New Publication: Rights of Hawaiiʻs Homeless

The ACLU of Hawai‘i Foundation (ACLU) today announced the publication of a “know your rights” guide for houseless individuals impacted by City & County of Honolulu sweeps to enforce the Stored Property Ordinance and the Sidewalk Nuisance Ordinance.

The ACLU guide details the rights most often affected during a sweep, including the right to retrieve property prior to a sweep, what items must be stored by the City, and how to reclaim property taken by the City. A printed version and several language translations are also planned. The guide also includes information about local shelters, community resources, and the voting rights of the houseless in Hawai‘i.

“Many of the rights outlined in the guide resulted from the U.S. District Court’s order in the Martin v. City and County of Honolulu lawsuit, brought by the ACLU and the law firm of Alston Hunt Floyd and Ing, in response to City sweeps,” the organization said in a press release.

The guide is the latest in a collection of Hawai‘i-specific “Know Your Rights” materials that the local ACLU has created, including a “First Amendment Toolkit” and a “Youth Rights Guide.”  These resources are available at acluhawaii.org.