Honolulu's homelessness crisis is structurally different from continental cities because island geography eliminates the dispersal option. Individuals experiencing homelessness in Honolulu cannot move to a lower-cost adjacent jurisdiction — the ocean is the boundary. Policy solutions must account for this.
Abstract
Examines the intersection of homelessness and public safety in Honolulu through an island-specific framework, examining why continental homelessness interventions need adaptation in island settings. All ISPI research is free under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
Key Findings
Island geography eliminates the regional dispersal dynamic that continental cities rely on — homelessness in Honolulu is structurally contained by the Pacific Ocean
The 2024 Point-in-Time Count found 4,494 people experiencing homelessness on Oahu and 6,389 statewide
In ISPI's analysis, kauhale is promising and its expansion should be paired with independent outcome evaluation
Summary of the paper
"Homelessness and Public Safety in Hawaii's Island Communities" proposes an island framework for the intersection of homelessness and public safety.
It draws on the 2024 Point-in-Time Count (4,494 people on Oahu, 6,389 statewide) and public reporting on HPD staffing.
What the paper finds
- Geographic containment, in ISPI's analysis, means responses must address underlying conditions rather than displacement.
- Kauhale is promising, in ISPI's analysis, and its expansion should be paired with independent outcome evaluation.
- Police capacity. HPD was down more than 20 percent of uniformed officers in mid-2026, limiting time for relationship-based engagement.
What it recommends
- Legislature: fund kauhale expansion with evaluation.
- DHS: cultural adaptation standards.
- Honolulu: relationship-based policing and mental health co-response.
- Health and housing agencies: link data to measure health system effects.
Who it's for
State and county homelessness officials, police leadership, service providers, and health systems.
Suva, Port Vila, Honiara, and other Pacific island capitals face a similar geographic containment dynamic, in ISPI's analysis.
Cite as
Pulley, Warren (2026). Homelessness and Public Safety in Hawaii's Island Communities: Why Continental Frameworks Fail and What Island-Specific Policy Requires (ISPI HI-02). Island Security Policy Institute, Honolulu. https://ispiglobal.com/papers-landing/hi02-homelessness-public-safety https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23449765
BibTeX
@techreport{ispihi022026,
author = {Pulley, Warren},
title = {Homelessness and Public Safety in Hawaii's Island Communities: Why Continental Frameworks Fail and What Island-Specific Policy Requires},
institution = {Island Security Policy Institute},
address = {Honolulu, HI},
number = {ISPI HI-02},
year = {2026},
url = {https://ispiglobal.com/papers-landing/hi02-homelessness-public-safety},
doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23449765}
}Related Research
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