Court helping people exit homelessness, receive services made permanent on Oʻahu

The Community Outreach Court, which has helped more than 700 homeless people clear non-violent criminal cases and receive social services, has become a permanent part of the First Circuit Court on Oʻahu.

Gov. Josh Green signed Act 229 (HB 280) into law on Tuesday, formalizing the court’s role and provides funding for additional staff to support its operations.

Community Outreach Court serves people facing low-level, nonviolent offenses access social services instead of jail time or fines. It has been run as a pilot project for the last eight years.

Launched through a partnership between the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary, the Office of the Public Defender and the Honolulu Prosecutor’s Office, the court focuses on cases often tied to homelessness and economic hardship, such as illegal camping or public drinking.

Instead of traditional penalties, Community Outreach Court connects participants to services like housing, mental health treatment and substance abuse programs. Sentences often include community service or court-ordered treatment rather than fines, which many participants cannot afford.

“This program is a powerful example of how our justice system can hold individuals accountable while also addressing the root causes of repeated low-level offenses,” said Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald. “By resolving outstanding cases and connecting participants to services like housing, mental health care and substance abuse treatment, the Community Outreach Court helps people take meaningful steps toward stability.”

Since its inception, the court has:

• Provided services to more than 700 participants
• Addressed more than 10,600 cases
• Recalled more than 950 bench warrants
• Lifted more than 7,600 driver license stoppers
• Resulted in just under 7,500 hours of community service

The court meets at sites across the island to increase accessibility, with regular sessions held in Kakaʻako, Kaneʻohe, Waiʻanae, Waimānalo and the Mōʻiliʻili–McCully area.

House Bill 280 also funds several new support positions, including a full-time deputy sheriff with the Department of Law Enforcement and paralegals for both the Public Defender’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office.

For more information, visit www.courts.state.hi.us.