Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Reasons For Homelessness Micronesians Omori
Reasons For Homelessness Micronesians Omori
Introduction
The problem of homelessness in Hawaii has reached
epidemic proportions. A 2003 survey done by the State
of Hawaii found that there were over 6,000 individuals
who were homeless on any given day in the State.
a
This was a dramatic increase from surveys done in
1999 which estimated Hawaiis homeless population at
just over 3,000. Although the data is not yet available,
another point-in-time count was done in January 2007,
and most believe that the number of homeless in Hawaii
has again grown significantly. Since the 2003 study, the
cost of living has skyrocketed while minimum wage has
essentially remained the same.b This has increased the
burden on Hawaii residents and has forced many into
homelessness. On the island of Oahu, recent cleanup efforts in a major community park uprooted hundreds
of homeless people who resided there, many of whom
were of Micronesian descent. Charitable and state-run
organizations were inundated with individuals in need of
212
Table 2. Ethnicity
Options
on Registration
Form*
Table
2. Ethnicity
Options on
Registration Form*
African-American
Korean
African-American
Korean
Alaskan NativeAlaskan Native
Kosraean
Kosraean
American Indian
Laotian
American Indian
Laotian
Asian, Other Asian, Other
Marshallese Marshallese
Cambodian Cambodian
Native Hawaiian
Native Hawaiian
Caucasian
Pacific Islander,
OtherIslander, Other
Caucasian
Pacific
Chamorro
Palauan
Chamorro
Palauan
Chinese
Pohnpeian
Chinese
Pohnpeian
Chuukese
Portuguese Portuguese
Chuukese
Filipino
Samoan
Filipino
Samoan
Hispanic, American
Tongan
Hispanic, American
Tongan
Hispanic, European
Vietnamese Vietnamese
Hispanic, European
Japanese
Other (asked toOther
specify)
Japanese
(asked to specify)
*Patients were *Patients
asked to were
checkasked
all boxes
that applied
to that
themapplied to them
to check
all boxes
213
Table 3. Causes
of Homelessness
on Intake Formon Intake Form
Table
3. Causes of Homelessness
Could not afford
rent not afford rent
Could
Hispanic, European
Vietnamese
Japanese
Other (asked to specify)
Developing
Human Resources in the Pacific Vol 14. No 1. 2007
Viewpoints
and
Perspective
*Patients
were
asked to check all boxes that applied to
them
Results
Demographics
The demographic data for
these patients are displayed
in Table 1. The majority of
the patients were females
between the ages of 19 to 40.
Most were either employed
or looking for employment.
The Micronesian patients
were comprised only of
people who self-described themselves as Chuukese,
Marshallese, and Kosraean. Eighty-nine percent of
these Micronesian patients were Chuukese (Table 4).
Gender
Male
Female
Total (N=82)
24
58
Age in years
0 - 18
19 - 40
41 - 60
>60
33
39
9
1
40%
48%
11%
1%
Ethnicity
Chuukese
Kosraen
Marshallese
73
1
8
89%
1%
10%
Health Insurance
Quest
Medicaid
Private
None
55
3
7
17
67%
4%
8%
21%
Total (N=49)
27
20
0
2
0
Percentage
55%
41%
0%
4%
0%
17
15
35%
31%
10%
10%
12%
2%
ADULTS ONLY
Marital Status
Employment Status
Single adults
Married
Divorced
Widowed
Separated
Employed
Unemployed,
looking
Unemployed, not
looking
Unemployed,
disabled
Unemployed,
homemaker
Left blank
Percentage
29%
71% 11
Table 5. Reasons
for homelessness in the adult Micronesian patients at the H.O.M.E. clin
214
Reason
Over-crowded housing
Number
26
Percentage
53%
disabled
Unemployed,
Developing Human Resources in thehomemaker
Pacific Vol 14. No 1. 2007
Left blank
12%
2%
Table 5. Reasons for homelessness in the adult Micronesian patients at the H.O.M.E. clinic
Reason
Over-crowded housing
Could not afford rent
Evicted
Physical disability
Family conflicts
Number
26
15
1
4
3
Percentage
53%
31%
2%
8%
6%
215
12
References
While many of these individuals may not necessarily
view living in a shelter as a problem, it was much less
comfortable for them to live without any shelter at all
prior to the creation of the new transitional shelters in
Hawaii. The cost of these shelters and their associated
216