Re-open park bathrooms during COVID-19

GOVERNOR DAVID IGE, HONOLULU MAYOR KIRK CALDWELL, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF HOUSING MARC ALEXANDER

UPDATE 3/26 12:00pm: Thanks to you, the Mayor announced on 3/24 that Park bathrooms would be reopened. But, as of late yesterday (3/25) the vast majority of City and State bathrooms (54 out of 60 we checked) were still closed.

Every hour bathrooms remain closed puts public health at greater risk. CDC advises people living in homeless encampments to shelter in place and have access to bathrooms 24/7. People are desperate for bathrooms and are now being displaced, on the move, with no access to washing, and forced to defecate and urinate in public. See our media release for more info and please keep sharing this petition -- we need to keep pushing. Mahalo!

UPDATE 3/24: The City and County of Honolulu has announced that they are halting "sweeps," but bathroom closures continue.

City staff boarded up the Waimanalo Beach Park bathroom yesterday and turned off the water -- the opposite of CDC guidance to leave existing homeless encampments in place and make bathrooms available 24-7 during the outbreak. The houseless village of Puʻuhonua O Waiʻanae has paid for their own porta-potties and built their own hand-washing stations.

We've updated our petition to the Governor & Mayor. Mahalo for your support and please spread the word.


OUR PETITION:
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak and against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the City & County of Honolulu and State of Hawaii have shut down park and harbor bathrooms that our local homeless depend upon for cleaning and sanitation. EDITED: Up until 3/23, the City was also still "sweeping" encampments, scattering some homeless people, and driving others toward shelters that are not currently equipped to implement social distancing or contain COVID-19.

We are members of Hui Aloha, an all-volunteer group of housed and unhoused people of Hawaii. We started this petition to call on the City & County of Honolulu and the State of Hawaii to re-open park and harbor bathrooms during this outbreak—or until individual housing is available for people in encampments, as the CDC recommends.

Bathroom closures have dramatically reduced access to sanitation at a time when it is needed to slow the spread of the virus. Shelters are struggling to practice social distancing; keep shared areas disinfected; and quarantine clients with COVID-19 symptoms. Homeless individuals who do not go into shelters are being scattered through the community and are put at greater risk of illness due to displacement and exposure to the elements. In short, closing bathrooms needlessly endangers homeless people, shelter staff, police, and the wider community.


Sponsored by
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Urban Honolulu, HI

To: GOVERNOR DAVID IGE, HONOLULU MAYOR KIRK CALDWELL, DIRECTOR OF OFFICE OF HOUSING MARC ALEXANDER
From: [Your Name]

I am joining with Hui Aloha to call on the City and County of Honolulu to re-open park bathrooms throughout the duration of the COVID-19 outbreak—or until acceptable options are available to ensure the health and safety of all members of our community. ​

Bathroom closures have dramatically reduced access to sanitation at a time when it is critical to slow the spread of the virus. Public bathrooms are the only source of fresh water and sanitation for many people experiencing homelessness—and even for people living near parks in overcrowded homes. Shelters are also struggling to practice social distancing; keep shared areas disinfected; and quarantine clients with COVID-19​ symptoms. Homeless individuals who opt out of shelters will be scattered through the community, and are put at greater risk of illness due to displacement and exposure to the elements.

Please follow federal guidelines and re-open park bathrooms immediately!

Mahalo for your consideration.