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Essentially on Oahu any able bodied person can get work and not be homeless - this isn't 2008, it's 2015 and a lifestyle choice for many (purposely being homeless, drug addicts/alcoholics who can't hold a job) and unfortunately the disabled and mentally ill who are the segment who needs help (or be committed if the laws were changed). Take those groups off the streets of Oahu and poof - they'd be gone.
Well, I dunno. What does it take to actually get a job on Oahu? Say, McDonald's or some fast food place. First off, they'd need access to a newspaper or computer to find job listings. Hopefully the homeless shelter can help them with that. They won't have a single local reference. Do they even have mainland references? Hopefully they can remember where they worked before enough to get one or two references.
They need a way for the employer to contact them.
They need to show up to an interview in a neat and tidy fashion on time, too.
If they do manage to get to the interview and actually land a job, it's not likely gonna be full time or more than minimum wage. How far will that go towards supporting them? Even if they get a job, they are likely to still need services.
Great article nerdlete, what is interesting is out of the 5,100 estimated homeless in Oahu (which is a low estimate it's more around 6,000 to 8,000) a few hundred of them are people who have moved from the mainland to be homeless in Oahu. This says two things to me, one is if we are only getting a few hundred people from the mainland moving here to be homeless then we are blessed. Most major cities who have high populations of homeless find that a lot of the homeless population is migrational and not from locals areas especially when the weather is good. Two is we really honestly have an issue here because majority of our homeless are local or residents which is also consistent with the stats that majority of Oahu homeless are working poor, families and children under 18. I like this article nerdlete because it shows a reality that isn't politically correct. The Homeless program IHS in the article is the largest homeless shelter or homeless services provider project on Oahu. Those who they serve have to have a plan of action to get services, every homeless person has to pay a monthly fee for shelter and services. It's four times more expensive for those who moved just from the mainland. For those who can't afford to pay the fees they can work for 10 hrs a week in IHS. This tells me that our home here in Hawaii regarding the issue of homelessnes is its more complex then laziness and addiction or not being willing to work and contribute. Thank you for the refreshing article of truth.
Well, I dunno. What does it take to actually get a job on Oahu? Say, McDonald's or some fast food place. First off, they'd need access to a newspaper or computer to find job listings. Hopefully the homeless shelter can help them with that. They won't have a single local reference. Do they even have mainland references? Hopefully they can remember where they worked before enough to get one or two references.
They need a way for the employer to contact them.
They need to show up to an interview in a neat and tidy fashion on time, too.
If they do manage to get to the interview and actually land a job, it's not likely gonna be full time or more than minimum wage. How far will that go towards supporting them? Even if they get a job, they are likely to still need services.
Hey, they should have thought of that before going to Oahu. They probably just thought of it as a tropical paradise and it would somehow work out. If we quit putting a floor under such people, maybe they would wise up and think for themselves a bit, instead of "here I am, what are you going to do about it"? My answer, absolutely nothing
What does it take to actually get a job on Oahu? Say, McDonald's or some fast food place. First off, they'd need access to a newspaper or computer to find job listings.
If they do manage to get to the interview and actually land a job, it's not likely gonna be full time or more than minimum wage.
A newspaper or computer to get a job at McDonalds or Taco Bell?
No.
Practically every single fast food place or retail outlet has large signs you can't miss as you pass by the establishment. They are practically begging people to work for them.
There is no reason a person can pick up 2-3 jobs giving at least 80 hours/week or about $700/week.
With that $700/week, there are plenty of dumpy apartments you can get a few roommates/bunk beds and not be homeless.
But only if they homeless choose to not be homeless as a lifestyle choice.
I was told that only 11 of the displaced from Kakaako were willing to go into shelters. The rest wanted to remain on the street.
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I don't know forgive me if I'm wrong and I really don't want to disturb the social order of things here. But I have to ask? Am I the only one who read the article? Don't get me wrong Hawaii education isn't the best and us locals are not the most educatted people in the world. But I have to humbly ask? What does the morality of the homeless or if they want help or not etc etc have to do with the topic of this thread which is the article about mainland people moving to Oahu to be homeless and the social service that provides services to those in need? Am I missing something?
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