HONOLULU -- About 100 people attended a community meeting at Washington Middle School to hear from state and city officials Thursday evening.

Residents said the homeless campers are obstructing the sidewalk near the McCully-Moiliili Library.

A library spokesperson said police officers are called to the library almost everyday for complaints against the homeless, including harassment and disorderly conduct.

“The problem really increased in the last year and I think that’s partly because they issued new regulations, banning them from the parks,” said area resident Stuart Coleman.

“McCully is being impacted, Kakaako, downtown, so those areas seem to have seen a growth in individuals who are homeless over the last couple of months, which is about when the camping ban really started to take effect,” said Darlene Hein with the Waikiki Health Center.

Residents say the number of campers tripled in the area after the city shutdown neighboring parks overnight

“There is stuff everywhere, and the police they can’t do anything because as long as there’s a passage way, there is not an issue,” said Coleman.

“It obstructs the passage way and it intimidates people from going to the library and walking on the sidewalks,” said Coleman.

A library spokesperson said police officers are called to the library almost everyday for complaints against the homeless including harassment and disorderly conduct.

“They are worried about the sanitation problem-- The smell, the whole thing gets very unpleasant,” said Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi.

Kobayashi said one of the issues is the homeless are not picking up and leaving during the daytime.

“Especially now that it is summer a lot of children from the neighborhood are afraid to go to the library,” said Kobayashi.

“People don’t really know and understand what it’s like to be out here,” said homeless camper Gayle Lee.

For two years, Yee said he has been homeless on this sidewalk.

He admitted arguments between library users and the homeless get heated.

“It’s usually a back and forth thing. Someone might say something and the others respond to that,” said Yee.

Not all library users said they are offended by the homeless, but said they don't understand why the homeless issue can’t be resolved.

“We just want the government to help them to find a job so they can get out of these things, that are not good fore them,” said 11-year old Alisi Fifita.