Requesting The Governor's Coordinator On Homelessness And The City And County Of Honolulu To Establish A Two-year Homelessness Sanctuary Pilot Program To Provide A Safe Location On Public Land For Homeless Individuals And Families To Reside And Access Services.
HCR92 is a House Concurrent Resolution requesting the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness and the City and County of Honolulu to create a two-year homelessness sanctuary pilot program on public land. The proposal is aimed at providing a designated safe place for homeless individuals and families to live and access services, with the stated goals of improving stability, reducing exposure to enforcement actions for camping or trespass, and connecting residents to mental health, substance abuse, and other supportive services.
The resolution lays out a detailed framework for the pilot, including identifying a site by November 1, 2025, opening it by January 1, 2026, and operating it through December 31, 2027. It calls for basic facilities such as shelter tents, vehicle parking, restrooms, showers, storage, laundry, and waste disposal, and it encourages meals, pet accommodation, paid work opportunities, and additional services identified by residents. It also requests annual reporting to the Legislature in 2026, 2027, and 2028 on progress, participation, outcomes, and whether the program should become permanent.
Because HCR92 is a concurrent resolution rather than a bill, it does not itself amend the Hawaii Revised Statutes or create enforceable legal obligations. Instead, it expresses the Legislature’s request that state and county officials take specific actions, coordinate across agencies, and potentially use state or county land and resources to implement the pilot. Its practical impact would be to direct policy attention and administrative planning toward a sanctioned encampment-style service site in Honolulu, with possible implications for land use, homelessness services, and intergovernmental coordination.
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is supportive of a more structured, service-oriented response to homelessness. The findings emphasize compassion, dignity, and the need for immediate action, while also framing the pilot as a way to address public disorder and connect people to treatment and support. No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no additional evidence of formal support or opposition beyond the bill text itself.
The main points of potential contention are the use of public land for a homelessness sanctuary, the feasibility of operating such a site, and the balance between service provision and public safety. The resolution anticipates concerns by calling for infrastructure planning, environmental protections for nearshore resources, and a zero-tolerance approach to illegal drugs, violence, and obscenities. It also suggests that some may question whether the model should be run by government alone or through partnerships with churches, nonprofits, and businesses, and whether the program should be expanded or made permanent after the pilot period.