Rights of Hawaiiʻs Homeless

Affiliate: ACLU of Hawaii
April 12, 2016 10:15 am

ACLU Affiliate
ACLU of Hawaii
Media Contact
125 Broad Street
18th Floor
New York, NY 10004
United States

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

The ACLU website guide, available at http://tinyurl.com/acluhawaii-homeless, 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 homeless 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 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, and more, are available at www.acluhawaii.org.

Every month, you'll receive regular roundups of the most important civil rights and civil liberties developments. Remember: a well-informed citizenry is the best defense against tyranny.