With thousands currently living on the streets, Honolulu officials ramping up homeless programs

By Kristen Consillio

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Marilyn Giovannetti works as an educational assistant at a nearby school, but lives in a tent in Moiliili.

The 60-year-old mother of five has all but given up on finding a home.

“Just the rent alone just makes me not want to look,” she said.

Giovannetti has lived on the streets for the past five years and says it’s been impossible to find an affordable place to live.

“They just put a label on the homeless and that’s it,” she said. “We’re people, just like the people that own places.”

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration has laid out a five-point plan to help the almost 4,000 people living on the streets.

Part of the plan includes expanding the city’s homeless crisis response program, helping people be more self sufficient and developing more affordable housing.

“There is no place to go,” Giovannetti said.

City officials says they’re working as quickly as they can to create more housing units within the next five years.

“It’s definitely not getting any easier for anybody,” said Aedward Los Banos, deputy director of the city’s Department of Community Services. “There’s definitely a sense of urgency.”

For Giovanetti, that can’t come soon enough.

“Hope that one day I’ll be able to get back into someplace that I can take a warm shower again.”

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