Hawaii has the highest rate of homelessness per capita of any state in the United States. On any given night, approximately 4,500 people are homeless in a state of 1.4 million people — a rate nearly three times the national average. The beaches that draw tourists from around the world are the same places where homeless encampments have become one of Hawaii’s most persistent policy challenges.
The reasons are not hard to understand: Hawaii has the highest housing costs in the nation, a severe shortage of buildable land, and a warm climate that makes outdoor survival possible year-round — which means homelessness is livable in a way it is not in Minnesota or North Dakota, which changes how urgently people pursue indoor placement. The result is a large, visible, and entrenched homeless population concentrated on Oahu but present on every island.
If you are homeless in Hawaii and need a hotel voucher, this guide from House for Homeless explains what exists, where to call, and what to realistically expect.
Need emergency housing in Hawaii tonight? Call 211 — available 24 hours statewide. Oahu residents can also call the IHS Intake Line at 808-447-2800. Veterans call 877-424-3838.
What Makes Hawaii’s Homeless System Different
Before the city and phone number list, it helps to understand how Hawaii’s system actually works — because it operates differently from most mainland states.
Hawaii has a statewide Housing First approach. The state and City and County of Honolulu have invested heavily in Housing First — getting people into permanent housing without requiring sobriety or treatment compliance. This means:
- Most Hawaii homeless programs are explicitly low-barrier
- Sobriety requirements are uncommon
- You are more likely to encounter outreach workers offering housing than enforcement clearing encampments (though both happen)
The hotel industry is not the same as a hotel voucher program. Hawaii has tens of thousands of hotel rooms, but homeless people in Hawaii are not being placed in tourist hotels. Hotel vouchers here mean placements in designated budget motels, transitional housing facilities, or emergency housing units — not the Hilton.
Island geography matters. Each island operates somewhat separately. Resources on Oahu are dramatically better than on Maui, and resources on Maui are better than on the Big Island or Kauai. If you are on a neighbor island and struggling, the honest reality is that Oahu has more options.
The waiting lists are long. Hawaii’s permanent supportive housing and Section 8 programs are heavily oversubscribed. Emergency placements exist, but the path from emergency to permanent is longer here than in most states.
Oahu — Where Most Services Are
Oahu has the most developed homeless services in Hawaii by a wide margin.
Institute for Human Services (IHS) Hawaii’s largest emergency shelter provider and the anchor of Oahu’s homeless services system. IHS operates the Na Ala Hele emergency shelter and coordinates Oahu’s coordinated entry system.
- Intake line: 808-447-2800 (available during intake hours)
- Website: ihshawaii.org
- Who they serve: Men, women, and families — different facilities by population
Salvation Army of Honolulu Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers for individuals and families.
- Phone: 808-988-2136 | Monday–Friday, 8 AM–4 PM
- Address: 296 N Vineyard Blvd, Honolulu, HI 96817
Catholic Charities Hawaii Emergency assistance including housing help for anyone in need.
- Phone: 808-537-6321 | catholiccharitieshawaii.org
Hale Kipa (youth ages 13–21) Emergency housing and services for homeless youth in Honolulu. LGBTQ+ affirming.
- Phone: 808-589-1829 | halekipa.org | 24-hour crisis line
Waikiki Health Healthcare and emergency housing referrals for people experiencing homelessness in Honolulu.
- Phone: 808-922-4787 | waikikishealth.org
City and County of Honolulu — Housing Division Administers Honolulu’s coordinated entry system and emergency housing funds.
- Phone: 808-768-7066
Oahu Homeless Programs (OHP) The City’s operational umbrella for outreach, shelter, and housing placement on Oahu.
- Call 211 for connection to OHP services.
Maui — The Second Island for Homeless Services
Maui has a significant homeless population driven by tourism industry wages that have not kept pace with exploding housing costs. Hotel workers, restaurant workers, and construction workers priced out of the Maui market make up a substantial portion of those experiencing homelessness here.
Maui CoC / Maui Homeless Alliance Coordinates homeless services across Maui County.
- Phone: 808-873-8106
Salvation Army Maui Emergency housing assistance including hotel vouchers.
- Phone: 808-244-8690 | 35 Ouli St, Kahului, HI 96732
Family Life Center (Maui) Emergency shelter and housing services for families in Maui.
- Phone: 808-244-0628 | familylifecentermaui.org
Aloha House (Maui) Homeless services and emergency housing in Maui.
- Phone: 808-244-3050 | alohahousehi.org
Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) Community Action Agency serving all of Maui County with emergency housing funds.
- Phone: 808-249-2990 | meoinc.org
Big Island (Hawaii County)
The Big Island has both the state’s highest geographic diversity — from sea level to nearly 14,000 feet — and significant homelessness concentrated in Kona and Hilo.
Hawaii County CoC / Salvation Army Hilo Primary emergency resource on the Big Island.
- Phone: 808-935-6566 | 541 Kalanikoa St, Hilo, HI 96720
Salvation Army Kona Emergency housing assistance in West Hawaii.
- Phone: 808-329-1956
Keolahou (Hilo) Emergency shelter and housing services on the Big Island.
- Phone: 808-935-3050
Hawaii County Social Services County TANF emergency funds and housing assistance.
- Phone: 808-933-8820
Kauai
Kauai has the smallest formal homeless services system of the major Hawaiian islands.
Kauai CoC / Kauai Economic Opportunity (KEO) Community Action Agency and CoC coordinator for Kauai.
- Phone: 808-245-4077 | keoinc.org
Salvation Army Lihue Emergency housing assistance.
- Phone: 808-245-3673
Kauai County Social Services County emergency housing assistance.
- Phone: 808-241-3334
The Neighbor Island Reality
If you are homeless on Molokai or Lanai, the honest answer is that formal homeless services are nearly absent. Your best options are your county social services office (Maui County covers both islands), local churches, and the possibility of accessing Maui-based services if you can get there. Call 211 — operators may know community resources not publicly listed.
Hawaii’s Homeless Crisis in Context
The visible encampments at Kakaako, Keehi Lagoon, and along Nimitz Highway in Honolulu are not the product of individual bad choices. They reflect a structural problem: Hawaii’s land is finite, housing construction is constrained by geography and regulation, and wages for the tourism and service economy that drives the state have not kept pace with housing costs for decades.
Many people experiencing homelessness in Hawaii are local — not transplants, not people who moved here because of the weather. They are people who grew up in Hawaii and have been priced out of the place where they were born.
This context matters when you interact with the service system: the outreach workers and case managers in Hawaii’s homeless programs are generally working within a system that acknowledges the structural roots of the problem, not one that treats homelessness as primarily a behavioral or addiction issue.
What to Do Once You Have a Placement
Apply for Hawaii SNAP immediately at mybenefits.ehawaii.gov or call 808-643-1643. Zero income means the maximum food assistance benefit and expedited 7-day processing.
Apply for Med-QUEST (Hawaii Medicaid) at the same portal — healthcare, mental health, and substance use treatment covered.
Get into Oahu’s coordinated entry system through IHS or 211, or your island’s equivalent. This is your pathway to rapid rehousing and rental assistance programs — the sooner you are assessed, the sooner you move up the list.
Apply for Section 8. Hawaii Public Housing Authority: 808-832-4694. Hawaii’s waitlists are extremely long — apply now while also understanding how the voucher program works to avoid disqualifying errors. There are also other housing voucher programs worth pursuing in parallel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Hawaii have the highest homeless rate in the country?
Three factors converge: the highest housing costs of any state, a warm climate that makes outdoor survival year-round possible in a way it is not in most states, and wages for the tourism-dependent economy that have lagged housing costs for decades. The climate factor is widely discussed but often misunderstood — it does not mean homeless people in Hawaii have it easy. It means the immediate physical survival threshold is different, which changes the urgency calculation for some people. The housing cost problem is the same regardless of temperature.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless people on Maui?
Yes, though resources are more limited than on Oahu. The Salvation Army Maui at 808-244-8690 and Maui Economic Opportunity (MEO) at 808-249-2990 are the primary contacts. Family Life Center at 808-244-0628 serves families specifically. The Maui Homeless Alliance coordinates the island’s CoC response. Call 211 first for current availability — Maui’s programs run closer to capacity than Oahu’s given the demand.
What is Hawaii’s Housing First approach?
Hawaii’s state government and Honolulu have formally adopted Housing First — a model that prioritizes getting people into housing without requiring sobriety, mental health treatment completion, or other preconditions. In practice this means most programs in Hawaii will not turn you away for active substance use, and you will not be asked to complete a treatment program before receiving housing help. This is a genuine difference from states with more restrictive approaches.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless veterans in Hawaii?
Yes — veterans should call 877-424-3838 rather than the general 211 line. Hawaii’s primary VA facility is the VA Pacific Islands Health Care System in Honolulu (808-433-0600), with clinics on Maui, the Big Island, and Kauai. Hawaii has strong veteran homelessness programs including HUD-VASH and SSVF rapid rehousing. The warm climate and military history mean Hawaii has a disproportionately large veteran population, and VA resources reflect that.
Is it true that homeless people move to Hawaii for the weather?
This is a persistent narrative that homeless service providers in Hawaii consistently push back on. Research on Hawaii’s homeless population consistently finds that the majority are local — people who grew up in Hawaii and were priced out of housing there. The “people move here for the weather” framing is used politically to justify less investment in services. If you are from the mainland and considering moving to Hawaii without housing secured, be aware that the weather does not offset the practical reality of having nowhere to stay in one of the most expensive housing markets on earth.
What if I am homeless on Molokai or Lanai?
Services are extremely limited. Contact Maui County Social Services at 808-270-7774 — Maui County governs both islands. Local churches are often the primary resource. The ferry to Maui opens access to Maui-based services if you can reach it. Call 211 for any community resources operators may know about that are not publicly listed.
Are there programs specifically for homeless families with children in Hawaii?
Yes. Families with children are consistently prioritized in Hawaii’s homeless programs. IHS on Oahu has family-specific facilities. Catholic Charities Hawaii at 808-537-6321 has strong family programs. Family Life Center in Maui at 808-244-0628 serves families specifically. Call 211 and specify that you have children — this changes the referral pathway significantly.
How long does it take to get permanent housing in Hawaii after a hotel placement?
Longer than most states. Hawaii’s Housing First programs aim for rapid rehousing, but the vacancy rate in Hawaii’s affordable housing market is near zero on most islands. The median wait for a Section 8 voucher in Hawaii is measured in years, not months. Emergency to permanent can take 6–18 months or longer depending on the program. This is not a reason to avoid entering the system — it is a reason to enter it immediately and stay actively engaged. The people who move fastest are those who respond to every case manager contact and keep their information current.