Kokua Line: Is person tested for ice before getting kauhale unit?

Question: Regarding the kauhale villages, is a person tested for drug and alcohol use before getting a unit? Specifically, are they tested for ice?

Answer: Not generally, as these government- backed, tiny-home communities follow the “Housing First” approach to homelessness, getting people off the streets and connecting them with social services to improve their lives, including by quitting drugs such as crystal methamphetamine, known as ice. Although a baseline is not established for every resident, alcohol and drugs are not allowed within kauhale villages, according to the Statewide Office of Homelessness and Housing Solutions, which provided the following response through the governor’s communications office:

“Most kauhale programs do not conduct drug or alcohol testing prior to admission, although some programs serve special populations for whom sobriety is a requirement. Each kauhale program is committed to providing a safe, stable environment for residents to heal and transform their lives. Drugs and alcohol are prohibited on-site, and all residents are expected to follow program rules and community expectations. Residents must conduct themselves in a manner that is safe and suitable for community living.

“Our programs strive to meet people experiencing unsheltered homelessness where they are. We offer meaningful opportunities for residents to engage in healthy, pro-social activities, including promoting drug- and alcohol-free living. When behavioral or health concerns arise, staff will address them directly with each resident.”

For details about Hawaii’s kauhale initiative and a list of projects, go to homelessness.hawaii.gov/kauhale.

Unsheltered people on Oahu commonly cite substance use as a primary cause of their homelessness, according to the 2026 Point in Time Count; read the report at 808ne.ws/oahupic.

Q: The Trump administration has proposed further restricting eligibility for SNAP, by limiting a policy that allows states, including Hawaii, to authorize SNAP for people who have qualified for some other type of assistance. How many Hawaii households will lose SNAP if this rule is approved?

A: Hawaii’s Department of Human Services estimates that 27,216 Hawaii SNAP households could be affected by the proposed federal rule change, emphasizing that the number is preliminary. “It is also important to note that this estimate does not necessarily mean that all of these households would lose SNAP eligibility if the proposed rule is finalized. As implementation details and final federal guidance are not yet available, DHS cannot provide a more definitive estimate at this stage,” Scott Morishige, administrator of DHS’ Benefit, Employment and Support Services Division, said in an email.

The public has until Dec. 10 to comment on the proposed rule, which you can read at 808ne.ws/snapreg.

SNAP, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides a monthly amount the recipient uses to buy groceries. As of December 2025, Hawaii and 45 other states use expanded eligibility criteria the proposed rule would rein in.

Q: What is going on at the Hawaii State Library? I went there Thursday to return overdue books and a sign said it was “closed due to a building issue.”

A: Part of the ceiling in an exterior courtyard walkway collapsed Wednesday while the library was closed for Veterans Day, a spokesperson said. The library at 478 S. King St. will be closed through Friday to assess the damage, begin repairs, inspect similar exterior ceilings and prepare the building to reopen safely. “We’re very thankful that the building was closed for the holiday when this happened,” Mallory Fujitani, a spokesperson for the Hawaii State Public Library System, said in an email.

All library events scheduled through Friday have been canceled. Due dates on books and other materials checked out from this branch were extended to Nov. 23. The book drop will be open during the weeklong closure.

After the library reopens, the damaged courtyard will remain closed until repairs are completed. Check librarieshawaii.org for updates.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email [email protected].