Homeless encampments removed from Kona’s Hale Hālāwai beach park on Big Island

On Wednesday morning, a large-scale enforcement operation was conducted to remove “unsafe and unhealthy” homeless encampments from Hale Hālāwai Park along Ali’i Drive in Kailua-Kona.

The operation was initiated by Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth, in collaboration with other county agencies and the Hawaiʻi State Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement.

Efforts by homeless outreach specialists, under the direction of the county Office of Housing and Community Development, have been ongoing at the beach park. About half of the individuals who had been living in the encampment are open to accepting offered services, according to a county press release.

To ensure the proper handling of personal property that individuals cannot take with them, Roth directed the placement of a 40-foot Matson container at the County Parks’ Kona base yard.

The non-perishable, non-hazardous and non-junk property will be inventoried and stored for 30 days to allow for people to claim their belongings, the press release said.

“We understand that enforcement cannot always be the answer, but we also have to ensure that our parks are safe for our local families, especially our keiki, to enjoy,” Roth said in the press release. “Our goal is to continue working with our on-island service providers to get folks the help they need. We have made and will continue to make significant investments in addressing homelessness islandwide and are steadfast in our commitment to building a sustainable Hawaiʻi Island where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.” 

The operation included County Kona maintenance staff, community police officers and vehicles to transport the refuse to the Kona transfer station.

Upon completion of the operation, all encampments, unauthorized campers and individuals establishing residence within the county park will no longer be present.

“When I look along our coastline along Aliʻi Drive, our beaches, our wahi pana, all I see is ʻopala (trash) these days, and it’s just getting worse,” said Jerome Kanuha, a lifelong resident of Kailua-Kona, in the press release. “That’s not safe. It’s not healthy – not for our local families, our keiki.” 

The county will hold another enforcement operation to remove the growing homeless encampment in front of the Kona gym and pool. There also will be outreach to provide support and services to the people who live in this encampment, according to Susan Kunz in the county’s housing department.

The Roth administration has executed contracts with 13 nonprofits for 16 projects, receiving $7.5 million in grants through the Homelessness and Housing Fund. An additional $18 million has been allocated for the Affordable Housing Production Program, which is currently accepting proposals until June 30.

The first phase of the Kūkuiola Emergency Shelter and Assessment Center in Kailua-Kona is underway, with mass grading in progress. This phase includes 16 emergency shelter units, and vertical construction is scheduled to begin in early 2024.