#homelessness in Hawaii

[captaingimpy]

Review of United Shades of America: Reflections on Race, Gentrification, and Identity

W. Kamau Bell’s United Shades of America feels like one of those rare shows that doesn’t just scratch the surface of difficult conversations but digs deep into the messiness of what it means to live in the U.S., especially if you’re marginalized. What strikes me about Bell as a host is how he genuinely relates to people. He’s not just another journalist asking questions. You can see he’s putting…

[macmanx]

Lieutenant Gov. Sylvia Luke cautions that it will take the island, and its people, a long time to recover. "A lot of individuals will have mental health issues that they're suffering. They have never been in a situation where they just overnight lost the businesses that they invested in," she says. "It's going to take years, sometimes maybe decades, for us to replace some of the infrastructure, including schools and roads."  Officials say some 14,000 residents remain without power as crews work to contain the blazes. Luke said internet and cell phone service are down on parts of the island, making it hard for people to check in with their loved ones or call for help. And while the Big Island and Maui County have shelters, she says they are crowded with evacuees and have also been forced to close down and reopen in new locations to avoid the fire's path. The historic town of Lahaina — a popular tourist destination and economic hub — has been especially hard-hit. Luke got a glimpse of the destroyed homes and businesses firsthand while taking a Coast Guard flight over the area. "It just looked like the whole town went ... into ashes," she said. "And we're so heartbroken to see this happen before our eyes." Former President Barack Obama, who grew up in Honolulu, wrote on X that "it's tough to see some of the images coming out of Hawai'i — a place that's so special to so many of us." He encouraged people to donate to the Hawai'i Community Foundation's "Maui Strong" fund:

[artfilmfan]

Waikiki (Christopher Kahunahana, 2020)

[angelx1992]

[jvzebel-x]

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[samwisefamgee]

god wants me to kill myself sooooo fucking bad lately lol nice try bitch im queer

[venusinorbit]

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A new art installation at the Hawaii State Arm Museum is showing the strength of homeless youth in the state.

The exhibit is called “Not All Backpacks Carry the Same Weight.”

It features 60 backpacks designed by youth who are struggling with homelessness. On the bags are written phrases, colors and adornments reflecting the artists’ personal journeys, struggles and dreams.

The exhibit was created through the Residential Youth Services & Empowerment program, also known as “RYSE,” and done in collaboration with Moanalua High School’s English honors classes.

It was also led by international artist Fatiha Kheddaoui and Dominique Meyer Gere.

Organizers said the exhibit aims to shed light on the urgent issue of youth homelessness in the community.

The installation began Saturday and runs through June 5.

[wornpodcast]

Eviction, Hawaii, and a little advice

Hello, lovely listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Worn. I'm your host, Silla Quiñones, and I'm here to explore the intricate threads of labor, self-discovery, growth, and the harsh realities of poverty. Today's episode is a sobering yet important one. We'll be delving into a topic that affects countless lives across the globe, with a focus on the US – evictions and notices.

Evictions are more than just notices to move; they're about people's lives being upended. Eviction notices arrive like unexpected storms, disrupting the fragile stability of those already teetering on the edge. Imagine receiving that letter, feeling the weight of uncertainty and fear, wondering where you'll lay your head next. Today, we're diving deep into this topic, exploring personal stories, the social fabric, and potential solutions.

The first story on our radar is of the families on Maui in Hawaii.

As many of us are aware, our friends in Hawaii, specifically on the island of Maui have suffered a horrendous fire. A fire which the Hawaii power utility company has taken responsibility for starting. They had over 60,000 utility poles which were outdated from, and I quote from the Ap article on it, “its own documents described as built to “an obsolete 1960s standard,””.

it is such a horrific situation they’ve caused by not prioritizing safety for well over 50 years on the island of Maui.

To compound this horrible event, eviction notices have been circulating. Yes, there are human beings that saw this disaster unfold and decided that it would be appropriate to claim that individuals affected are “in breach” of their leases during this crisis and uproot them. It is, in my opinion, such a shameful and horrific act to be party to.

Now something incredibly important to note is that according to the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions of Hawaii, it is absolutely a violation of the statewide eviction moratorium in place to protect those affected in by the fires.

Evictions during times of crisis are unfortunately common but frowned upon. Upheaving those dealing directly with the aftermath of natural disasters is discompassionate and irrational. If you or someone you knows has received an eviction notice please contact the State Landlord-Tenant Hotline or Legal Aid Society of Hawaii. Both numbers will be in description, and listed on the show’s show notes on tumblr.

Contact the State Landlord-Tenant Hotline (808-586-2634) or a legal services agency, such as the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii (808-536-4302), to seek information about your rights as a tenant if you are a Maui Resident.

Evictions are not isolated incidents; they're part of a complex web of systemic issues. They reveal the chasm between those who hold power and those who are vulnerable. This issue disproportionately affects marginalized communities, perpetuating cycles of poverty that are difficult to break. This is why I cannot encourage people enough to reach out to housing advocates and seek legal representation when faced with an eviction.

Remember, after a notice to quit, if you haven’t vacated the premises, then the landlord has to file the appropriate paperwork with the local courts. A notice to quit is not a legal document, if it is written in a way to incite fear or be threatening, take photos and document it! No judge is going to look favorably on such unprofessional and often times discriminatory behavior. Follow up with the courts directly, having legal representation is often optional but judges have been known to rule in tenant favors when they have legal representation vs in cases where tenants represent themselves.

Our society needs comprehensive changes – from policy shifts to community support networks. Some places are experimenting with alternative housing models, like cooperatives and community land trusts. These innovative approaches prioritize people over profits and aim to break the cycle of evictions because evictions do not exist in a vacuum; they’re a manifestation of a broken system. Thank you for joining us on this episode of Worn. Remember, the fabric of our society is woven by the stories we share and the actions we take. Stay compassionate, stay curious, and keep unraveling the threads that bind us. Remember to subscribe and share Worn with your friends and family. Until next time, remember that no matter how worn we may feel, we are always capable of embracing our strength and rewriting our stories. Stay resilient.

References:

Eviction Prevention Resources Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions (.gov) https://homelessness.hawaii.gov/eviction-prevention/#:~:text=I%20received%20an%20eviction%20notice,your%20rights%20as%20a%20tenant.

[thoughtsfromthewindowsill]

That TikTok of the American guy who had a Japanese guy greet him with "howdy" is going around again & all I can think of is my dad spending a few months working on a dude ranch near Mt Fuji one summer in the 70s.

Background: my dad was actually a cowboy as a young man. (He was also a 60s surfer, an army reserve phlebotomist to avoid getting sent to Vietnam, a research scientist, an executive, & now in his retirement he's a naturalist, but the cowboy era of his life shaped a good chunk of his personality.) His parents both came from cattle ranches in Oklahoma. He split his childhood between the land in OK and Florida, where he spent part of his time on a small cattle ranch & part of his time being a preteen menace on the University of Florida campus & the surrounding area. He paid his way through undergrad herding cattle on horseback.

Anyway, he spent part of one summer in college helping enable Japanese people to live out their Spaghetti Western dreams. Apparently, he & the other guys working there got a ton of free whiskey & cigars because everyone who came to the ranch wanted to drink & smoke with cowboys just like in the movies and obviously cowboys only drink whiskey and they obviously only smoke cigars! They're cowboys! And the guys working at the ranch were not about to disabuse them of that notion.

[herefortheships]

Society would rather ignore homeless people exist than to allow space for any semblance of a sense of responsibility in the wealthy to help them and all those in need, or allow even a sense of guilt for choosing to do nothing.

[pencey]

I'm going to do an art piece that is homeless people sleeping on a beach in Hawaii that is a travel ad for the homeless. Just to piss off Hawaii

[kinialohaguy]

Overnight Safe Space Opens In Hilo (Sep. 1, 2024)

[teachanarchy]

Hawaii: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

[squirreltastic]

"found that 30,000 of the state’s 565,000 housing units—or 5 percent of the state’s housing stock—were short-term rentals. A point-in-time count last year, also conducted before the fire, found more than 6,200 people were homeless across the state."

Source

[jvzebel-x]

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