HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0589.037 2020-2022 l ncl
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From: Mari Ebersole
Sent: Tuesday, March 08, 2022 10:32 AM
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Written testimony for Bill 111
Aloha,
My name is Mari Ebersole and I am writing in support of Bill 111,which would appropriate at least 75%of the property tax revenue that is
currently collected from second homes valued over$2 million.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify and for considering this appropriation of money towards those in our community who are in need of
assistance.Although I am testifying in my personal capacity,I am also an employee of Hope Services Hawaii,the island's largest homeless
services provider.
Many of the programs that we utilize at Hope Services Hawaii have been proven to work—diversion,prevention,street outreach,street
medicine,rapid rehousing,housing first,rent assistance,and permanent supportive housing,are successful.These programs have allowed us
to serve 1,515 people this past fiscal year;and 88%of individuals placed into permanent housing remained housed for over two years.These
are optimistic statistics that show these programs are enacting positive change,but we believe that the maintenance and future success of
these programs have the potential to functionally end homelessness on Hawaii Island.The funding from Bill 111 can make that happen.
With federal COVID money drying up in September,and state funding that is unreliable and inadequate,we need our county to step up and
make sure that programs like ours are well resourced, so that we can continue to move the needle on homelessness.
I appreciate your willingness to further support these programs,invest in the strength of our community, and provide a long-term solution to
this issue. Please join me in supporting Bill 111, so that we can make housing and wraparound services accessible to our island's most
vulnerable residents.
Sincerely,
Mari Ebersole
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