In a dirt lot across from Kahului Airport, air-conditioned field tents, a mess hall, a clinic and wrap-around services give clients a shot at recovery at Pu‘uhonua o Nene.

The ACLU lawsuit had asked a court to stop what it called ‘targeted enforcement and harassment.’

The civil rights group wants the court to order the city to stop “targeted enforcement and harassment,” which it says is unconstitutional.

Only two projects for the homeless have been successfully implemented in the past several years.

The Honolulu Emergency Services Department is working with the city’s outreach program to help homeless patients find permanent housing.

The term “homeless sweep” doesn’t appear in Hawaii newspapers until the early 2000s, but officials have been ordering large-scale homeless enforcements since at least 1901.

ACLU and some service providers say the enforcement actions are cruel, possibly illegal and exacerbate the problem.

A new report found overall homeless numbers remained relatively stable in the last year, but there have been notable changes in who is homeless and why. 

The county is trying to address an increase in homelessness despite persistent NIMBYism.

He urged people to embrace the concept and vowed to move forward regardless of local NIMBY opposition.