Ask the Mayor

Mayor Alan Arakawa answers some of the most-asked questions submitted to his office staff.

Q: I know that the homeless situation throughout our island has been an issue for a while now. I have heard that Oahu was considering opening, if it hasn't already, "safe zones" where homeless can stay. Is Maui considering this also?

A: Although "safe zones" have been initialized in several municipalities across U.S., these efforts have oftentimes resulted in creating more problems than solving them. For example, just last month city officials on Oahu reported that the homeless living in a "safe zone" on the west side were dumping human feces into nearby Pokai Bay, causing some officials to say it should be shut down. The only "cure" for homelessness is getting the homeless into real homes, with four walls, a roof and a door that locks. The Maui County Homeless Program is working diligently with its partner service provider agencies to get unsheltered families and individuals into housing and provide the necessary wraparound services to keep them from re-entering life in our streets and parks. Unfortunately, there is also a very visible population of homeless that, for a multitude of reasons, are not currently seeking any type of assistance. Some are backpacking travelers, some choose to be squatters and stay on the streets. Others have mental health and/or substance abuse issues and refuse any type of services. In a nutshell, the homeless situation is complex and not everyone wants to be housed.

Q: Can you please tell me why the homeless are allowed to wander off with stolen shopping carts? These carts are expensive and when the homeless are permitted to use them the stores need to buy new ones. This ends up costing the rest of us money when we shop at their stores.

A: The shopping cart issue must have a complainant, e.g., store manager, to report that a shopping cart has been stolen. An eyewitness must observe an individual come onto store property, take possession of a shopping cart, proceed to leave store property, and make no attempt to return said shopping cart, thus depriving the store of its property. In most cases, stores will not report this type of incident to the police.

Q. Why are windmills in Kahikinui being dismantled and shipped off island?

A. If you're talking about the Auwahi Wind farm located on Ulapalakua Ranch, there has been no word to my office that they are taking down windmills and shipping them off island. However, I've been told that one of the units had a mechanical failure that could not be repaired and so they had to remove the broken part and are waiting for the replacement part to arrive. This might be what you are seeing out there.

* Want to Ask the Mayor? Submit your Maui County related questions to Mayor Alan Arakawa by email at askthemayor@mauicounty.gov, by phone at 270-7855 or by mail at 200 S. High St., ninth floor, Wailuku 96793. Questions submitted will be considered for inclusion in the "Ask the Mayor" column; to request a personal response to a concern, email mayors.office@mauicounty.gov.