Aloha,
Hawaii is making real progress toward ending chronic homelessness, thanks to Governor Josh Green’s leadership and innovative solutions.
Craig Kojima / Honolulu Star-Advertiser
New kauhale villages and medical facilities across the state are helping to treat addiction and mental illness, turn lives around, and reunite families.
The new Aala Medical Respite Shelter in Honolulu — a 62-bed shelter comprising of tiny-home kauhale structures and 30 indoor treatment beds inside the former First Hawaiian Bank branch — is transforming lives by providing medical care and stability to some of the most vulnerable members of our community, part of a broader strategy to provide real, lasting solutions.
The Aala shelter operates 24/7 with on-site physicians, nurses, psychiatric technicians, and security personnel.
Since opening its doors nine months ago, the facility has treated 147 patients, helped reunite 14 individuals with their families here in Hawaii and facilitated the return of six others to their loved ones on the mainland.
Many of these individuals have battled serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s, heart disease, and diabetes, conditions that are often left untreated when living on the streets — and others have struggled with addiction and mental health challenges, making reintegration with family difficult, but not impossible.
The process of reuniting individuals with their families is carefully guided by shelter staff, who provide medical treatment, addiction recovery support, and mental health care.
Programs such as Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous, as well as outpatient treatment, help give residents the stability they need to rebuild their lives — and, so far, none of those who have been welcomed back by their families have returned to homelessness.
At $4 million annually, the cost of operating the Aala shelter is just a fraction of what is spent on emergency medical care for unhoused individuals.
More importantly, it represents a shift toward addressing the root causes of homelessness, rather than just treating its symptoms.
Governor Green, the only sitting governor in America who is also a medical doctor, understands that addressing homelessness requires more than just housing — it requires healthcare, stability, and a long-term commitment.
This innovative approach to homelessness is making a real difference — saving lives, reducing strain on emergency rooms, and creating a pathway for long-term recovery.
If you support Josh’s efforts to cut homelessness in half in our state by 2026, and ultimately end chronic homelessness in Hawaii, please chip in a small donation today.
Thank you for standing with us in this effort.
Mahalo,
Team Green
