Homelessness on the rise in Hawaii

Azriel Badon, Photojournalism
March 10, 2022

A cluster of tents formed by houseless families and individuals is seen at 350 Sumner St., in front of the Institute For Human Services. Sadly, the homelessness issue is no stranger to the city of Honolulu. According to the shelter Point-in-Time (PIT) there has been a gradual rise in homelessness in Hawaii, increasing about 37% from 2009 to 2016. Although the 2021 PIT was canceled due to the pandemic, homelessness coordinator Scott Morishige predicts a steady increase if the state and city migration efforts are ineffective. Since COVID-19, more people have lost their jobs or are struggling financially. Fortunately, a new homeless shelter is being constructed from an abandoned building at 806 Iwilei Rd. (Azriel Badon)