In yet another sign of the daunting challenges ahead in these bleak economic times, a new study reports the number of people relying on homeless shelters continues to rise. The annual report from the University of Hawai'i's Center on the Family shows a 7 percent increase in the number of people finding refuge in shelters; it's the fifth consecutive increase.

The study shows 7,501 people relied on shelters for housing statewide, 520 more than last fiscal year. Even more troubling is the fact that many of them — 39 percent — were children under the age of 17.

"A lot of times there are wait lists for these shelters — there are still a lot of unmet needs. We really need to strengthen the program to help people find permanent housing solutions so that shelters can then continue to help other people in need," says Sarah Yuan, the center's assistant specialist.

She's right. Effectively tackling homelessness means recognizing that it's part of a broader continuum, ranging from emergency and transitional shelters to affordable rentals and housing. Here in the Islands — where for decades residents have grappled with chronically high housing costs — many work multiple jobs to cope. About 30 percent of those in shelters, according to the study, were working full- or part time, a testament to the painstakingly high costs of living. That strain is sure to increase with job cuts, furloughs and more.

Accurate counts of the homeless is a difficult undertaking. While the study documents homeless who find their way to shelters and services, what's even more dire is the growing number of "hidden homeless." This includes those forced to find shelter with friends or family members; and the working poor without a safety net, who find shelter on beaches and in vehicles.

Encouragingly, the state has made some solid progress. Recent emergency efforts to add additional shelters to the mix provided some much-needed relief. According to State comptroller Russ Saito, the state's official "point in time" count of the homeless in January shows that while the number of sheltered homeless rose 20.9 percent from the previous year, the number of unsheltered homeless declined by 25.1 percent.

So far, two key state programs have helped cushion the strain. The Hawai'i Housing Finance and Development Corp., which focuses on increasing the stock of affordable housing, provides tax credits and other incentives for developers, has a goal of generating 5,000 affordable units within the next five years.

A second program to aid the homeless under the Hawai'i Public Housing Authority provides stipends to more than 40 shelters to defray costs.

"Short term, we need to provide for these programs. But long term, there needs to be more emphasis and building affordable housing," Saito said. "Any of the impediments to building affordable housings — zoning, permitting and regulations — that's what legislators can affect. Those regulations are in there for good reason, but we need to get rid of some of the inefficiencies in there."

That's a good start. In these critical times, lawmakers and elected leaders will be forced to make difficult choices, guided by priorities. Sheltering the neediest and keeping families in their homes must be among those top priorities.