The historic Hale Halawai Park on Alli Drive in Kailua Kona was once utilized for events, sports fishing events, and family outings.  In contrast, in 2023 it had grown into

a large homeless camp.  A Homeless Outreach and Cleanup event was initiated by

Kona Community Police Department at the request of Hawaii State Senator Kanuha,

Mayor Mitch Roth, Hawaii County Police Chief Moskovitch and Parks and Recreation             Director Maurice Messina.  Homeless tent dwellers at Hale Halawai were given two months prior notification regarding the scheduled May 24th Outreach operations, including the offer of various benevolent services.  Focus was given to the area to address community complaints of unsafe conditions regarding increase in criminal activity, homeless-on-homeless acts of violence, the accumulation of garbage and drug paraphernalia, overt

drug use, and the frequency of ambulance calls.  The collective effort involved clean-up crews from County Parks and Recreation, Hawaii State Division of Land Conservation and Resources Enforcement, Kona maintenance staff, and Kona Community Police Officers.  

All personal items of the inhabitants were not thrown or swept away, but transported to a designated storage facility for their easy access.
 

Our 808HTF organization was the lead in providing immediate benevolent services at this event so that the tent dwellers would not be without immediate aid.  At 5am, a

table and chairs and outdoor lighting was set up to accommodate everyone at the site.  

Our role was to provide services to all, with relief options by way of interim hotels and permanent housing, one-way return home ticket out-of-state to their families of origin, quick access to medical clinics and hospitals if necessary, and the distribution of phones, food cards and apparel.   As a result of the event, 1 person was driven to the Care Hawaii Crisis Shelter for a 14 day stay and assessment, a pregnant woman was transported to Kona Hospital emergency, and 11 people in total were assisted by our 808 Homeless Task Force

with entry into interim and permanent housing and flights home.   

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Unfortunately, there was a lack of onsite participation at this event by other       homeless service organizations, citing their belief that these outreach and cleanup           operations are not relevant and display a lack of compassion to homeless tent dwellers. These organizations moved forward in their complaint by contacting the Press and the

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to come to Big Island to address their views of cleanup operations, suggesting they are acts of violence toward the unhoused.  This was not the case and entirely speculation on their part, because they were not present on-site

to witness the event.  In the aftermath, the ACLU dismissed their complaint.  For the record, it is the belief of the Director of the 808 Homeless Task Force, that allowing any homeless camp to prevail in squalor, drug addiction, violence and despair, is truly an irresponsible decision in the care of humanity.  These human lives are not being "shooed away" by Outreach and Cleanup events, but are offered valuable solutions that would situate them in a way that would upgrade their lives for the better. 

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The Keiki lead the effort to beautify the Park: the beautiful conclusion for Hale Halawai Park is that a year later in June 2024, it was Keiki that lead the effort to beautify and to enhance Hale Hālāwai in historic Kailua Village. The future generations are carrying the tradition of of love and care for the 'aina, "preserving and enhancing the beauty and cultural heritage of local spaces.​"

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