Honolulu Homeless on Notice: Belongings Banned From Public Places

Michael Levine/Civil Beat

Honolulu's homeless are now on notice. They're not going to be able to stay on the sidewalks for long.

After months of debate, the Honolulu City Council Wednesday took another big step toward clearing the city's public spaces. By an 8-1 vote, it approved a controversial bill giving the city the power to confiscate personal items kept or left on sidewalks or in parks for more than 24 hours.

The new law, expected to be signed by Mayor Peter Carlisle, also means trouble for the Occupy Honolulu protest encampment across the street from the city's major art museum. The group has avoided eviction until now, but it might now be a matter of time until the city seeks to take back the sidewalk.

After the vote, protesters employed the "human mic" to chant their displeasure with the decision.

Critics of the proposal said it does little to solve the homeless problem, which they say needs systemic solutions. Proponents agreed with that charge, and what's more, they said it's intentional.

(Read Inside Honolulu for a blow-by-blow account of the meeting.)

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