HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – There are growing concerns about the health and safety risks posed by homeless encampments in and along drainage ditches across Oahu.
However, finding a solution was difficult.
People who live near the canal along Kalakaua Avenue say living in tunnels is not new and has been happening for decades.
What's changed, they say, is that it's spread across the island, not just there.
A video posted on the Instagram page “My Kailua” on Monday shows the inside of a drainage ditch with chairs and other household items strewn on the ground.
“There are rats and other creepy things in there,” says Brenda. She is homeless and lives nearby. She says she lived in a tunnel for months.
“If you hide there, they won't come after you, so you can hide a little bit easier. Me and my friend were there for a while and it got flooded and then there was a crazy fire. It happened.”
Moilili residents, who requested anonymity, said the problem was worsening.
“I've been working in the area for the last seven years and I think it's been going on for the last four years. There were definitely health concerns,” one source said.
HPD confirmed Monday that its officers investigated the encampment complaint.
“They told us to keep the place clean or we would have to clean it,” the unsheltered person said.
The mayor's office said in a statement that some homeless people appear to be drawn to these locations because they are more secluded than sidewalks and parks, where complaint enforcement is often the norm.
The city says it has taken precautions, including posting “no trespassing” signs in front of the tunnels and sending outreach workers to connect homeless people with social services.
These concerns are not new.
In 2015, heavy rains washed away a homeless encampment under a bridge in Kalihi Valley.
In 2022, the Waipahu Canal was cleared of an expanding homeless encampment.
A year later, EMS rescued seven people from a river near Kapiolani Boulevard.
“If we hadn't been able to get people out, it could have been a lot worse,” Honolulu Emergency Services Director Jim Ireland said.
“Not only is there a potential loss of life, but there is also concern that debris could flow downstream and block waterways.”
Last year, about 2.5 tons of trash from Kahala Creek washed up at Waialae Beach Park, according to the city.
Brenda says the same thing happened to her when she lived in the Kalakaua tunnels.
“We lost everything. A lot passed by us.”
Officials said enforcement and cleanup efforts will continue based on complaints from local residents.
Residents can call the Honolulu CORE Hotline at (808) 768-2673.
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