LIHUE, Hawaii — Kauai County’s Housing Agency is hosting a series of meetings starting May 21 for the community to come together and develop a Five-Year Homelessness Strategic Plan for Kauai, according to a news release.

The meetings are categorized into four separate focus groups to gather varying ideas, strategies and concerns from different perspectives, allowing for more specific and efficient discussion – individuals who have experienced houselessness, neighborhood community members, social service providers and Kauai business leaders.

The county’s contractor, OrgCode Consulting, Inc. will be present to assist in developing the Five-Year Homelessness Strategic Plan. The process to develop the plan will involve engaging with the community, homeless service providers and people experiencing houselessness in surveys, focus groups, interviews and listening sessions.

All the information gathered throughout the meetings will go into developing a needs assessment and draft strategic plan that will be shared with the community later in the summer to invite more feedback.

Meetings are as follows:

Houseless Lived Experience Meetings: for those who are experiencing or have experienced houselessness.

  • May 21, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Lihue Salvation Army at 4182 Hardy St. in Lihue
  • May 22, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Hanapepe Salvation Army at 4465 Puolo Rd., Hanapepe
  • May 23, noon-1:30 p.m., All Saints Episcopal Church, 4-1056 Kuhio Hwy., Kapaa
  • May 25, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Kamalani Kai campground side of Lydgate

Neighborhood Community Meetings:

  • West Kauai Neighborhood meeting - May 22, 9-10:30 a.m., Waimea Neighborhood Center at 4556 Makeke Rd., Waimea
  • Anahola Neighborhood meeting - May 23, 4-5 p.m., Kanuikapono Public Charter School at 4333 Kukuihale Rd., Anahola
  • North Kauai Neighborhood meeting - May 23, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Anaina Hou Community Park Porter Pavilion at 5-2723 Kuhio Hwy., Kilauea
  • Eastside Community meeting and Food Bank - May 25, 1-3 p.m., Ohana Christian Fellowship at 4531 Pouli Rd., Kapaa

Social Service Providers Meeting:

  • May 21, 8:30 a.m., Liliuokalani Trust at 4530 Kali Rd., Lihue

Kauai Business Leaders Meeting: for business leaders in the community.

  • May 21, 5:30-7 p.m., Liliuokalani Trust at 4530 Kali Rd., Lihue

Sarah Yamanaka covers news and events for Spectrum News Hawaii. She can be reached at sarah.yamanaka@charter.com.