Honolulu Begins Enforcing New Sidewalk Ban Against Homeless

By Michael Levine 01/09/2012

Honolulu officials have taken the first major step toward using the new belongings ban to remove homeless people from public sidewalks.

Workers in the city's Department of Facility Maintenance, wearing neon orange vests, posted 24-hour warning notices on tents and carts lined up along two Moiliili parks and promised to return Tuesday to confiscate belongings that aren't moved.

The notices, produced with help from city lawyers, have two separate components: one small square noting the violation, and one longer piece of paper detailing the items and the time of the posting. A handful of homeless people sat on benches nearby while officials taped the warnings to their belongings.

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To help those who stand to lose their tents and other worldly possessions, the city distributed pink "Homeless Help Cards" with contact information for violence and drug abuse counseling and emergency shelters. There were 145 vacant beds as of Friday, the city says. Trish Morikawa from the city's housing office was part of the team walking the street to post notice.

http://www.civilbeat.com/articles/2012/01/09/14484-honolulu-begins-enforcing-new-sidewalk-ban-against-homeless/

I'm not sure if 145 beds is enough capacity for this to be effective...