LIHU‘E — The County of Kaua‘i Housing Agency opened its series of meetings on Tuesday to collect information for its five year homelessness strategic plan.
For individuals and organizations unable to attend any of the meetings that will continue through Saturday, comments are encouraged by submitting to Farah Aquino, the county’s homeless coordinator, by May 26 through email at faquino@kauai.gov.
The meetings have been categorized into four focus groups — for individuals who have experienced homelessness, neighborhood community members, social service providers and Kaua‘i business leaders.
Nurse Pat Coon, of the Project Vision program, said she attended the first and only meeting for social service pat the Lili‘uokalani Trust before reporting for her station at the relief day that coincided with the serving of hot meals at The Salvation Army, Lihu‘e Corps.
“The people who needed to be at that meeting were not there,” said Coon while serving the crowd of people waiting for service at the hot meal distribution at the Houseless Lived Experience meeting at the Salvation Army, Lihu‘e Corps.
Participants attending the meetings are encouraged to come and voice their concerns, strategies and suggestions and meet the county’s contractor, OrgCode Consulting, Inc. who is assisting in developing the strategic plan.
The plan involves engaging the community homeless service providers and people experiencing homelessness in surveys, focus groups, interviews and listening sessions.
Meetings for the Houseless Lived Experience will take place on Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Hanapepe Corps, Salvation Army; Thursday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church in Kapa‘a; and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kamalani Kai campgrounds at Lydgate Park.
Neighborhood community meetings will take place on Wednesday for West Kaua‘i at Waimea Neighborhood Center from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.; for the Anahola on Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. at Kanuikapono Public Charter School; for North Kaua‘i on Thursday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Anaina Hou Community Park, Porter Pavilion; and for the eastside on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at ‘Ohana Christian Fellowship.
