukimura. So in the interim, what is your suggestion?
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 13 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Councilmember Yukimura: Well, the interim, I presume, would be two (2)
weeks and I do not think we can do anything in two (2) weeks anyway, but it is just
about doing due diligence, even before we take quick action. We need to hear from
these people, because who is going to be even managing a site like this? As you say,
Chair, it is going to take a lot of coordination. We need to hear from those people.
We need to understand the problem if we are trying to suggest a solution.
Council Chair Rapozo: Like Councilmember Chock said, the summit
was two (2) years ago and two (2) more weeks is not going to get any...I guess my
point is this...I heard this at the "Tiny Homes" dedication the other day, the
blessing—the contractor that builds the houses told me, "Mel, in life, there are two (2)
lines: one line is the dreamers and one line is the doers. The doer line is always the
shortest line, so that is the line I jump in." That is what he told me. We can sit back
and just say, "We will wait," and we can just say, "Let it go until then." That is not
the solution that I just gave? Really, that is the only thing I can think of. I am sure
that the six (6) of you probably have better ideas. If not that, then what? That is my
question.
Committee Chair Brun: What I am hearing is that we will wait, but
we cannot wait because we have been waiting for twenty (20) years for this and our
homeless situation has not gotten better at all, absolutely at all. It is out where you
can see it now. Before, it was hidden a little—"out of sight, out of mind"—that was
everybody's attitude. Now, you can see it. Just like Councilmember Kaneshiro's
favorite saying, "We are going to kick the can down the road and wait and wait"—let
us do something. That is why I met with them. As soon as I got elected, I met with
the Administration. I tried to meet with Scott Morishige on O`ahu, but he was not
available. I tried and went, we went to look. Let us do something. I told the Mayor,
"The goal is to put one (1) homeless camp in Waimea, put one (1) in Hanapepe, put
one (1) in Lihu`e, put one (1) in Kilauea, and put one (1) in Hanalei. Do something.
We are not going to know if it is going to work until we do it." I understand
Councilmember Kagawa's concern about them coming here, but they are coming here
anyway. Either way we look at it, they are coming here. We just have to do
something. Look at Waianae and how good that thing is working out there. Let us
copy that model. Let us get there. There are ways to do it. I just do not think we are
doing anything and that is the issue I have. We do not care, because until you live
on the streets, then you are going to get a sense of what this is and this is why it is
upsetting for me. A lot of people had money their whole life, but I never had money.
My dad died when I was four (4) years old and I chose my lifestyle. I never had a
silver spoon or the money a lot of people had. Let us make a difference. That is why
we got elected and that is why we are in the positions we are in. Let us make a
difference, not depend on somebody else to do it. I never had money in my life. I
know how it is to be broke. I could not even afford can of soda. I have been there,
done that. Let us do something, not wait. What are we waiting for? All we do is wait
and nothing gets done. Look at the position we are in as a County. Look at our
rubbish dump how big it is; we are waiting. There are a lot of things that we are
waiting for and nothing is getting done. Our sewer, we are waiting...Wailua Waste
Water Treatment Plant is going to blow-up before we do anything. That is why we
have to stop waiting and do something. Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: I would love to learn what they have done in
Waianae and I do not believe we should use taxpayers' money to do trial by error, and
then not really learn from other places and what has happened. I think we should
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 14 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
take immediate action on the bathroom situation. I think there are ways to do that.
It does not mean handling the whole homeless situation. It means handling this
incident. In answer to Council Chair's question, I would follow Ben Franklin's rule
that "if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail." I think we have to really get a grip
of the problem and learn from those who are dealing with it, and then proceed. I am
all for not waiting and taking action, but in a very thoughtful way that is going to end
up in success.
Council Chair Rapozo: Committee Chair Brun, real quick, I just want
to say that "trial by error" means that you take some wicked idea and you try.
Councilmember Brun went to O`ahu, in the very short time he has been on the
Council, he went to Honolulu and met with the housing people, Catholic Charities,
and other nonprofits and learned about the Waianae model. We have the models to
follow. It is not a shot in the dark. We are not suggesting...this thing...what I am
talking about...I am suggesting...that is all I know...just picture this for the next
thirty (30) seconds, and this is what I saw and this is why I am concerned: in
Hanamd'ulu Beach Park, the big pavilion...well, there is only one (1) now, but there
was the big one and the little one before it got demolished...there was a bunch of cars
there and I am sitting there, talking with the homeless people in the pavilion and I
wondered why all of those people were running up and down the bushes. If you
remember where the old pavilion was, mauka of that, there is a hill and I was talking
to the homeless people in the big pavilion and I was wondering, "What are those kids
doing up there?" The lady said, "Mel, there are five (5) families that live up there."
They live in tents or they live in bushes and every morning the kids have to run down
and catch the bus to school without a shower or food, and you sit here and tell me
that we have to wait? You sit here and tell me that we have to wait for some
consultant, some study, or some plan and that we cannot help those five (5) families?
Waimea river mouth—Councilmember Yukimura, the day we were there for the
canoe awards, one of the kids that was getting the awards...in fact, more than one,
were homeless.
Councilmember Yukimura: I know.
Council Chair Rapozo: Living in a tent at the river mouth with
grandma and grandpa because his parents are on drugs. Grandma and grandpa are
living in a tent at the river mouth, trying to take care of their kids and we are going
to wait? I rather fail trying than not try at all. That is just me. I think we have
given this enough time. I have been very patient. After I saw what I saw in this
presentation here, we cannot wait already. I guess that is where I stand.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Yukimura.
Councilmember Yukimura: Can somebody tell me what the Waianae
model is? Can somebody tell me how that works and what it does?
Mr. Rezentes: I can tell you because I have been there with
the Mayor and a few others. We did meet with Aunty Twinkle Borge, who is the head
of it. Basically, it is an organized camp of homeless people from children to older
adults and they work well with nonprofits. They have worked with the State Harbor's
Division because the Waianae Small Boat Harbor is right adjacent to it. The camp is
organized by this lady named Twinkle, and I am going to call them "sergeants," which
is another lady, and they have discipline there, kind of order so that they provide
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 15 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
safety to each other. They do not allow drugs and they fight off drugs. They need to
use the restroom facilities at the State's Waianae Small Boat Harbor and they try to
use it only when the boaters are not using it. When the boaters are washing off their
boats, they tell their kids to wait until they are finished, and then they go there and
use it. The other thing they do there is that social services organizations come in and
they provide donations of items, like tarpaulins, blankets, pillows, and other things.
They have a tent in the middle there, like a Post Exchange (PX) in the military and
people that do things...everybody has different assignments in the community that
clean different portions of it. Everybody has their own thing to do. If you do
extracurricular stuff over and above what you are tasked to do or what your
assignment is, you have a voucher where you can go into that tent and get something.
It is almost like a value system. You do this and that then you can get this new
tarpaulin, food, and etcetera. It only works because there is a hierarchy there and
there is respect there. You talk to some of the community leaders in Waianae who
realize that they have a good thing going there and it is better than having them
elsewhere. It is not perfect. To be honest with you, it kind of looks like what you saw
in Ahukini. I walked Ahukini and it is not a perfect situation, but it is orderly, there
are paths, and there are community meetings. I do not know how you really can
duplicate that unless you have a po o like her, who is well-respected and people listen
to her. I do not know how you really duplicate that off the cuff on its own.
Committee Chair Brun: Faith-based organizations.
Councilmember Yukimura: Is there any public cost or public subsidy?
Mr. Rezentes: As I can tell, only public donations of
items...they have a big twenty (20) by forty (40) tent that they accumulate stuff from
other nonprofits who come in and provide items or even give services to their people.
Councilmember Yukimura: How many kids and adults are there?
Mr. Rezentes: Approximately three hundred (300) people
that live there.
Councilmember Yukimura: Wow. So you asked whether there is public
funding and they said no. Do you know for sure?
Mr. Rezentes: I do not know one hundred percent (100%) for
sure. I know that nonprofits, including Waianae nonprofits try to support them
wherever they can.
Councilmember Yukimura: How are people allowed in or out to stay
there? Who makes those decisions?
Mr. Rezentes: That lady.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Does she live there, too?
Mr. Rezentes: Yes, she lives there.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. So the families are working families?
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 16 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Mr. Rezentes: Some of them are working-poor, yes. Some of
them do not. Some of them are elderly and need help.
Councilmember Yukimura: Okay. Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Councilmember Kawakami.
Councilmember Kawakami: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just some final
comments, the Waianae model is one (1) model. Also in Waianae, you have
Kahumanu Organic Cafe and Farm, which is another model. This is a nonprofit
agency that not only houses, but teaches homeless people, people with disabilities,
children how to farm and they actually have a farm-to-table operation going on, so
there are many different models. This model that we saw, Ahukini to Ninini Point,
yes, it could be an option, but we have to be cognizant, too. Out of sight, out of mind
is not necessarily the best option, because as you can see with Hawai`i island, what
Mayor Kim is now faced with is a mounting public cost that is a burden...well, not a
burden, but it is a cost to taxpayers because what the biggest cost of that situation is
the security, the cost of security for that safe zone that they created. There are all of
these unintentional consequences with isolating these homeless encampments away
from services and away from actual jobs. That is where they identify two (2) things
that they need to have: ideal locations, one that is it ideal for them to be able to receive
services, but two, if you want to encourage them to be productive, they have to be able
to get to actually working environments, which is going to be around this area. As
far as the location, I think the location is going to be the biggest challenge, like
anything else. We saw the challenges with the Humane Society and we saw the
challenges with a homeless shelter near where the previous Humane Society was.
We saw the location challenges when trying to site an adolescent treatment center.
So then we come back to this...out of sight, out of mind is not necessarily what we
want, but do we have a community that is saying, "Hey, come in. Let us help heal
this community." But where does that community exist? We can we strike that right
balance and create the assurances that there is going to be public safety and at least
a secure location for the public at-large. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Chair Brun: Seeing no further questions, since the rules
are suspended, let us open up for public testimony.
CODIE K. TABALBA, Council Services Assistant I: The first speaker is
Glenn Mickens, followed by Jerome Freitas.
GLENN MICKENS: For the record, Glenn Mickens. Thank you,
Council Chair and thank you Committee Chair Brun. It has been a great discussion.
You have a copy of my testimony that I have modified a little bit. I applaud Council
Chair Rapozo and Committee Chair Brun for putting this homeless issue on the
agenda and they did not just simply put it on the agenda, they went into depth by
asking the Mayor and the Managing Director to be present, as well as asking for
answers to a lot of extremely important questions that have never been answered,
and I appreciate the passion that all Councilmembers have shown in speaking about
this problem and I hope that the action will be taken now, not more talk. This
homeless problem has been with us for many years, as Councilmember Brun said,
twenty (20) years. It did not happen just yesterday, but it has been ongoing and it
has been way past time that somebody took the bull by the horns and did something
about it. I still remember when this homeless issue was on an agenda years ago.
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 17 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Council Chair Rapozo, you were here. I do not know how many of the other
Councilmembers were here. It was on the agenda and a homeless gentlemen came
to testify. He was an outstanding example of a person being forced to live on the
streets due to circumstances beyond his control and show that it could happen to any
of us. Each homeless person needing help will have to be screened and counseled as
an individual and not presumed to fit into one (1) mold. There are just too many
causes that lead to there being without a place to stay. A secure place, which you
folks have been talking about, the model over in O`ahu, it sounds good, but we have
not done anything about it, have we? Will we start anything? No. We sit here and
talk with baths and private quarters for each of them, no matter how small and a set
of rules must be in place for all using these facilities if it is going to work and no drugs
of any kind, including alcohol and tobacco. In my opinion, for all of those using these
facilities who are physically capable, I would mandate that those getting shelter,
welfare, and our food stamps must do community services, like helping to clean our
beaches, parks areas, or help DPW in some small way. This could help these people
feel useful again and show the taxpayers that they are doing society some good and
getting their lives back together. The biggest thing, like you said, Councilmember
Brun, something has to be done. For that drug center, we are going to spend millions
of dollars on a drug center? That is going to be sitting there and sitting there, but is
this not more of an important issue that has been festering for all of these years?
Should something not be done immediately? The pictures that Council Chair Rapozo
showed up there is a disgrace to see these trashed vehicles and people living in them.
That is all they have for crying out loud, a family living in this. That is completely
wrong. For the people sitting right outside our door here, year-after-year, should the
Mayor not be as embarrassed as anybody and say, "This is a park." You do not want
the park where some homeless people have to be living it in. Anyway, thank you. I
hope you pursue this. Thank you, Committee Chair Brun,
Ms. Tabalba: Jerome Freitas.
JEROME FREITAS: Good morning, Chair Mel Rapozo and Vice
Chair Ross Kagawa, and Councilmembers and Staff. I hear about the homeless. A
lot of people talk about the homeless, but nothing has been done. I am not going to
say any names, but Councilmember Yukimura, you have a lot of good ideas, but it
has not been done yet. Bringing up this but not doing it is no sense at all. You worry
about the bike lanes and you worry about this, but what about the homeless? Take
care of the homeless, too. They are more important than the bicycle lanes. That is
not important. The Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
(TIGER) grant, fourteen million dollars ($14,000,000) is not important right now.
That can wait. Take care of the people first. Like Councilmember Kagawa said to
take care of the local people first. I am not being discriminating, but if you do not
stop that, it is going to keep on happening, so it is not only the County's responsibility;
it is also the federal and state government working together. There is a lady at the
Kapa'a Neighborhood Center in the bus stop and she has been there for three (3)
months and you mean to tell me that the Administration cannot do anything to get
her out? She said, "Well, I do not want to get out. I am going to stay there." So you
have a lot of agencies, like Committee Chair Brun said. There are a lot of agencies
can help, but it takes teamwork. It is easy to talk, but get the job done. I have some
pictures of all of the homeless in front of the old Big Save before, in 2014 up to present.
They pass through there every day and whoever passes through there cannot see
that? You are talking about taking care of the people, come on. I hear a lot of talking,
but no action. It is not only the Councilmembers who are responsible, it is all of the
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 18 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
agencies around. A couple of days ago, they cleared out that property adjacent to
Walmart. Do you know how much people were in there with marijuana plants? There
were about sixty (60) people in there; by Grove Farm in the back when you go to
Walmart. There were two (2) big containers of rubbish. Who is responsible? The
government is responsible. Everybody works together, but put the priorities first
where it belongs. Take care of humankind. God created man and woman and we
take care of them, too. That is our responsibility. That is it. Am I going to get three
(3) minutes more?
Committee Chair Brun: If you need them.
Mr. Freitas: Yes. What about Glenn?
Committee Chair Brun: Anybody else wishing to testify for the first
time? The second time? Mr. Freitas, you can speak again.
Mr. Freitas: In other words, when I was in the military
before, Pohakuloa in Hawai`i island, they call it "Tent City," right? So why do they
not get a big area where they have big land with tents all in there, why do you not do
that and try something? I understand that it is not an easy problem to solve, but it
has to be done. I appreciate Councilmember Kagawa and Council Chair Rapozo
putting it on the agenda. It had to be done because the Administration is not going
to do it. That is all it is. They have been doing it for many, many years, like you said,
with no action, only talk. I am kind of frustrated right now because we try to do the
best for everybody, but if you do not work together then nothing is being done. So put
it on the agenda anytime it happens. I will be here talking about that. It is something
that the people have to look at and realize that if they cannot take care of
themselves...I am talking about the one you were talking about with the restroom.
One day, there was a homeless person who made a mess out of that place over there.
It is not saying that you cannot go there, like Councilmember Yukimura said that it
is for everybody, but not necessarily. If you go there, you have to take care of the
restrooms, right? When the next person that comes in, it is going to be clean. When
people come before the homeless, sitting there on the picnic tables many times, I get
a lot of complaints from them. But like Council Chair Rapozo was saying, the picnic
tables are there for the purpose of people to come there and sit down with their
families, right? I know it is not an easy thing to take care of, but something has to
be done. In New Mexico, do you know what they do? They take the homeless and
pick them up with the bus and collect welfare and food stamps so they make them go
and work for the food stamps. Why not have something like that, too? You need to
put your ideas together. I am not an expert, but I have a lot of ideas, but mines is
running out right now. I want to thank all of you for giving me the opportunity to
speak out. You folks can look at my pictures.
Committee Chair Brun: Thank you. Mr. Mickens, you can come up
again.
Mr. Mickens: Thank you, Committee Chair Brun. Council
Chair Rapozo brought up a good point about the military. When I was in the army, I
was in the medical corps and we used to set-up clearing and aids stations like this
and it was not that tough. Good places that you are going to be living in. It did not
take that long to put these places up. I think it would be a great idea that when the
military comes over here and helps to put on the health thing, they put up these
CAVS COMMITTEE MEETING 19 SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
places up like that for people, I think it is a great idea. Like you folks say, let us do
something now. Maybe it is temporary, but it could be expanded on these ideas.
Thank you.
Committee Chair Brun: Thank you. I want to call this Committee
back to order. I know the Administration wanted to defer this item. Can we defer it
for two (2) weeks? Unless anyone has any closing comments on this, let us just finish
it up. We will be back in two (2) weeks.
The meeting was called back to order, and proceeded as follows:
Council Chair Rapozo: I guess if in two (2) weeks they are going to
come back with a complete report, but if not, then I would suggest that you just
receive this item and just repost, but if they say two (2) weeks, then that is fine.
Councilmember Kagawa: I agree.
Councilmember Kagawa moved to defer CAVS 2017-02, seconded by
Councilmember Kaneshiro, and unanimously carried.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:42 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
rr
Codie K. Tabalba
Council Services Assistant I
APPROV II
iipi
. he Committee Meeting held on October 25, 2017:
Aail:.:
THUR BRUN
Chair, CAVS Committee