Local News

County announces plans to open temporary safe parking site after Sugimura proposes resolution

Maui County plans to open an interim safe parking site on county property in Puunene in about six weeks, officials announced Wednesday.

The temporary site will be established on a county-owned parcel off Pulehu Road while work continues to find a permanent location. County officials said they are also working to identify a permanent, purpose-built safe parking site in Kahului.

Creating a safe parking site has been an ongoing effort that's spanned years and multiple administrations. The goal is to provide a designated location where people experiencing homelessness can legally park and sleep in their vehicles overnight in a safe and sanitary environment while receiving access to support services.

"We recognize the urgency of addressing houselessness, and our focus is on protecting public safety while creating safe, managed alternatives for people who need them," Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said in a news release. "I have directed our team to move as quickly as possible to get interim safe parking in Puunene operational, while we continue advancing a permanent solution in Kahului."

The county's announcement comes after Maui County Council Vice Chair Yuki Lei Sugimura called on the administration to address safety concerns along Pulehu and Hansen roads and expedite implementation of a managed overnight parking program.

In 2022, the Maui County Council authorized a pilot program that would allow county residents experiencing houselessness to sleep overnight in their vehicles at designated, county-managed parking lots.

The J. Walter Cameron Center in Wailuku was initially identified as the preferred location, but the proposal did not move forward following concerns from council members about the site and funding process and the need for formal procurement, according to the county.

County officials said another proposed site off Hansen Road in Kahului sustained significant flooding during the Kona low storms in March, prompting the county to reassess the location and identify other options.

The county said it also is pursuing temporary shelter options for people who are not living in vehicles, including an interim Safe Sleep program modeled after programs in other counties.

"For individuals who are not living in vehicles, the Department of Human Concerns is also pursuing additional temporary shelter options, including an interim Safe Sleep program modeled after programs implemented in other counties," said Margaret "Maggie" Willis, director of the Maui County Department of Human Concerns. "Our approach is focused on addressing immediate public safety concerns while establishing safe, managed alternatives that connect people with behavioral health treatment, services and pathways to permanent housing."

County officials said teams and community partners have conducted more than 60 outreach and engagement efforts along Pulehu and Hansen roads during the past three months. They also have completed more than 25 cleanups, removed more than 10 tons of waste and debris and 56 abandoned vehicles, and helped three people move from the encampment into permanent housing.

On Wednesday, county workers removed an additional 3.1 tons of trash from Pulehu Road, according to the administration.

The county said it is also expanding behavioral health outreach with Aloha House and the Maui Police Department's CORE team to provide mental health and substance-use services in the field.

According to Sugimura, records provided by the Maui Police Department show that officers received 1,023 calls for service in the Pulehu and Hansen roads area between July 1, 2025, and May 4.

"Unhoused individuals are living inches from heavily traveled roads, and drivers are navigating those same roads every day," Sugimura said in a news release. "We should not wait for a serious injury or fatality before acting on the information the county already has."

Sugimura also cited the 2026 Maui County Point-in-Time Count, which found that the county's unsheltered population increased by 40% between 2024 and 2026.

She has introduced a council resolution urging the administration to address safety concerns along Pulehu and Hansen roads and expedite the managed overnight parking program. Sugimura also has called for affected individuals to be connected with shelter, behavioral health resources and other support services.

"I want to be clear: Removing vehicles and other roadway hazards is necessary to address urgent public safety concerns along Pulehu and Hansen Roads, but it does not address the root causes of houselessness," Sugimura said. "Long-term solutions require compassion, coordination and consistency. But the facts here demand action."

Sugimura said community members have raised concerns about the area for months. "The county has the tools and the authority to act," she said. "What's missing is the urgency."

However, Bissen said addressing houselessness will require cooperation between the administration and County Council.

"This is a shared responsibility, and by bringing the tools and resources of both branches together, we can help get solutions on the ground faster," he said. "Houselessness transcends politics -- we need to continue to provide on-the-ground support to people in the most need -- evidence that demonstrates aloha in action."

Sugimura is challenging Bissen for mayor in the Nov. 3 general election.