Tom Brower

Who is Tom Brower?

Tom Brower is a Democratic House member of the Hawaii State Capitol who has represented the 23rd district— which includes Waikiki, Ala Moana and Kakaako on the island of Oahu— since 2006. Brower gained national media attention in November 20, 2013, for his public campaign against homeless residents during which he used a sledge hammer to destroy the shopping carts and possessions of approximately 30 homeless people.

Brower was born at Kapiolani Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii. His father, who is Caucasian, worked as a police sergeant; his mother, a Japanese-American, served as a schoolteacher. As a young child, Brower lived in Waikiki but he eventually moved with his family to Belmar and Spring Lake, New Jersey where he attended grammar school and high school. He graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and is a 26-year continuous Waikiki resident. He is known for his stance against homeless people commingling in urban areas.