September 17, 2024 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Tuesday, September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 3:30 PM :: 1277 Views

Central Pacific to Buy American Savings?

Hawaii is 2024’s 2nd Worst State for Teachers

Maui County Council asks Legislature to Dump Water in Ocean in Effort to Keep Housing Scarce and Expensive

MN: … A proposed resolution that would add language to the 2025 Hawai’i State Association of Counties Legislative Package in defining the public trust purposes of the Commission on Water Resource Management moved forward during a Maui County Council meeting on Friday, Sept. 13.

Resolution 24-130, titled “Approving for inclusion in the 2025 Maui County Council Legislative Package a State Bill relating to the commission on water resource management,” lays out a recommendation and a path to legislatures that aims to require the commission, in acting upon water use permit applications, to prioritize applications for public trust purposes.

(TRANSLATION: Dump water in ocean via the ‘Venice of the Pacific’ water feature in the new tourist-friendly Lahaina.)

The resolution carried seven suggested changes to state water legislation including, defining the public trust purposes of the Commission on Water Resource Management (“Commission”) and requiring the commission, in acting upon water use permit applications, to prioritize applications for public trust purposes. The second change would be to allow the Commission to retain independent legal counsel. The third would be to repeal the position of deputy to the chairperson of the commission and establish the position of Executive Director of the commission. The fourth would be to amend the composition of the commission and administratively attach it to the Department of Land and Natural Resources. The fifth authorizes entities to challenge an emergency order of the commission under certain conditions. The sixth establishes fines for certain water use offenses. The seventh amends the commission’s authority to declare water emergencies and issue orders to address them and declare water shortages and related notice requirements

(Translation: Make the Water Commission powerful enough to block more housing so you people will have to move to Las Vegas.)

Two county council members voted against the resolution, with five voting in favor of passage….

HTH: Council members establish wishlist of legislative priorities - Hawaii Tribune-Herald

read … Maui County Council passes resolution relating to water rights legislation suggestions

Maui Push For Rent Control Bill to Make Things Even Worse

CB: … The association is calling on the County Council to draft new legislation that would establish a base rent, which would only be allowed to increase according to the Consumer Price Index — a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by consumers for select goods and services.

The proposal also suggested that all rentals be registered with the county, with fines for noncompliance, although landlords would be allowed to petition for an increase beyond the CPI to cover additional expenses.

Realtor Leil Koch, speaking on behalf of the Realtors Association of Maui, opposed any legislation seeking to control rent prices. Koch said more than 30 states prohibit the practice because it negatively affects the housing market by contributing to gentrification, increasing homeowners’ association fees and adjustable mortgage rates.

“What you are actually trying to achieve has the opposite effect,” Koch said, adding many states are suffering rental crises and there are no quick solutions.

Koch suggested the best way to increase the number of affordable rentals is by stimulating the development of more units by increasing rental subsidies, fast-tracking building permits, implementing re-zoning reforms, increasing allowable density and the use of commercial space….

HNN: Maui council to consider rent cap to control skyrocketing prices (hawaiinewsnow.com)

MN: Maui housing crisis at forefront of Land Use committee discussion

read … Maui Housing Advocates Push For Rent Control Bill To Cap Soaring Prices - Honolulu Civil Beat

DHHL Project to Kick 100s of Affordable Renters off of Kauai

CB: … The Hawaiian Homes Commission voted 6-2 Monday to pursue additional federal and state funds to acquire the 82-unit Courtyards at Waipouli complex in Kapaa after a state housing agency earlier this year rejected tax credits the department needed to purchase the apartments.

The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands plans to turn those units into rentals that waitlisters would have the option to later purchase. The project has been opposed by area residents as well as some waitlisters on Kauai who want homestead lots and not condo units….

The rents are anticipated to be below market rate and would depend on a tenant’s income level and the type of unit. They are expected to range from as low as $554 a month to $1,667.

Tenants would have the option to purchase the unit after 10 years, with their rental payments going toward the equity of the unit. They would also have the option to pass the lease on to their Native Hawaiian children….

(IDEA: Build new units instead of wiping out the only affordable complex on Kauai.)

SA: Kokua Line: Can I keep unemployement benefits if I leave Hawaii?

read … Project Back On Track To Buy Kauai Condos For Hawaiian Homelands Waitlisters

FBI Audit Slams HPD Unvalidated DNA methods—criminal cases affected

HNN: … The FBI Quality Assurance Standards audit was done between June 25 and June 28.

Hawaii News Now was provided a copy of the report after asking the Honolulu Police Department for it in a records request.

The report showed that HPD’s lab met most of the standards, passing on more than 160 points.

But there were concerning findings in more than a dozen areas, including DNA work….

Retired FBI agent Tom Simon said it was especially concerning that the audit found the lab does not use validated methods for DNA analyses.

“A crime lab that’s not following proper procedures is really running two separate risks. One is making a guilty person go free, and the other one is making an innocent person get convicted for a crime they didn’t commit.”

A high-profile felony case that was delayed because the audit results: a 2022 sex assault in Manoa.

Court records show prosecutors told the judge the DNA had to be retested just days before trial was supposed to start for Xavier Swofford.

Swofford is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at knifepoint….

Swofford’s attorney is Victor Bakke, a former deputy prosecutor.

“I gave my notice of intent to use an expert to challenge (the government’s) DNA evidence, they notified the court that they had to file a motion to continue because their testing was not valid,” Bakke said.

Bakke said the trial has been delayed months so the retest can be done in a lab on the East Coast.

Bakke said the prosecution told the judge there were “many” cases affected by the audit report.

Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan declined to be interviewed for the story but in a statement said, “The lab is working with the assessors to address and resolve the 14 issues identified.

The 13 nonconforming items have already been addressed, and the remaining item deemed as administrative action is currently being addressed. Once the final issue is addressed, all 14 items will be reclassified as conforming....

read … Unvalidated DNA methods among concerning findings in HPD crime lab audit

What a Concept! To Reduce Waianae Crime—HPD Flooding the Zone with Cops

CB: … Dozens of additional police officers are now patrolling West Oahu in an effort to increase the police department’s presence and deter crime after an uptick of violence in the area.

The reserve officers will be stationed at crime “hot spots,” including beach parks, the Waianae Boat Harbor and around shopping centers, Honolulu Police Chief Joe Logan said after a town hall on public safety at Nanakuli High School on Monday night.

Some reserve officers will also be patrolling the valleys to increase visibility there, he said.

Logan said the additional officers began patrolling in the District 8 area late last week. He did not want to say specifically how many officers would be on the streets but said the number is between eight and 20 per shift, depending on how many sign up.

But Mayor Rick Blangiardi, who has been meeting in recent days with Logan and other officials, said around 12 reserve officers per shift will be sent to District 8, which stretches from Ewa Beach to Kaena Point. …

read … HPD Is Adding Dozens Of Extra Police Officers To Westside Patrols - Honolulu Civil Beat

Will Medical Bum Flop Keep Homeless from Clogging up Emergency Rooms?

HNN: … City leaders on Monday unveiled a new facility providing shelter and medical respite care to Oahu’s homeless population.

ʻAʻala Respite, managed by Dr. Scott Miscovich and Premiere Medical Group Hawaii, features 32 new medical treatment beds and 30 kauhale (tiny homes) for use as transitional housing.

Two of the beds will be used for the same purposes as an urgent care, meaning homeless individuals who aren’t ‘A’ala residents can still receive immediate care.

“What we had was this cycle of streets, EMS, ER, then back to the streets. Streets, EMS, ER, round and round and so we knew very early we needed to do something different. This center here, this respite, at ‘A’ala is the answer,” said Dr. Jim Ireland, director of Honolulu Emergency Services Department….

The new ‘A’ala respite is just one of several facilities the state and city intends to open in the coming months.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced there will be two more opening next month in Wahiawa and Hauula.

There are currently 12, verging on 18, facilities statewide so far. The goal is to open 30 facilities that will each address different markets of Hawaii’s homeless population.

“Now we have a place to bring people,” Ireland said. “They can see a doctor, they can get on the right medications, we can interrupt that cycle of streets, ER, back to the streets. And it will ultimately save lives. It will take care of people, but it will also save millions of dollars in unnecessary healthcare costs.”…

NR: Episode 77: Dr. Scott Miscovich on COVID-19 testing and a new homeless medical respite | Office of the Mayor (honolulu.gov)

KHON: New facility to provide shelter, care for Oahu's medically vulnerable homeless (youtube.com)

KHON: Honolulu EMS head shares plan to address staffing issues (khon2.com)

SA: City, state unveil medical respite to provide care for the homeless

read … ‘It will save lives’: City leaders unveil new medical services facility for Oahu’s homeless

Six Months to Clear 44 Bums from Farmland outside Wahiawa

SN: … Over six months of community work by the AgriBusiness Development Corporation, Wahiawa community, the City and County of Honolulu and nonprofit partners have led to 44 houseless individuals in Wahiawa being placed in shelters or reunited with loved ones, announced the ADC last week….

read … ADC collaboration helps houseless individuals in Wahiawa

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