Hawaii County consultants recommend making homelessness fund permanent, standardize metrics and build capacity

Consultants from SAS Services and Hawaii County housing staff presented the year‑2 impact report for the Homelessness and Housing Fund (HHF) and urged the County Council committee to adopt changes including standardized outcomes, multiyear awards and consideration of making the fund permanent beyond 2027.

The report covers services delivered from Jan. 1, 2024, through Jan. 31, 2025. “The year 2 impact report shows that homelessness and housing fund grantees provided 3,894 services to Hawaii County households during the year 01/01/2024 through 01/31/2025,” said Michelle Hirayishi, program oversight manager, Office of Housing and Community Development. Hirayishi also noted that of households enrolled in longer support services, 58 percent showed an improved housing status from program entry to exit during that year.

Why it matters: County leaders and consultants said the $10,000,000‑a‑year HHF provides flexible local funding that can fill gaps not covered by federal or state sources, but that it is only one small piece of what proponents say would be a much larger funding need to address homelessness in Hawaii County.

SAS Services CEO Sharon Sims summarized the team’s outreach and recommendations. “There’s a critical need to continue this fund beyond 2027 as part of a more coordinated county response,” Sims said, outlining short‑term priorities to expand housing strategies and increase medical and…