July 21, 2006 - Homelessness Solutions

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I recently signed an emergency proclamation that will accelerate the development of emergency and transitional shelters on O`ahu's Leeward Coast. I also appointed a homeless solutions team leader to ensure our efforts and resources are coordinated. We encourage all organizations and agencies interested in providing assistance to contact the state comptroller. Our Administration is also working with the neighbor islands. The state is providing land to Kaua`i and Maui, as well as resources to the Big Island to help resolve some of the homeless challenges in those counties. In addition, a law I signed this year allocates $400,000 to each neighbor island county, and $2 million to the City and County of Honolulu to develop and improve homeless shelters. Working together, we can solve the homeless problem in our state.