Nighttime closures of Kapi'olani Park and Kuhio Beach start today as part of a city campaign to spruce up Waikiki and to discourage overnight camping.
But the homeless who remained there last week said they didn't plan to leave. They'll just move.
"It's harassment," said Misty Martin, who said she has slept in the park for two years. "The homeless are a target. It's just not fair. We're among the working homeless. We just don't have enough to make the rent and all. Now we'll just have to adapt."
Despite more than a month's notice of the impending closure, tents and about two dozen campers were still in the park on Friday. Barbecues, tents, belongings covered in tarps, chairs and bicycles were clustered in little camp areas.
The number of homeless in the park last week was significantly lower than over the summer, when camping peaked at an estimated 150 people per night. Having that many homeless at the doorstep to the state's No. 1 tourist destination prompted complaints from residents and resulted in negative national publicity.
The issue simmered for months, until Mayor Mufi Hannemann launched "Ma-lama 'o Waikiki" on March 12 to address the situation. Now, park users and merchants say the effort has made a difference.
"The cleanup has gone really well," said Rick Egged, president of the Waikiki Improvement Association. "It's made a big difference in the appearance and the sanitation of the park. I am happy with what they're doing. I'm already hearing good comments, from residents and those who use the park on a regular basis, that things are much improved."
Kapi'olani Park is used daily by large numbers of walkers, runners, soccer players, youth sports participants, tennis players, archers and others.
"It will be nice to have the restrooms and other facilities spruced up," said Keith Johnson, a tennis player who voluntarily helps maintain the courts. "A lot of visitors use these courts. The homeless camps do detract from the courts and the community.
"I've been around here for many years, and it's tough to care for the park when it's so heavily used," he said.
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