I support the amendment to Title, 9. I want to thank Gabe Johnson and his staff for responding to a community call for justice and dignity for all of our community members, particularly our unsheltered community members who are our most vulnerable residents of Maui County.
My eyes became open to a fuller extent regarding the County's treatment of our most vulnerable when in September down at Amala Pl. I acted as a legal observer with the National Lawyer's Guild. The purpose of my role was to watch and record things how they happened. What I saw was discouraging, but not in respect to the behavior of the community on Amala because they came together to help each other. It was county officials that I saw holding the most resentment and contempt for the residents down at Amala Pl. It must also be stated that the issues on Amala Place what created by a county move to evict these people from Kanaha Beach Park during the pandemic against CDC guidelines, which had facilities and trash bins and campsites. It could have been a hub that services could enter to try and get people housing during an already difficult time. Instead they were pushed onto a roadside without access to water or bathrooms. Further, the use of the police department to move these people along perpetually isn't a proper use of police force.
The sweep model of moving these folks around to different places isn't a strategy, it's just cruel at this point. It's harassment. If compassionate relocation is truly the goal then the county must ensure a number of things. I'll suggest the basics. First, that there is another place for them to go. Shelter must be confirmed and secured BEFORE relocation can occur. Second, that there is reasonable time given to vacate and notice is given to all agencies and the public, so that those who are supposed to be of service and those who want to help our unsheltered residents can do so. That is the bare minimum and we aren't meeting that standard currently. These folks property is often an extension of themselves, what little they have in the world, so it should be treated with the same regard.
Until Affordable housing is truly available to all, this issue will continue to be created. Our homeless issue is perpetuated by our housing crisis and the high cost of living. That's our reality.
Aloha, my name is Keisa Liu and I am in full support of AH 14-1 amending Title 9 in the Maui County Code to “Establish procedures of the removal and storage of property located in public places and a fundamental right to shelter”.
I would like to first acknowledge the work of Councilmember Johnson and his team who have put in their due diligence to seek input from the various departments and organizations that would need to participate. Understanding the abilities and limitations of all parties is necessary in creating real change.
This proposed bill feels like a direct response to what happened at the cleanup on Amala this summer. Many of our biggest concerns, as citizens of Maui County, are explicitly addressed. Poor communication, planning, and execution led to unnecessary trauma and stress for every person involved in that cleanup. The County has a fundamental obligation to care for all residents. When it fails to provide reasonable and adequate care, it is the kuleana of leadership to acknowledge their shortfalls and pivot towards positive change for its charges.
If Maui County is going to “compassionately relocate” our unhoused, leadership must:
- Communicate with everyone that can help make the move compassionate (ie. various outreach groups, hospitals, County departments, residents that are being “relocated”)
- Give enough time for all parties to make the necessary arrangements
- Provide a list of alternative locations based on the reasonable needs of the residents that have actual availability
- Make sure a variety of outreach providers are there based on the needs identified by the residents
- Remove the MPD from serving the notices to vacate until they are fully staffed
- Encourage deescalation and trauma-informed training for any county employee who will be “compassionately relocating” our unhoused
- Create a pu’uhonua for our unhoused who are unable to participate in our current programs so that outreach workers can continue to provide services without the destructive breaks caused by “cleanups”
When it comes to the storage of personal property, I find this to be logistically more challenging. If I had not personally provided storage for Amala residents after the “cleanup” and helped other Amala residents transport their belongings to storage provided by Family Life Center, I may have a different perspective. Based on my experience, I would hope the Council and Housing and Human Concerns Department has an answer to these questions:
- Will residents need a form of ID to pick up their belongings?
- What will happen with suspected stolen property?
- What measures will be implemented to conquer the digital divide as it relates to the procedures for the unhoused to claim their belongings?
- How will we fund the additional work?
This is not a simple issue. It is not something that just appeared. Our houseless crisis is the result of centuries of systemic oppression of one group of people for the financial gains of another. Simple-minded ideas and political baby steps will not help us see the change that it needed.
I implore this Council to see the long-term benefits of caring for all our residents, regardless of their housing situation.
Dear Gabe and members fo the Affordable Housing Committee,
I believe that shelter is a basic right of each human being. Maslow provided us his heirarchy of needs and stated safety and security which includes shelter are the most basic human need. Jesus Christ stated that if we do not provide shelter and other basic needs to our brothers and sisters we are not following his way of life. The United Nations has recoginzed shelter is required for every living human person. Therefore, I ask that you pass AH-14 (1) and make the right to shelter permanent for every resident of Maui County.
Aloha Affordable Housing Committee members,
I support the amendment to Title, 9. I want to thank Gabe Johnson and his staff for responding to a community call for justice and dignity for all of our community members, particularly our unsheltered community members who are our most vulnerable residents of Maui County.
My eyes became open to a fuller extent regarding the County's treatment of our most vulnerable when in September down at Amala Pl. I acted as a legal observer with the National Lawyer's Guild. The purpose of my role was to watch and record things how they happened. What I saw was discouraging, but not in respect to the behavior of the community on Amala because they came together to help each other. It was county officials that I saw holding the most resentment and contempt for the residents down at Amala Pl. It must also be stated that the issues on Amala Place what created by a county move to evict these people from Kanaha Beach Park during the pandemic against CDC guidelines, which had facilities and trash bins and campsites. It could have been a hub that services could enter to try and get people housing during an already difficult time. Instead they were pushed onto a roadside without access to water or bathrooms. Further, the use of the police department to move these people along perpetually isn't a proper use of police force.
The sweep model of moving these folks around to different places isn't a strategy, it's just cruel at this point. It's harassment. If compassionate relocation is truly the goal then the county must ensure a number of things. I'll suggest the basics. First, that there is another place for them to go. Shelter must be confirmed and secured BEFORE relocation can occur. Second, that there is reasonable time given to vacate and notice is given to all agencies and the public, so that those who are supposed to be of service and those who want to help our unsheltered residents can do so. That is the bare minimum and we aren't meeting that standard currently. These folks property is often an extension of themselves, what little they have in the world, so it should be treated with the same regard.
Until Affordable housing is truly available to all, this issue will continue to be created. Our homeless issue is perpetuated by our housing crisis and the high cost of living. That's our reality.
Aloha, my name is Keisa Liu and I am in full support of AH 14-1 amending Title 9 in the Maui County Code to “Establish procedures of the removal and storage of property located in public places and a fundamental right to shelter”.
I would like to first acknowledge the work of Councilmember Johnson and his team who have put in their due diligence to seek input from the various departments and organizations that would need to participate. Understanding the abilities and limitations of all parties is necessary in creating real change.
This proposed bill feels like a direct response to what happened at the cleanup on Amala this summer. Many of our biggest concerns, as citizens of Maui County, are explicitly addressed. Poor communication, planning, and execution led to unnecessary trauma and stress for every person involved in that cleanup. The County has a fundamental obligation to care for all residents. When it fails to provide reasonable and adequate care, it is the kuleana of leadership to acknowledge their shortfalls and pivot towards positive change for its charges.
If Maui County is going to “compassionately relocate” our unhoused, leadership must:
- Communicate with everyone that can help make the move compassionate (ie. various outreach groups, hospitals, County departments, residents that are being “relocated”)
- Give enough time for all parties to make the necessary arrangements
- Provide a list of alternative locations based on the reasonable needs of the residents that have actual availability
- Make sure a variety of outreach providers are there based on the needs identified by the residents
- Remove the MPD from serving the notices to vacate until they are fully staffed
- Encourage deescalation and trauma-informed training for any county employee who will be “compassionately relocating” our unhoused
- Create a pu’uhonua for our unhoused who are unable to participate in our current programs so that outreach workers can continue to provide services without the destructive breaks caused by “cleanups”
When it comes to the storage of personal property, I find this to be logistically more challenging. If I had not personally provided storage for Amala residents after the “cleanup” and helped other Amala residents transport their belongings to storage provided by Family Life Center, I may have a different perspective. Based on my experience, I would hope the Council and Housing and Human Concerns Department has an answer to these questions:
- Will residents need a form of ID to pick up their belongings?
- What will happen with suspected stolen property?
- What measures will be implemented to conquer the digital divide as it relates to the procedures for the unhoused to claim their belongings?
- How will we fund the additional work?
This is not a simple issue. It is not something that just appeared. Our houseless crisis is the result of centuries of systemic oppression of one group of people for the financial gains of another. Simple-minded ideas and political baby steps will not help us see the change that it needed.
I implore this Council to see the long-term benefits of caring for all our residents, regardless of their housing situation.
Mahalo for your time and consideration,
Keisa Liu
Dear Gabe and members fo the Affordable Housing Committee,
I believe that shelter is a basic right of each human being. Maslow provided us his heirarchy of needs and stated safety and security which includes shelter are the most basic human need. Jesus Christ stated that if we do not provide shelter and other basic needs to our brothers and sisters we are not following his way of life. The United Nations has recoginzed shelter is required for every living human person. Therefore, I ask that you pass AH-14 (1) and make the right to shelter permanent for every resident of Maui County.
Stan Franco
214-3575