It’s the city’s largest single-site sweep of illegal camping areas yet, but a potentially dangerous situation is developing along the highway.
Honolulu city officials say they started giving notice about two months ago that this day would come – eviction from Keaau Beach Park from encampments that had swelled in count over the years.
"Now the people who no bother nobody all got to go," says Harry Santana, one of the homeless living at the beach park. "They give us notice that by a certain time everybody had to be out of here."
At the beginning of the year a city count showed 180 adults and 22 children residing along this mile and a half stretch of beach and bush.
"It’s a big dilemma for everybody. As you can hear now there’s some last minute pushing and shoving. And temper starts to flare," says James W. Rapoza, one of the homeless who lives there.
Ample police presence was on hand. City officials say things stayed under control.
"You know the reaction today has been okay. And we’re just hoping for the best hoping, that we can get these people into some shelters, into the facilities that will provide a safe and sanitary situation, rather than living at a park," says Albert Tufono of the City’s Parks & Recreation department.
Besides social service agencies partnered with to find shelter or health services.
Animal rescue, resources, even dog food were also available.
"We’ve been working with other community outreach groups for several months, trying to work on this situation. And our main mission here is to keep people with their pets," says Keoni Vaughn of the Hawaiian Humane Society.
Items in working order left behind will be considered found property and will be kept for 45 days for claiming. Items in disrepair, and trash, will be discarded.
"It’s good that they’re cleaning this up, and they need to continue, keep doing it, because it will make Makaha and all the Waianae coast a beautiful place for all of us to share," said Lani Michael of Makaha.
Much was left behind, and dozens moved not very far — to the roadside or just across the road, right along Farrington Highway.
"They’re just moving locations, and this makes us angry because they do have services provided for these people, it’s just they choose not to go," Michael says.
The city alerted the state Department of Transportation about the roadside, which says it’s reviewing the situation and has not yet mobilized a response.
"Everybody has different places. Some people, just like how we’re doing go right across the street and into the bushes," Rapoza says.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
