For those that have visited Honolulu and the island of Oahu lately there is a shocking array of homeless people living on the beaches all around roads and highways. People have erected tents on the pristine beaches, where their dogs and cats and make shift urinals……between those being provided by the government. How did this all happen? Well, all those richy rich people who visit the Ala Moana Pacific Center on Kapiolani Blvd. were getting rather put off by the major numbers of homeless people that were turning off the buying habits by their presence.
The Mayor of Honolulu Mayor, Mufi Hannemann is the 12th mayor of the City and County of Honolulu, the 13th largest municipality in the United States. He took office in January 2005 and was reelected resoundingly, with an 80-percent public approval rating, to a second term that began in January 2009. In a little more than four years, Mayor Hannemann has amassed a remarkable record of achievement. He is leading the development of Oahu’s first rail transit system, which is poised to break ground this year. His strong emphasis on public safety has led to Honolulu being named by the FBI as one of America’s safest big cities, accreditation of both the police and fire departments, additions to the fleet of fire engines and police cars, repairs to fire houses, establishment of a Department of Emergency Management, expanded ambulance facilities, and a major overhaul of the first-responder telecommunication network.
http://www.honolulu.gov/main/government/index.htm
The unemployment rate is about 20% and the situation regarding rents and property values is not making the situation any easier. The Governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle is calling for new homeless shelters, scattered across the islands and taking those homeless off the pristine beaches of Hawaii. The seem to be experiencing a variety of crime issues which tends to complex the homeless issues! The problem….no budget for homeless shelters and government assisted housing! No budget for mobile health clinics either!
Fast forward to the City of Laguna Beach. In their great wisdom they seem to be following “The Hawaii Solution”. Various parks and beach parks are being filled with the ranks of the homeless. For a quick fix the Laguna City Council has determined in that wisdom to move those homeless out of the parks and beaches and move them to an area in Laguna Canyon. This ridiculous solution moves people that do not want to be moved into tents or temporary housing right into the middle of a sensitive fire area. How many Laguna Beach fires do they have there on a regular basis to begin with?
We have a few questions Laguna Beach! First of all, who is going to police this area to be sure there is little or no crime? Will you locate a police sub-station right there next to the Saw Dust Festival? How about Medical facilities for homeless people? Who is going to check people in and out of these tent bunks on a daily basis? What happens when someone smoking outside lights the entire canyon area on fire? Whose fault will that be? The drunken or doped up homeless person or City Hall. Who is going to bring meals to these people so that they will not have to create fires to cook their food?
The facts of the matter are that the Homeless problem is a County problem! A Statewide problem and a National problem. City of Laguna Beach….it might be best to re-think your process on dealing with the Homeless in Laguna Beach!
You also might want to do a survey of all the homeless in your community and find out what they think might be the best solution. The realities are that you cannot simply put people into government camps and expect them to stay there either! Do you incarcerate those that refuse to move out of their Ralph’s shopping carts? No problem, it will just take a whole lot of cash, a giant bureaucracy and elected officials that have half a brain. Tough duty! We wish the City of Laguna Beach good luck in achieving all their Homeless goals while not creating a Firestorm!
Leave a Reply