Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions (OHHS)

Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions

(SOHHS)

The Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions works closely with the Governor and his cabinet, to develop policies and programs to end homelessness. Working with community partners, Counties, and other government agencies, SOHHS designs, tests, and evaluates innovative approaches to address homelessness in Hawai‘i. The office also identifies and addresses gaps in the homeless service system; maintains a homelessness data clearinghouse, and coordinates the Hawai‘i Interagency Council on Homelessness.

Hawai‘i has become one of the most expensive and competitive housing markets in the world and we have a desperate lack of truly affordable housing for our people.  This is the root cause of homelessness here and elsewhere across the country. The permanent solution to homelessness is creating affordable space for our people to be housed and healed. That is the focus of this Administration and this office.

The office was formally established by Act 252, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, and is administratively attached to the Hawai‘i Department of Human Services.  SOHHS has a small staff of five, led by the Governor’s Coordinator on Homelessness. The GCH also serves as the Chair of the Hawai‘i Interagency Council on Homelessness.