The city has about 30 fewer homeless people than it had a month ago because of a state program that provides free, one-way airline tickets to people who can show they have homes somewhere else.

Mits Shito, executive director of the Hawaii Housing Authority, said it's cheaper to fly people home than to keep them in shelters or in transitional housing.The state is taking advantage of special air fares that cost less than the $300 it takes to support a homeless person for a month.

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Most taking advantage of the program are from the Mainland.

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