Alaska mayor’s plan to give homeless people tickets to warmer cities faces new pushback

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - There’s growing pushback among Hawaii’s elected leaders to an Alaska mayor’s plan to ship homeless people to warmer cities — including, conceivably, in Hawaii.

All four of Hawaii’s mayors have come out against the idea.

And they now have support from Gov. Josh Green.

Since HNN first reported on the story Tuesday, Green’s office told HNN it has “not received assurances from the City of Anchorage, Alaska, that any houseless residents it exports to other cities, will have housing or employment secured, prior to arrival.”

Some of Hawaii’s mayors say if anyone is shipped here, they would consider helping fly them back.

“The best thing we can try to do is try to reunify people with their families,” said Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth.

There are already more than 6,200 people experiencing homelessness in Hawaii annually, according to the most recent point-in-time survey.

The firestorm started in July, when the mayor of Anchorage announced the city doesn’t have enough shelter space to house people this winter.

That’s why they are looking at flying homeless out.

“It’s sad that we had to get to this, but we’re here to save lives. That’s my job,” said Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, in announcing the plan. “This last year was the most deadly year in history for people who are homeless and dying on the streets.”

His announcement got national attention — and condemnation from Hawaii’s mayors.

Green on Sunday backed the mayors, saying: “As elected officials we are put in office to take care of people, our people, in our home cities and states, in our own backyards. Our mayors and I are 100%
aligned on taking care of our residents and the county mayors have my full support.”

“Our most recent example of ‘Yes in My Backyard’ is our Pūlama Ola medical respite kauhale and other kauhale for local people that we are planning to build across the islands,” he said.

HNN reached out to the city of Anchorage for comment and has not yet heard back.