Illegal campers at Mokuleia left behind a mountain of trash, dozens of vehicles, old tires, dead batteries, broken furniture, a stove, wooden pallets, empty water containers, rotting food and nine kittens. Yesterday's cleanup was prompted by complaints from the community.
Squatters’ rubbish
removed at MokuleiaThe state and Army clean up
the beach after evicting 7 people
The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Army removed 14 truckloads of trash, dozens of vehicles and nine kittens from Mokuleia beaches yesterday after the eviction of seven illegal campers.
Many illegal campers along the Mokuleia shoreline had moved over the weekend and the previous week. State workers left eviction notices June 11 warning campers they were subject to arrest and a daily $500 fine if they remained after June 16, said Deborah Ward, Department of Land and Natural Resources spokeswoman.
State workers also posted no-camping signs Monday. The cleanup was prompted by community complaints.
A Humvee, tow truck and 15 soldiers moved out between 20 to 25 cars from federal beach property yesterday, many of which appeared to be lived in, said Army spokeswoman Pat Simoes.
State workers removed six vehicles from the state-owned stretch of beach between Camp Erdman and the Mokuleia Army Beach.
Workers removed mounds of tires, broken furniture, a stove, empty water containers and rotting food.
A woman who frequents the beach blamed weekend beach-goers for much of the mess.
"They leave all their trash on the beach," said Joan Himelblau.
They also bring dozens of wooden pallets to build bonfires, blackening the sand, and drive their all-terrain vehicles and trucks along the beach, said Himelblau. She sleeps in her van occasionally on the beach, but was not asked to leave by the state.
Himelblau said alternative housing must be provided for the displaced people.
"It's like a cockroach thing; they go somewhere else," she said.
Numerous illegal campers, some of whom had been evicted from the state beach area, live at nearby city Mokuleia Beach Park.
Ward said the state contacted several agencies so they could provide services to those being evicted.
Robert Naniole of Honolulu Community Action Program, a private, federally funded human services agency, said he provided brochures to the Department of Land and Natural Resources, which Ward says were handed out.
"We try to give them as many options as possible," he said, including transitional shelters.
Naniole urged persons who need help to call him at 239-5754. He also recommended calling 211, a hot line for social services.
Community members through the North Shore Neighborhood Board pressed for the evictions, citing trash and safety issues.
City Council Chairman Donovan Dela Cruz said, "I get calls on a regular basis that we address the homeless issue."
He said the city must work with the state and service providers to deal with homelessness using a comprehensive plan.
Dela Cruz said helping the homeless is "challenging when the rest of the community" protests.
