Finding shelter on Oʻahu: the kinds of shelter and the ways in

Getting help · Published 2026-10-25

Black-and-white photograph of a huge spreading banyan tree in Kapiʻolani Park, its canopy shading the ground — A banyan tree in Kapiʻolani Park, photographed by Brother Bertram in the early twentieth century. Public domain.

There is no single shelter phone line on Oʻahu and no single front door. Instead there is a patchwork of shelters, each serving particular people, plus outreach teams and a city navigation program whose job is to match people with a bed. This guide explains the pieces and how they fit together. It is general information: details change, and the provider lists maintained by Partners in Care are the place to check current contacts.

In an emergency, call 911. For a mental health or substance use crisis, Hawaiʻi CARES is listed by Partners in Care as a 24-hour line at (808) 832-3100, and the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline answers by call or text. For domestic violence, the crisis line is (808) 266-7233.

The main kinds of shelter

Emergency shelters for adults

Several emergency shelters in urban Honolulu and West Oʻahu serve single adults. Some are for men or for women only; at least one, Keauhou Emergency Shelter run by Waikīkī Health, lists single men, single women and couples. Partners in Care's help page lists, among others, the Institute for Human Services shelters (one for single men, one for women and children), Shelter of Wisdom for men, and Kealahou West Oʻahu at Onelauʻena.

Navigation centers and pet-friendly options

Pets are a common reason people refuse shelter. Partners in Care lists two pet-friendly programs: Hale Mauliola, the Sand Island navigation center operated by the Institute for Human Services, and Paiʻolu Kaiāulu, run by U.S. VETS at the Waiʻanae Civic Center. Navigation centers combine a place to stay with intensive help on documents, benefits and housing applications.

Families

Families with children have specific programs, including Family Promise, and some adult shelters accept women with children. Family homelessness on Oʻahu rose sharply between 2022 and 2026, with 1,334 people in families counted in January 2026 (see the 2026 count). Most children counted that night were in shelters: 92 of 802 were unsheltered.

Youth

Young people have dedicated programs: Partners in Care lists Hale Kipa for youth under 21 and RYSE for youth under 24. These are also the coordinated entry access points for young adults.

Veterans

Veterans can use general shelters and veteran-specific programs. Partners in Care lists U.S. VETS contacts for the VA's Grant and Per Diem transitional housing program, and the VA runs its own homeless programs for eligible veterans.

Domestic violence shelters

Survivors of domestic violence have confidential shelters reached through the crisis line, (808) 266-7233, rather than through public addresses.

HONU: the city's navigation shelter

The City and County of Honolulu runs the Homeless Outreach and Navigation for Unsheltered persons program, known as HONU. According to the State's January 2026 report, HONU has operated continuously since December 2019 with funding from the State's ʻOhana Zones program, provides 40 individual or family beds, and offers 24/7 intake and referrals. It is designed as short-term triage: people stay while staff identify the right longer-term placement.

The report gives some measures of how it works. The average stay was 50 days, and over the previous 12 months 63% of exits were "positive", meaning a move into another shelter, family reunification on or off island, a boarding home, a medical facility or permanent housing. The State notes that longer stays usually reflect shelter vacancy problems, especially for households with several needs at once, such as multiple pets or a strong preference for a particular area. HONU also works with partners such as police and government workers to offer a low-barrier option to people they encounter.

Ways in, in practice

Outreach teams working in your area: see the Partners in Care outreach map.
The City's outreach program, CORE, reached through HNL 311 for non-emergency concerns about someone's well-being.
Shelters directly, by phone or in person, using the current list on the Partners in Care help page.
Aloha United Way 211, a free information and referral line.
Youth access points for people under 24.

What to expect at a shelter

Every shelter sets its own rules, and it is worth asking about them before arriving. Common questions include:

Intake hours and whether a referral is needed.
Who can stay together: couples, adult family members, children of different ages.
Pets and belongings: how many bags can be kept, whether there is storage, whether animals are allowed.
Curfews and daytime access.
Services on site: meals, showers, laundry, case management, health care, help with IDs and benefits.
Length of stay and what the shelter expects residents to work on.

Shelter is also the most common route into coordinated entry for permanent housing, because case managers there can complete assessments and help gather documents.

Beyond shelter: kauhale

The State's kauhale villages offer private sleeping units with shared facilities and on-site services. They are low-barrier and some specialize in seniors, medically fragile adults or people with serious mental illness. Referrals usually come through outreach and providers; see our kauhale explainer.

When shelters are full

Shelter capacity on Oʻahu has grown, but stays are long: the average stay in temporary programs on the island was 354 days in 2024, according to the State. That means beds turn over slowly. If a shelter has no space, ask to be put on its list, ask whether the navigation program has openings, and stay in touch with an outreach worker, who often knows about vacancies before they are publicly listed. Partners in Care also maintains a vacancy grid for providers.

For friends, family and neighbors

If you are helping someone find shelter, the most useful things you can do are practical: help them keep a charged phone, write down contacts, store copies of documents, and go with them to an intake appointment if they want company. Our guide to what to do if you are worried about someone on the street covers when to call whom.

Sources

Partners in Care, Get help (shelter and crisis contacts).
Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions, Report to the 2026 Legislature (PDF), section III: ʻOhana Zones.
Honolulu Emergency Services Department, CORE program.
Aloha United Way, 211 Annual Report 2025 (PDF).