On September 14, 2015, HPR launched a weeklong series bringing national perspective to our state’s homelessness problem. On the talk program
The Conversation (airing on HPR-2, weekdays from 8 to 9 a.m.), guests who have addressed the issue in their own cities, as well as across the country, offered context and comment on Hawaiʻi’s current status. They included such national speakers as
Matthew Doherty, executive director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness;
Dr. Sam Tsemberis, founder and CEO of Pathways to Housing;
Nan Roman, president and CEO of the National Alliance to End Homelessness; and
Jennifer Ho, senior advisor for housing and services to HUD Secretary Julián Castro. Each of the islands’ four mayors (Alan Arakawa, Maui County; Kirk Caldwell, City & County of Honolulu; Bernard Carvalho, Kauaʻi County; and Billy Kenoi, Hawaiʻi County), as well as Scott Morishige, Hawaiʻi state coordinator on homelessness, were also been invited to speak of their offices’ respective efforts. Additionally,
The Conversation explored how homelessness affects Honolulu’s arts and culture community.
HPR’s weekly public affairs forum
Town Square (HPR-2, Thursday from 5 – 6 p.m.) presented a roundtable of three representatives from Oʻahu’s top homeless outreach providers: Greg Payton, chair, Partners in Care; Sheila Beckham, chief executive officer, Waikiki Health; and Scott Fuji, interim executive director of PHOCUSED. As it is most weeks, the show was broadcast live and listeners’ calls are included in the archived audio.
