Homeless problem
‘Anini is one of the most beautiful spots we have on island. The barrier reef makes it amazing for families and children to have a safe day at the beach.
It’s such a diverse place, you can whip for papio, get tako, snorkel and dive, and there’s shade on the beach. It’s truly one of the islands best assets.
When I was a teenager, me and my friends would spend most of our days down there, playing in the ocean and being with our families.
It seems as though in the past five years, we have had a large influx of homeless people. Most of the people down there who are homeless are from here. They are classmates, cousins, and old friends that once had it together. I truly feel for them. I just don’t know what the answer is with the homeless problem that’s happening down there.
There was a time when we all felt safe to camp down at the beach park. With the amount of homeless people there, I don’t think that many of the local people feel safe.
There’s a lot of drugs among them, and cars being broken into are at an all-time high. There was a time when if you parked on the side of the road to look at the ocean, and you’re facing the wrong direction, you would get a ticket. Well I guess those days are gone.
Now you have the same homeless people living in their cars with no insurance, no license plates or safety check facing the wrong direction and nothing happens. I’m not sure if the police have just given up. I’m not sure if it’s something they just simply don’t wanna deal with.
I do know that something needs to happen before it gets worse. I know we have a homeless problem all over Kaua‘i. But for me this is the only place that I experience what’s going on.
What can we do to help these people? What can we do to help the police do their job? Are there any solutions to making it a safer environment for our children and families?
Rick Hurst, Kilauea
You are so right, Rick. Belongings are being stolen out of cars and off the beach daily. It’s crazy beyond belief. The sanitation problems alone are a big concern for those living out of their cars. I really think this is an important issue for KPD and our social service agencies to address. I’m not sure how to help as an individual citizen.
KPD doesnt have the resources to track down homeless people and issue citations. There are so many more important safety issues that they have to address and our department cant have all of the men and women on the beat over there issuing violations. Social service agencies dont have the funds to address the needs of the homeless either. This is a no solution situation.
Thank god your not running for office. By the way, KPD has a 70 million dollar surplus this year. Also the guy wasn’t asking to have every person male and female on the beat to go down there and police and give tickets. If you read it that’s not what he’s asking for. He was being pretty kind and humble.
Aloha Rick, I live at Fuji (baby )beach in Kapaa it is like this also. Cops are on the highway thru town giving working moms tickets when at the beach no locates , no safety and rampant drugs. It isn’t safe and the people all harass us. The police will do nothing. They drive by seven times a day but do nothing. This is what rebbwca like wants. It’s not the cops it’s the mayor who we email all the time but does nothing and the prosecutors office. We need a change .