Photo by Nicholas Swanson

    Beautiful beaches, luscious mountains; Hawaii is a paradise--or so it seems. It is simply a mask for the other side of paradise that Hawaii deals with; homelessness. Being without a home may just seem like a problem that only the individual is affected by, however, it is a problem that the whole of Hawaii shares. It stems from the premium cost of living--the housing market. It is among the main catalysts of the growing homeless population. The side effects of it not only affects Hawaii socially, but also the industry that is arguably Hawaii’s main source of income--tourism. The homelessness problem is a huge burden in which it affects all aspects of Hawaii leading to its’ struggling economy.
    Ground zero for many on the brink of becoming homeless is of course the housing market. Finding a home to reside in especially in Hawaii is often met with difficulty due to how costly it is. According to a report by the University of Hawaii, “The average cost of a one-bedroom apartment in Honolulu is around $1,200 a month, which is out of reach for around 30% of Hawaii’s families, even on two adult incomes.” Keep in mind that this is just the bare minimum to live; excluding all other expenses. Because the housing market has such an immense impact on the economy, higher prices also mean a harder struggle for that 30%. An article on homeless by NBC puts it best; “...Honolulu’s homeless problem is rooted in the pairing of one of the nation’s highest housing costs with below-average wages...” A low wage not only means that it’s more difficult to find a place to live that meets that wage, it also means that there would be a miniscule amount of room left for anything other than a home because of Hawaii’s high cost of living.
    A rising homeless population also means more difficulties for some other industries that rely on having clean streets--specifically tourism. Those homeless have very few places to go and thus will often “...spend their days and nights on the beaches, parks, and streets of Waikiki…” with nowhere else to go. Waikiki, which is essentially the center of tourism located in Oahu, is affected through the visually degrading look that the displaced brings. A look in which is obviously undesirable because of the effects it has on how well the industry performs. For example, Calgary, Alberta visitor Ivan Tandberg commented that though the homeless weren’t bothersome, “...it wouldn’t look good to have many people living on the streets.” Being an industry that relies quite a bit on having a visual appeal, ruining it would bring down the economic status of tourism as well. It doesn’t end there though, as it would have a potential domino effect that leads to a less successful economy for Hawaii.
    It is also worth mentioning that those without a roof also mean that they are sometimes without social order--a danger to society. It’s certainly not a representation of all of homeless individuals, but it is often seen that way, how “Poor health condition creates difficulty for those trying to assist the homeless population as many are unwilling to accept help in any form.” Mental illnesses, for one, can be a big difficulty to deal with. Their social disconnect would hinder their ability to properly communicate and in some cases, can make them violent. In other cases, it may also be that they simply don’t want help. Sherri Watson, 43, and homeless, stated that “I love it; free rent, free electricity, who wants to stay in a bed-bugged shelter?” This means that some, like Watson, like the advantages that come with being homeless. The environment, being somewhat unique to Hawaii makes it easier for homeless to sustain themselves out in the open. Watson also gave a small gibe towards public shelters for homeless individuals in her statement, which goes to show just one of the opinions that the homeless have on these homeless relief methods.
    In essence, the cycle of having a high cost housing market/living has resulted in quite a bit of homeless in Hawaii, which does take its toll on the society. Having a large population of homeless has had a domino effect that has led to a struggling economy. Leaving the problem as is will only put Hawaii’s economy in a deeper hole that it is already dug itself into.