Where is the aloha?

To the Forum:Might be houseless but not homeless

Living here on the

Garden Isle

for the past 30 years –

working and renting, working and

renting’

contributing to the community faithfully.

Promoting

tourism

Renting from the landowners,

they’re gone for much of the

time.

Staying after ‘Iwa and ‘Iniki to rebuild, watching the island

change from the past to the present. To anyone who has lived here from then to

now. I need not elaborate. What a change!

I and my wife, not to mention

many others, have become houseless (not homeless) in recent months. I still

work almost every day and have ample funds for shelter. Where? A shack for up

to $400 p/m, a studio for up to $800 p/m, a house from $100p/m and up! Or how

about a vacation rental rates $30p/nite to $400p/nite!! Thank you but

no.

We decided to stick it out, save some money and camp. Where? We

obtained County permits which allow 60 days per year. After that is spent we

tried to set up and break down daily wherever else we could find, luckily we do

not have children but others in similar circumstances do.

Try it. Leave

your house, go find a place to stay from night to night – you still got to get

up, break down, stash your meager yet vital belongings in the bushes and go to

work.

Every day more and more people tell me they’re being evicted or

worried about the prospect. Mostly because the owners are switching to means of

increased profit – i.e. VACATION RENTAL!.

Gee, look at the advantage. No

long term renters, no pets, no kids, no familiarity, just charge more money to

clean up the mess. What’s going to happen when the homeless (people who

contribute to this community) are multiplied? Not in my back yard, no homeless

here, and not on the beach, what will tourists think?

Not off the road, not

in the bush nor trees, not on the beach, not in the neighborhood – not the

business area, residential, agricultural or state land, not in any zoning, not

in the ocean unless you have a yacht in the bay.

What is this beautiful

island of so much aloha (?) to do with this minute problem? Give these poor

unfortunates a camping ticket, fund the system, turn them over, “no place to

stay, you’re out!” Where? Institutions, jails. Some have lived here all their

lives.

Some of the local youth have learned to violate mutual respect.

Boys, and some girls, from teenage to early 20s with lost values check out camp

sites and steal – tents, sleeping bags, audio, cameras, personal items, IDs and

medication, whatever. Some have befriended people only to turn and rob. In

their words and thoughts the houseless are “trolls.” To them these humans do

not have a right to a peaceful night’s sleep. A god given right!

While I’m

writing this I see the Police arrive, drive past the illegally parked cars

inside the county grounds and head to one pair of drying pants hung in the sun.

“The Mayor doesn’t like such things hanging. Looks bad” we’re told.

Of all

the positive engagements that the police could be doing in the community the

laundry receives the attention.

I could say “just leave the sleeping dogs

lay” but with all the grace that is granted each of us should not leave us hard

hearted and stiff necked. Where is the aloha that brings all of us

here?

Pavillionaire

William Trepes