Sand Island Beach Park and at least two empty state-owned parcels in the core downtown Honolulu area are being considered as temporary encampments for homeless people displaced by the nighttime closures at Ala Moana Beach Park.

Gov. Linda Lingle and top aides met yesterday with leaders of 'Ohana 'O Hawai'i, a homeless advocacy group that formed after the March 27 night closures began at Ala Moana, and with faith-based organizations that have been helping the homeless.

Homeless advocates were expected today to meet with officials of the Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawai'i, the state housing agency, to further discuss the options.

The advocates want to move quickly toward a temporary fix. The city announced last week that it is extending the night closures at Ala Moana at least through mid-June.

City Parks Director Lester Chang initially ordered the park closed from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. nightly beginning March 27, saying city workers had to prepare for a three-day, around-the-clock shutdown for major maintenance work scheduled to begin today.

The city said it has received so much favorable public comment about closing the park at night that it decided to extend the closure beyond this week, and may make it permanent.

Kawaiaha'o Church and Central Union Church have been housing and feeding nearly 100 people each night. But both congregations maintain they have nearly exhausted their volunteers and other resources, and will need to stop providing the services at the end of this month.

'AWAY FROM PUBLIC EYE'

Leinati Matautia, spokeswoman for the 'Ohana 'O Hawai'i, said the group would like the state to consider allowing Sand Island Beach Park, a state facility, as a place for the homeless to set up camp until more permanent solutions are found.

"We've decided we want to go to Sand Island since this is away from the public eye," Matautia said.

Linda Smith, Lingle's chief policy adviser, said the state is looking at several other spots in the Honolulu area, including a vacant lot on the 'ewa side of Mother Waldron Park in Kaka'ako and a tract of land fronting Mayor Wright Housing on Liliha Street.

City officials suggested several abandoned buildings that previously were used as part of the city's corporation yard in Kaka'ako as another possible temporary shelter, said Bill Brennan, spokesman for Mayor Mufi Hannemann. The buildings — on Ko'ula Street — were recently transferred back to the state.

Brennan said if the state decides to use Sand Island, the city would consider providing bus service to and from the park so that the homeless could get easier access to services in town.

OPTIONS STUDIED

Lingle yesterday afternoon declined to discuss any specific sites but said, "we have people in the field right now looking at some options."

She added that her initial inclination "was not to look at any public space because of our very bad experience in using outdoor public facilities," citing former Mayor Frank Fasi's attempt to set up a homeless shelter at 'A'ala Park a number of years ago.

"So there's been no successful experience using outdoor spaces like that. It doesn't mean we can't be successful. It just means we haven't been up until this point."

Any temporary site, the governor said, would need to have good security and sanitation.

Lingle also said people would be screened and that those with drug or alcohol addiction, or mental illness, would not be allowed to participate.

"We're looking at people who do not need that extra help," she said. "People who are suffering from mental illness or some kind of addiction, we're going to need to get them a different kind of help. We're not going to be able to mix them in with the families whom we are looking at helping in this immediate term."

Matautia said she could see any of the places mentioned as temporary fixes. "As long as it's a safe place with toilets and showers," she said.

Betty Thomas, another member of the group, agreed. "We can provide our own security," she said. "We can police ourselves."

LONG-TERM SOLUTION

Homeless advocates have been critical of the city's decision to shut down Ala Moana at night. Matautia yesterday, however, praised Lingle. "She seemed very sincere in helping us — both in the short term and the long term."

In the wake of the Ala Moana closure, the city offered Sister Roberta Park on Alapa'i Street next to the Honolulu Police Department headquarters as a temporary camp site. But advocates said the site is unworkable because restroom facilities are too far away and many of the homeless are wary of its proximity to HPD headquarters.

Part of the long-term solution may involve the rehabilitation of some 400 unoccupied state housing units that are in disrepair.

Members of Matautia's group have offered to help with the renovations. State officials are amenable to the idea, but made it clear to the advocates that those helping could not be allowed to step ahead of others already in line for housing.

Matautia said members of her group would still like to help.

"Long term really is about adding to the number of affordable rentals that are available throughout the state," Lingle said.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com.