Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 47 minutes ago
Oʻahu’s homeless population remains stubbornly high at more than 4,500 people, but a greater proportion of that group is living in shelter compared to two years ago, according to a new report.
The latest numbers, released mid-May, come from a census done in January by the homelessness coalition group Partners In Care. The report shows a 20% drop in unsheltered people since 2024 and the 35% increase in those who are sheltered.
The data shows that many homeless people are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Individuals identifying as Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone made up about 43% of the homeless population despite making up only 10% of the island’s overall population. The proportion of homeless people who are Hawaiian or Pacific Islander rose to 63% when Partners In Care factored in people who are multiracial.
About half of unsheltered Native Hawaiians indicated they are eligible for Hawaiian homelands, housing lots for Native Hawaiians over the age of 18 with at least 50% Hawaiian ancestry. There are more than 29,000 people on the waitlist for a lot.
Unsheltered veterans saw a big decline, dropping 39% since the last count in 2024.
The number of homeless children increased 43% since a decade low point in 2022, according to the report. This year, 802 homeless keiki were counted. While most were found in shelters, 92 were not.
Read the story: civilbeat.org/2026/05/homelessness-on-oahu-pretty-big-change-in-sheltered-count
Oʻahu’s homeless population remains stubbornly high at more than 4,500 people, but a greater proportion of that group is living in shelter compared to two years ago, according to a new report.
The latest numbers, released mid-May, come from a census done in January by the homelessness coalition group Partners In Care. The report shows a 20% drop in unsheltered people since 2024 and the 35% increase in those who are sheltered.
The data shows that many homeless people are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Individuals identifying as Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone made up about 43% of the homeless population despite making up only 10% of the island’s overall population. The proportion of homeless people who are Hawaiian or Pacific Islander rose to 63% when Partners In Care factored in people who are multiracial.
About half of unsheltered Native Hawaiians indicated they are eligible for Hawaiian homelands, housing lots for Native Hawaiians over the age of 18 with at least 50% Hawaiian ancestry. There are more than 29,000 people on the waitlist for a lot.
Unsheltered veterans saw a big decline, dropping 39% since the last count in 2024.
The number of homeless children increased 43% since a decade low point in 2022, according to the report. This year, 802 homeless keiki were counted. While most were found in shelters, 92 were not.
Read the story: civilbeat.org/2026/05/homelessness-on-oahu-pretty-big-change-in-sheltered-count
