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Evicted families leave,
some to seek new beach

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By Gary Kubota
Star-Bulletin

KANAHA, Maui -- Hauling tents, clothes, and other personal belongings in cars and pickup trucks, several homeless families moved out of Kanaha Beach Park this morning, as 10 police officers arrived to enforce an eviction notice.

"They are trying to clean up," county spokeswoman Karlynn Kawahara said.

County officials notified the homeless on Jan. 17 that camping would be eliminated at the park because of health and public safety risks stemming from unsanitary toilets and a rise in crime.

A county bulldozer and three dump trucks were waiting near the park to clear any debris.

Most of the 40 homeless people, including two dozen children, cleaned their areas before leaving. But a couple of families left belongings scattered across their campsites, including a child's bicycle, tents, box beds, lounge furniture, a TV and empty soft drink containers.

More than a dozen used tires were left in the parking lot.

Two animal control officers took possession of at least eight ducks and one dog.

Animal control supervisor Aimee Anderson said an elderly homeless man gave up the ducks because he had no place for them and a homeless woman decided to keep one dog but give another dog to the animal shelter.

The shelter has a list of people who want ducks, and the dog will be put up for adoption, Anderson said. "He's a homeless dog, too."

Some of the homeless have full-time jobs, while others said they had part-time employment, worked on call, or were on welfare.

Several said they were going to stay temporarily with friends or relatives, but others said they probably would end up camping on the beach elsewhere.

"Where we going to sleep? I have no house," said Diane Alores. "Finding a house is difficult. Prices are high."

Alores said rents are $850 for a one-bedroom cottage and $1,000 for a two-bedroom house.

"Who can afford that?" she said.

Several campers said they qualified for government subsidies to rent a home but were unable to find landlords willing to rent to them in Maui's tight housing market.

Building activity on Maui has increased in the last year, requiring more housing for construction workers and increasing prices by $200 to $300, according to real estate agents.

According to the county's latest estimate, there are between 1,300 to 1,600 homeless on Maui.

The homeless shelter in Wailuku houses nearly 1,000 people, which is close to 1 percent of the residential population.

Officials plan to disinfect the 10-acre park area and block adjacent dirt road entrances to prevent the homeless from camping nearby. The county is considering installing tables and barbecue areas.