Hirono Announces $10.7M for Homelessness Reduction

Homelessness in Hawaiʻi. Photo at The Salvation Army on Kamehameha Avenue in Kahului, April 8, 2014, by Wendy Osher.

By Wendy Osher

US  Senator Mazie Hirono today announced more than $10.7 million in federal funds for homelessness reduction programs in Hawaiʻi.

According to the announcement, the federal funds are from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program, and will go towards programs that provide street outreach, client assessment and housing assistance.

“Homelessness is heartbreaking, especially when it affects families and children,” said Senator Hirono in a press release.

She referenced research released by the University of Hawaiʻi which indicates that of the nearly 14,000 people in the state that received support from homeless shelters or outreach services last fiscal year, an estimated 16% were families with children, 20% had either a part- or full-time job, and about 10% were veterans.

“These significant Continuum of Care grants are good news for the organizations who are helping end and prevent tragic stories …. We must continue to fight to ensure that these kinds of resources remain available even in the difficult budget environment in Washington,” said Hirono.

Hirono said Hawaiʻi organizations receiving the competitive grant funding include: the City and County of Honolulu, the Hawaiʻi Department of Human Services, the Legal Aid Society of Hawaiʻi, United States Veterans Initiative, Salvation Army, and the Steadfast Housing Development Corporation.