June 19, 2015—Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Hawaii County’s homeless population has exploded in the past year, adding more new individuals than the rest of the state combined.
In a count conducted statewide on Jan. 25, the state Department of Human Services logged 1,021 homeless individuals without shelter on the Big Island, and an additional 220 that were being housed either through emergency shelters or transitional housing programs.
The island’s total homeless count of 1,241 individuals for 2015 represents a nearly 43 percent increase over last year alone, and a 123 percent increase over 2013, when the island total was 557 homeless. Read more…