Homeless living in Hawaiian Islands

Tourism and military jobs are probably the most significant things to the Hawaiian Islands economy. NPR reports that tourists spend an average of $200 per day for hotel, meal and entertainment. Only $3 a day is spent by the homeless for room, board, and full health coverage within the Hawaiian Islands. Of course the food lines are there for many individuals who sincerely need it, but people lining up for free passes tend to not even be from the Hawaiian Islands. Article resource – The Hawaiian Islands homeless problem that won’t go away by Personal Money Store.

More bums living on Hawaiian Islands

If shelter populations are any indication, the 10 percent increase in population over the past 12 months is telling. 1,300 of those people, according to NPR, aren’t even from the state. Part of the draw for out-of-state immigrants is Hawaii’s 5 cent redemption fee for plastic bottles and aluminum cans. Gary Phillips, who was homeless in San Diego for a long period of time, came to Hawaii and makes as much as $40 per day this way. The state will give people like Phillips free health care, $200 a month in food stamps, and let them sleep at the $3 shelter that gives three meals. With state support, they typically don’t even need more extra cash.

Vacationers and homeless paradise

Hawaii is using Medicaid and tax refunds to try and cover their budget deficit which is $1.2 billion. Millions of tax dollars are used to operate Hawaiian shelters which means this can be a bad time to have new homeless people moving in. Connie Mitchell, executive director of one of the largest homeless shelters on the Hawaiian Islands, told NPR that nearly a 3rd of her shelter’s spending budget is spent on this type of new arrival. Mitchell and others are concerned that a lot of people may even be taking up the homeless lifestyle simply to enjoy the tropical breezes and free care.

Being a bum in Honolulu

As outlined by the University of Hawaii’s Center on the Family, 21 percent of bums were Caucasian in 2005 while now 43 percent are. They’re mostly single and middle-aged. These people work on odd jobs while living in Hawaii off taxpayer money after getting enough to fly over. As the Hawaiian authorities start to catch on to the resource dilemma, the Hawaiian Islands homeless people will largely move on. Determining whether somebody is living off public funds because of laziness or real misfortune – and dealing with each group appropriately – is a problem Hawaii’s government needs to solve. Anyone abusing the system shouldn’t be allowed to do it since you will find individuals who really need instant loans and help from the programs.

UPDATE – Hawaii has tried sending homeless people back to the mainland. New York doesn’t want them and send them BACK to Hawaii to avoid dealing with it.

Additional reading

NPR
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126675999
The price of paradise – and this was in 2008. It is worse now.
youtube.com/watch?v=w058VpVl3t4
Newser
newser.com/story/96470/hawaii-buys-homeless-plane-tickets-to-mainland.html