Kauai gets land for
first homeless shelter
The Lihue facility will likely
open in early 2006, officials say
LIHUE >> Kauai County has acquired land for the island's first homeless shelter, but the facility is at least a year and a half away from opening.
Mayor Bryan Baptiste announced yesterday that the state Department of Land and Natural Resources has turned over a parcel of land mauka of the defunct Lihue Plantation sugar mill to the county.
Last year, Baptiste drew criticism when he ordered the Kauai Police Department to clear the homeless out of county parks. Homeless people have claimed that the parks provide the only place homeless people can obtain running water and have bathrooms. Homeless campers also used power outlets at the parks to power appliances.
The donated land includes the old Lihue School, which most recently was used as state office space.
Kauai County will provide several modular buildings that have been used to house county agencies but no longer are needed.
The shelter will be operated by Kauai Economic Opportunity Inc., a nonprofit social service agency.
Stephanie Fernandes, the organization's homeless coordinator, said the emergency shelter will accommodate up to 19 homeless people. It will include a kitchen. Stays at the emergency center will be limited to six weeks.
The transitional shelter will provide small apartments for up to eight families.
At the earliest, the shelter will open in late 2005, but a more likely date is early 2006, she said.
Fernandes said the shelter will make it easier to serve homeless individuals and families with everything from basic medical care to social services. Kauai Economic Opportunity has long provided help to the homeless through a van that sets up shop in different locations on Kauai on a regular schedule.
www.kauaigov.org
