It's no secret thousands of people in Hawaii are homeless.
"The position is we do recognize that homeless in itself is not a crime," said Major Michael Moses of the Honolulu Police Department.
But with homelessness comes added crime and safety concerns.
In an effort to reduce crime and eliminate homelessness lawmakers are looking at several proposals to tackle the situation including the creation of Safe Zones
Areas designated specifically for the homeless to stay complete with showers, toilets and storage lockers.
"When Aala Park was designated a Safe Zone unfortunately that idea failed because there was a lack of organization a lack of management," said Major Moses.
The Honolulu Police Department says it does not support nor oppose the plan, but experienced what it was like working with a Safe Zone 20 years ago.
"No security and it basically all it did was create a huge public safety issue for us to deal with," said Major Moses.
HPD says these updated safe zones would need security but some say this isn't the magic bullet.
"So all I am saying is that we don't give up on them however I just don't believe the Safe Zone concept is the right vehicle to address what you are trying to achieve," said community services department director Debbie Kim Morikawa.
City officials say now more than ever the homeless need programs and affordable housing to get off the streets.
"We're now getting to the point of those individuals that really it takes a lot more encouragement incentivization and disincentivization to get them into programs."
