Council delays vote
on bench-napping ban

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-Bulletin

A bill barring people from sleeping on park benches and in bus shelters would "do nothing to improve the homeless situation in Honolulu or promote public health and safety," says George Harris, a missionary for Central Union Church.

City Council members yesterday put off voting on a proposal that would bar sleeping on most public property after hearing pleas from Harris, who takes coffee and bread to the homeless at Ala Moana Park four mornings a week, and other friends of the homeless.

"They have no place left to go," said attorney Margaret Leong, an advocate for the homeless. She said the city should not be passing laws making life tougher for the homeless when the state is suffering economic troubles.

"Imagine that you had no place left to sleep but a bench at a beach park," she said. "Now imagine that the city and county proposed to take even that away."

The bill, introduced at the request of Mayor Jeremy Harris, would prohibit people from lying on benches, picnic tables, fountains, planters, walls, ledges, fences, sidewalks, buildings or other structures "not designated or customarily used for such purposes."

The maximum penalty would be a fine of up to $100 and up to 10 days in jail.

City Parks Director Bill Balfour said the bill is not directed solely at the homeless, but all people who sleep on park benches and other city facilities."Picnic tables and benches are not for sleeping," he said, noting that he gets complaints from park-goers who say they're discouraged from using benches for a picnic after seeing someone sleeping on them.

Downtown Police Sgt. Lester Hite said he also gets complaints, particularly from those who go through Aala Park or attempt to walk along Chinatown sidewalks where people might be sleeping.

"When I get these complaints, I don't have any tools to take care of this problem," Hite said.

Councilman Andy Mirikitani said he worries enforcement will be limited to the homeless or others who city parks officials or police officers feel are unsavory.

Councilman Jon Yoshimura agreed. "I haven't heard about a rash of illegal reclinings by otherwise law-abiding citizens," he said.

Councilman Duke Bainum said sleeping on benches is a serious problem at Kapiolani Park. He said people tell him that he presence of people sleeping on park structures "makes use of parks less comfortable.". Council Chairman Mufi Hannemann said the city has more pressing issues.

A similar no-park-bench-sleeping bill was introduced in 1994 but was shelved after objections from both the Police Department and the American Civil Liberties Union.