KAHULUI (HawaiiNewsNow) – Evictions on Maui are on the rise.
Advocates for the homeless say more needs to be done to prevent residents from ending up on the streets.
“We always find a way,” Lisa Darcy tells her friend Larry Keanini on Tuesday.
Darcy, founder of Share Your Mana, reassures Keanini he won’t end up living on the beach again at 74 years old.
“We’re too old to go back on the streets, and I feel about my wife too, she’s old. I know she’s trying to take care of me, I’m trying to take care of her,” Keanini. “We gatta put our heads together and see what we going do.”
Keanini is being evicted from his Kahului apartment on Friday because he got behind on his rent and could not catch up.
He and a growing number of people are calling Ka Hale A Ke Ola’s homeless shelter. The Executive Director says they are nearly full. She says the number of phone calls from people being evicted this year have more than quadrupled from last year.
There was an eviction moratorium on Maui after the 2023 fires to help residents who were displaced by the disaster. That was lifted in February.
Executive Director of Maui Mediation Services says their numbers are also rapidly rising with 39 cases in September, 64 in October and 17 so far this month.
Darcy says more needs to be done to help kupuna, like Keanini, who don’t have enough money to keep a roof over their heads.
“One of the issues that we are looking to solve is to really identify people that are cycling in these conditions,” Darcy said.
“If someone is going to be asked to leave for whatever reason, that there is a bridge. That they’re not just left to handle this on their own … the agencies need to take a larger step, and if not, then support the nonprofits who can do this,” said Darcy.
“Anybody can help us find a place, financial, whatever, we’ll take it as kupuna,” said Keanini.
Tenants and landlords who want to learn more can call Maui Mediation Services at (808) 344-4255.
They can also call Legal Aid Society of Hawaii Maui Branch at (808) 536-4302.
“We got this,” Darcy reassured Keanini.
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