Oahu's homeless count reveals a broken system trapping people in crisis
Oahu has resumed its unsheltered Point in Time count for the first time since 2024, aiming to assess the number of people living on the streets. The effort comes as officials and service providers highlight the urgent need to fix a broken mental health and judicial system that leaves many trapped in a cycle of homelessness, arrests, and hospital stays.
The count also draws attention to individuals like 59-year-old Jesse Revera, who has experienced homelessness on and off for 15 years. His story reflects the broader challenges faced by those struggling with housing instability, mental health, and addiction.
Jesse Revera was one of the individuals recorded during the recent count. He has spent years moving between the streets and temporary shelter, battling sobriety while working part-time in maintenance for the past five months. Though he remains motivated to secure stable housing, he faces obstacles like theft on the streets and over $1,000 in citations for sitting or lying on sidewalks.
Revera hopes to reapply for a permanent job and is searching for a case manager to help him access age-specific housing. His situation mirrors that of many others in Honolulu's Chinatown, where Council member Tyler Dos Santos-Tam noted that those still unsheltered often have the most complex needs, including chronic mental illness and addiction.
Service providers argue that simply providing housing is not enough, especially for people with severe health conditions or disabilities. Many end up in a revolving-door system, cycling between police custody, hospitals, and the streets without long-term treatment. Programs like Kaiser Permanente's Intensive Outpatient Services in Ala Moana offer court-mandated care, including crisis intervention and counselling, but enforcement alone cannot break the cycle.
New legislation has been proposed to help criminal courts link cases to civil court pathways, ensuring outpatient treatment rather than case dismissal. The goal is to address the root causes of homelessness by integrating mental health support with judicial processes.
The recent count underscores the need for systemic changes to support Oahu's unsheltered population. Without consistent treatment and tailored housing solutions, many like Revera will continue to face instability. Officials and providers are now pushing for policies that combine enforcement with long-term care to reduce the cycle of homelessness and institutionalisation.
