Decommissioned Navy Ship as a Homeless Shelter?

According to an AP report, if a Hawaii group has its way, retired Navy ships -- often used as museums, for training purposes or simply as scrap metal -- may have a new lease on life: as homeless shelters. The 642-ft destroyer tender Acadia was built in 1981 and sailed around the world several times with a crew of 1,500 before it was decommissioned in 1994. In January, Navy officials decided to dispose of, sell off or give away the vessel, which is docked at Pearl Harbor. Citing Hawaii's relatively tight land resources, a director of the Victory Ohana Prison Fellowship reportedly told The Honolulu Advertiser that Hawaii has to think outside of the box. A coalition of called the Acadia Acquisition Committee is reportedly negotiating with the state for a place to put the ship. Organizers are working to figure the cost of the program, which would first include getting the ship ready for basic accommodations such as air conditioning, revamped bunks and bedrooms. (Source: AP)