‘Trashy’: visitors complain over homeless encampment on Waikiki beach

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Feet away from the line of blue umbrellas providing shade for beachgoers at Fort DeRussy Beach Park, there is often a row of tents sheltering homeless people.

Unlike other homeless clusters throughout Waikiki and the rest of Oahu that typically sit on the outskirts of public spaces, the encampment sits right on the beach for all to clearly see.

“I didn’t expect it, I thought it would be a nicer area, cleaner, then you get people like that that affect the area, make it look trashy,” visitor Aiden Moffett said.

Some trash and abandoned belongings appeared to have been left behind this week, but there were hardly any tents after Department of Land and Natural Resources personnel cleared them out between April 1 and 2.

The effort was a part of a monthly, joint operation to remove homeless encampments at Fort DeRussy, as well as the Ala Wai, Hilton Lagoon, and Waikiki Beach.

“Fortunately, there’s not any around here anymore, but I do hate to see it anywhere,” said visitor Patricia Orr.

Several visitors have been complaining about the camp on the military reservation, with some posting about it on social media.

A few guests at the Hale Koa Hotel also mentioned the tents in reviews on TripAdvisor.

One profile from Santa Clarita, California titled their April 16 post, “Need to (get) rid of ghetto tents on beaches,” adding, “This year for the first time, homeless tents line the beach. Imagine renting the highest rate room and stepping out on the lanai to a view of a beach gone ghetto. Shame on you, Hawaii. Your biggest revenues come from tourism. Literally thousands of other vacation destinations exist.”

Other beachgoers were not bothered.

“If it’s not a bunch of trash all around, then I think it’s fine, and if they’re staying in their tents or not causing a mess, then it’s good,” visitor Landen Maley shared.

The U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii told Hawaii News Now:

“U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii is aware of the concerns regarding the encampment located on the beach near the Hale Koa Hotel and understands the impact this situation has on the community. We are working closely with our City and County of Honolulu, State of Hawaii and other local partners to help ensure the area remains safe, orderly, and accessible for all who use it.

Adding to the complexity of this issue, multiple agencies share responsibility for this area. The beach zone—from the beach walk concrete to the high‑water line—is under the jurisdiction of the State of Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, which is responsible for enforcement and any required clearance actions in that space. The area extending from the beach walk concrete to Kalia Road falls under the jurisdiction of U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii.

As part of a coordinated team effort, U.S. Army Garrison Hawaii will continue to support our partners in their response efforts, maintain safety for all users, and assist agencies and private organizations with the expertise to provide care and services to those who do not have a home. Together, we remain committed to addressing this issue in a respectful manner that considers the needs of all affected—those experiencing homelessness, visitors, beachgoers, and the broader community.”

DLNR responded to our request for comment with the following:

“The most recent DLNR cleanup of the Ala Wai, Hilton Lagoon, Ft. Derusy, and Waikiki Beach was April 1-2. Cleanups of this area occur about once a month during the late night to early morning hours and are typically joint operations with DLNR, City and HDOT working together to address multiple jurisdictions jointly. HPD and DOCARE both conduct patrols to support enforcement efforts between cleanups.

The military provides support by having Hale Koa’s security standing by to ensure no personal property goes on federal property. US Army Garrison Hawaiʻi has reached out to DLNR staff to see how the Army can assist further and are looking into options.”

City officials provided the following statement:

“This continues to be a coordinated effort between the City, the State, and our nonprofit partners to address ongoing concerns in the area.

We are working closely with State and DLNR partners to facilitate additional joint operations that will allow us to move forward more effectively.

Our focus remains on balancing compassionate outreach with the need to address illegal activity and restore the area for the broader community.”