Hawaii Sends Over 100 Homeless Individuals Back to Home States

John Mizuno, appointed as Hawaii’s homelessness coordinator in January 2024, has taken significant steps to address the state’s homelessness crisis by helping out-of-state homeless individuals return to their mainland families. According to Mizuno, 137 homeless individuals have been successfully sent back to their families, resulting in substantial savings for Hawaii’s taxpayers.

“To date, we have sent 137 people from the mainland who are houseless back to their families, saving taxpayer costs,” Mizuno stated. He emphasized the program’s accountability measures, ensuring that families agree to accept their loved ones and cover half of the airfare. “You’re not going to get a one-way ticket to Vegas and just enjoy yourself and buy another ticket back,” Mizuno explained.

State lawmakers have expressed concerns that other states send their homeless populations to Hawaii, especially during the winter months. Hawaii Representative Lisa Marten confirmed this trend, noting that many arrive unprepared and immediately require services. Marten praised the success of Hawaii’s “Return to Home” pilot program, which not only benefits the returning individuals but also frees up resources for Hawaii’s local homeless population, many of whom face mental health and substance abuse challenges.

While the program has been effective, other lawmakers believe more action is needed. Hawaii Representative Diamond Garcia called for stricter measures to protect Hawaii’s resources from being consumed by non-local homeless individuals. “We need to pass laws and make sure that we are protecting our own borders from other states. They can’t be shipping us their problems and expecting our taxpayers to fund the bill,” Garcia said.

Mizuno highlighted the program’s cost-saving benefits, estimating that the 137 individuals sent back to their families have saved Hawaii around $5 million in taxpayer-funded services. Looking ahead, Mizuno hopes to expand the program significantly. “Next year, three years from now, that number may multiply to three, four, or 500 people,” he said. “We’re going to end up saving millions of dollars for the state of Hawaii and protecting our finite resources for our local homeless.”

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