MOKULE'IA — Homeless families living on the beach in Mokule'ia have been issued a notice: move their vehicles from the park or risk losing them.

Police were at Mokule'ia Beach Park on Monday leaving notices issued by the city Department of Parks and Recreation warning owners that vehicles in the parking lot were subject to removal after 7 p.m., when tow-away hours apply.

The homeless took the notices as the first sign that planned city cleanups of area parks were imminent and that they would be forced to move on. Notices to homeless on the Wai'anae Coast preceded the renovation of public parks in that area.

However, city officials said the notices at Mokule'ia were just about the illegally parked vehicles and that no park renovations or closures will take place until the homeless have someplace to go.

"It's really an enforcement of the tow-away," said Lester Chang, director of the city Department of Parks and Recreation.

Many people are complaining that there is no parking available because of apparent broken-down and unregistered vehicles, Chang said yesterday, adding that the city wants to remove the vehicles and clean the parking lot.

Chang said there will be no effort to remove illegal campers at this time, but the city is working to have the homeless placed in shelters and open the parks for other users.

About eight families are camping there, with family members ranging in age from about 1 year old to elderly. There were several very large campsites with tents and tarps that created a large living space. Dogs, cats and chickens were under one tarp.

In April, when the city reopened Ala Moana Beach Park after a cleanup, Mayor Mufi Hannemann said the next parks cleanup would be on the North Shore and take place in about two months. Work is under way at Pupukea, and Mokule'ia is being evaluated, Chang said.

Rose Kaneakua, who has lived in the beach park for 10 years, said she doesn't believe that the city wants to remove the vehicles only.

"I think it's just an excuse to get the homeless out," Kaneakua said as she sorted items that she will put in storage to lighten her load. "Realistically there's nothing we can do to stop this."

But Mimi Repercio, who sleeps in her vehicle at the park, said she will try. Campers were to meet last night to discuss their options. Repercio said she hopes to find private land where campers can park.

"Charge us like $50, $100 a month," Repercio said. "We can find our own water. We can go to the bathroom and shower someplace else."

The state was unaware of the city's notices, but Sandra Miyoshi, the homeless program coordinator, said she would mobilize outreach agencies and send them to Mokule'ia.

Ohana, Family of the Living God Church has sent outreach workers to Mokule'ia, said Brother Sage Chee, who operates a transitional shelter using yurts. Chee said he has enough space for eight families.

"I'll try to serve whoever calls me," he said.

The city is doing the right thing in wanting to return public spaces to general public use, said Michael Lyons, North Shore Neighborhood Board chairman. The homeless have taken over some beaches and aren't sharing, Lyons said.

"The beaches belong to the community, not just a few," he said. "Those few should also be able to share the beach but not take over the beach."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.