New University of Hawaii President Hopes to Re-Establish Trust with Community and State

The University of Hawaii's Board of Regents has unanimously voted to appoint David Lassner to be the new president of the University.  Lassner has been the school's vice president for information technology and the chief information officer since 2007 and has worked at the University of Hawaii since 1977 in various technical and management roles.  Lassner will assume the role of University President on September 1, 2013.

David Lassner is inheriting a system which has recently been under a lot of public scrutiny after several major blunders have shaken the public and state's confidence in the university's leadership and had raised questions about its operations and accountability.  Lassner stated, "It's an opportunity and, after what UH has gone through, probably an obligation to serve UH and Hawaii.  I think we do have healing to do, and that probably starts with listening and establishing trust that people's concerns were heard."  Lassner added, "I think the university does a bunch of wonderful things, we graduate students, we do great research, we're working hard to improve the lives of people in every community, and that's what I hope to spend most of my time focusing on.  That said, I think we have to be straightforward, I think we have to do what we say we're going to do and we really have to communicate pretty relentlessly about positive things going on rather than dwell on things that have happened in the past."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-31-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Hilton Hawaiian Village to Add Tuesday Firework Show

The Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort has announced that it will be adding a new Tuesday night firework show to complement its Friday night firework show that has been running since 1985.  

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort will add a Tuesday fireworks show to its entertainment lineup, which has included Friday night fireworks since 1985. Regional Director of Marketing for Hilton Hawaii, Lora Gallagher, stated, "In the past, guests who were here for only 4.5 days did not get to see a fireworks show.  We are doing this as an added service for our guests, the community and the more than 90 shops and services at our resort. People have literally poured in for the Friday night fireworks show."  The first show will start on August 6, 2013 at about 8:00 PM.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-30-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

New Gated Community in Kailua Criticized Due to Abuse of Agricultural Land Status

Bridge Real Estate Hawaii has announced a plan to sell 23 agricultural land lots in Kailua on the hillside of Mount Olomana as a part of a new gated community neighborhood.  Advertised as "luxury Hawaiiana living at its finest", the lots will be over $1 million each and would require buyers to live on the property and use it for agricultural purposes.  Owners would be permitted to build one or two "farm dwellings" on each lot.  Lots are expected to go on sale over the next couple of months.

However, many area residents argue that having a couple of fruit trees, ornamental plants, herbs and other specialty crops is not the same thing as using agricultural land the way it was intended.  Chairman of the Kailua Neighborhood Board, Chuck Prentiss, stated, "It seems to be a way to get around having agricultural land protected.  It really is gentlemen's estates."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-29-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Oahu Residents Upset About Noisy Chickens

In 2000, former Honolulu Councilwoman Rene Man­sho, introduced the chicken noise ordinance which limits the number of chickens to two per household and prohibits owners from letting chickens make noise continuously for 10 minutes or intermittently for half an hour.  Under the ordinance, the fine for having a noisy chicken would be $50 for the first offense and between $500 to $1000 and up to 30 days in jail for two or more violations within two years.  However, some Oahu residents are very upset that the City and County of Honolulu is not doing enough to resolve the chicken noise problem.

The city has awarded Animal Haven a $60,000 contract per year to deal directly with chicken complaints. According to Animal Haven, they get about 400 complaints each month.  Under a recommendation by the Honolulu Police Department, Animal Haven issues three warning for violators to dispose of their chickens before forwarding a complaint to the police.  Animal Haven provides complainants traps to capture chickens, but are not required to capture them.  Resident note that under city ordinance no warnings are required and argue that Animal Haven or the Honolulu Police Department should remove the chickens immediately.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-29-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Kauai Anti-Pesticide Bill Sparks Debates

Kauai County Councilman Gary Hooser, has authored bill 2491, which would put severe restrictions and regulations on pesticide use on the Garden Isle.  The bill calls for the mandatory disclosure detailing pesticide use and the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), a 500-foot buffer zone around schools, hospitals, public roads, streams and shorelines, a ban on open-air testing of experimental pesticides, a moratorium on new GMO operations pending results of an environmental impact statement, and a new permitting process for commercial farms that grow GMOs.  Hooser noted that this would only apply to those operations that would use more than 5 pounds or 15 gallons of restricted-use pesticides annually, as well as those using any amount of experimental pesticides.  Hooser stated, "People are just very concerned and very passionate about protecting their health and protecting their children."

However, this bill has polarized many residents on the island of Kauai.  Some residents are delighted with the measure and feel that the use of pesticides has gone unchecked for too long. These supporters feel that more is needed to protect the public's health and the island's environment.  However, opponents of the bill argue that it would significantly hurt agricultural business and that they are already being regulated by federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration.  One company, Syngenta, stated that almost 90 percent of their available land would be unusable if the 500-foot buffer zone is in place.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-28-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Kamehameha Schools Plans Seven Condominium Towers in Kakaako

Kamehameha Schools has unveiled their plan to create a total of 2,750 units in seven high-rise condominium towers in Kakaako as well as 300,000 sq ft of commercial space.  Out of those seven towers, three of them would be built as luxury buildings fronting Ala Moana Boulevard.  The other four buildings would be a mixture of rentals and fee-simple units for middle-income families.  Kamehameha School's director of real estate development, Paul Kay, stated, "What we did specify in our overall master plan is that we would develop a diverse mix of products and that we were going to touch every income group.  To do a true master-plan community, you really do have to provide a broad variety and mix of housing types. The point is to have them across the entire district. Certain blocks just lend themselves much better to moderate and workforce housing, and some of them just naturally lend themselves to a higher end."

Below are the projects that have been announced by Kamehameha Schools.

SALT Retail Complex - Kamehameha Schools has already announced the building of a retail complex called SALT, which would be created by renovating old buildings in the neighborhood.

The Collection - Land has also been sold to developer Alexander & Baldwin, who proposes to build a high-rise tower and a low rise building with a total of 470 units called The Collection.  Alexander & Baldwin are still awaiting approval from the Hawaii Community Development Authority before proceeding with the project.

555 South Street - Developer Stanford Carr has announced that he will be developing a 40-story building at 555 South Street.  The tower will have a total of 600 units and Carr hopes to get approval and start building by the end of 2014.  The property will be mixed use and will feature the high-rise condominium, low-rise townhouses, live-work units, rental apartments and rental spaces.  555 South Street will cost about $300 million to develop.

Keauhou Place - Developer Stanford Carr plans to build another tower called Keauhou Place, which would have 450 units.  The building would be a mixed-use project with both rental units and fee simple units reserved for middle income units.  Plans call for rental units priced between $1,050 to $1,300 per month and units for sale starting in the high $300,000 range.  In order to qualify to rent one of the units, a tenant would have to earn less than 100 percent of the median income of Honolulu.  In order to buy a unit, the buyer would have to earn a maximum for 140 percent of the median income of Honolulu.

Halekauwila Place - Carr will also be building another tower called Halekauwila Place, which would be an affordable rental apartment tower next to Mother Waldron Park.  All units in the building will be rentals and none will be for sale.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-27-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Hawaii Pacific University Sells $42 Million Worth of Special-Purpose Bonds

Hawaii Pacific University will sell a total of $42 million worth of special purpose revenue bonds to help finance the redevelopment of the Aloha Tower Marketplace.  HPU plans to add student housing, new retailers and restaurants, and some other university facilities including an event center, more administrative and classroom space, and additional parking.  The renovations are scheduled to begin sometime during the 2013-2014 school year and the university hopes to have the student housing finished prior to the fall of the 2014 school year.

HPU plans to have a second bond issue sometime next year to raise an additional $38 million. That money would be used to improve their Kaneohe campus and their Oceanic Institute at Makapuu.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-27-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Increase in Number of Visitors and Spending for June 2013

According to a report released by the Hawaii Tourism Authority, visitor arrivals increased in June 2013 by 5.5 percent to 716,577 people, and spending increased by 7 percent from $1.31 billion as compared to the same month a year prior.  Per-person, per-day spending was also up by 2.4 percent to $197.50 from a year prior, and per-person, per trip spending increased by 1.5 percent to $1,824.10.  President and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority, Mike McCartney, was pleased with the numbers, but commented that it was very important for the state to work towards increasing and upgrading accommodations across all of the islands to maintain the tourism industry's recent success.  McCartney stated, "As we move into the second half of the year, we must be mindful that the world economy is fragile.  We will need to invest more to keep our market share and stay competitive. Hawaii has reached a point where prices for visiting the Hawaiian Islands has limited the flow of inbound business.”

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-26-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Hawaiian Airlines Profitable Thanks to New Routes and Reduced Competition

Hawaiian Airlines has announced that their earning have nearly doubled during the second quarter of 2013, thanks to new routes that the airlines has added and reduced competition by other carriers.  The company earned 21 cents per share in the quarter, or approximately $11.3 million, which easily beat analysts estimates of 12 cents per share.  President and CEO of Hawaiian Airlines, Mark Dunkerley, stated, "We maintained, when all that extra capacity was coming in, that it wouldn't be a success for companies, and indeed it wasn't.  We see some pulling back, which is kind of what we anticipated, and I think things are therefore heading in the right direction in terms of balancing supply and demand.  On our international routes we are seeing the strengthening of the dollar undermine some of the excellent results we have had in the last couple of years, but this portion of our business remains the core focus of our expansion plans."

Dunkerley added, "Markets sometimes do well and sometimes do poorly.  Last year the neighbor islands and West Coast was performing very poorly, and international was performing very well. This year we've got some improvements on neighbor islands and West Coast flying, and international — chiefly because of the exchange rates — is not doing so well. So we see this all as validation of our strategy of diversifying our route network so we're not overly dependent on one geography."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-24-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Allegiant Air Struggles in Hawaii Market

The low-cost airline, Allegiant Air, has not been doing as well as they had hoped for since expanding their service to Hawaii about a year ago.  President of the Las Vegas-based airline, Andrew Levy, noted that they do not have enough demand from the smaller markets that make up their company's business model.  Levy stated, "There's just not enough bodies there to support year-round service at prices that make sense.  So we're seeking another market or two that we can operate on a year-round basis because there's enough traffic density in the market, and that's what we think L.A. will do for us."

The airline has announced that it will offer nonstop service twice a week from Los Angles to Honolulu starting October 30, 2013.  However, they have also suspend routes from Boise, Idaho; Spokane, Washington; Eugene, Oregon; Pheonix, Arizona; and Fresno, Stockton and Santa Maria, California due to low numbers.  Some of these routes will be reinstated for the holiday season.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-24-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Update on 1108 Auahi Street and 1140 Ala Moana Blvd Towers

The Howard Hughes Corporation has submitted their request to the Hawaii Community Development Authority to build two additional towers at 1108 Auahi Street and at 1140 Ala Moana Blvd.  The tower that is going to be built at 1108 Auahi Street, where the Pier 1 Imports building is currently located, will feature a total of 318 units. The tower that will be built at 1140 Ala Moana Blvd will only have 177 units but this tower will be considered an luxury property with direct ocean views overlooking Ala Moana Beach Park.  This second tower will be built on the parking lot across the street on the ocean side from the Ward theater complex.

The Hughes Corp is requesting a couple of minor variances from the HCDA.  For 1108 Auahi Street, the request is to build the parking garage a total of 75 feet high, a total of 10 feet higher then the 65 foot limit currently in place.  As for 1140 Ala Moana Blvd, Hughes Corp is requesting that the building be built only 30 feet away from Kamakee Street, as opposed to the 75 foot setback that is required.  Their parking garage will also be slightly higher, with one part reaching 77 feet high.  The Hawaii Community Development Authority will allow the public to comment on August 3 and on August.  They will then meet on August 21, 2013 to vote on the requests made by the Hughes Corporation

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-23-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Two New Coast Guard Ships to Be Funded and Based in Honolulu

United States Senator Brian Schatz has announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee has approved $632 million to fund two new Coast Guard ships in Honolulu.  The vessels will be National Security Cutters, each 418-foot long with the ability to conduct long range patrols with duties including fisheries enforcement, drug interdiction, search and rescue and other national security missions.  The new ships would have a 12,000 nautical-mile range over 60 days, as compared to the 9,600 nautical-mile range over 45 days that the older vessels have.

Senator Schatz commented, "The Senate took a big step in approving resources for the Coast Guard to build two National Security Cutters and bring them to Hawaii.  The National Security Cutter is the most technologically advanced ship in the Coast Guard's fleet. Bringing these two new cutters to Honolulu will give the 14th Coast Guard District the capability it needs to safeguard Hawaii's maritime interests."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-23-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Modest Living Income Calculated At $78,000 for Honolulu

According to a study released by the Economic Policy Institute, a household of two adults and two children would need to earn approximately $78,000 a year "to attain a secure yet modest living standard" in Hono­lulu. This equates to approximately $6,500 per month for housing, food, child care, transportation, health care and other necessities and taxes.  The study estimates that the highest monthly costs would be housing, about $1,314 per month, child care at $1,315 per month, and health care at $1,349 per month.  

Ivette Stern, the Kids Count project director at the Center on the Family, commented, "When you have housing taking a huge part of the budget, that means there is less resources available for other things. Families may not necessarily have a lot of options in what type of child care they use, they may not be able to buy all the school supplies or enroll kids in extracurricular activities, all things that are healthy for their development.  Several years out of the recession, we still see the number of children that are in poverty increasing.  Families are spending more than a third of their income on housing. We had a lot of families already living on the edge. We're still seeing conditions getting worse. Families are still struggling to come out of that deep hole."

To access the full report, go to www.epi.org/types/report

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-22-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Honolulu Mayor Signs No Smoking Bill for All Beaches and Bus Stops

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell has signed two new bills into law which will stop prohibit smoking from all bus stops and all city-run recreational areas on Oahu.  Recreational areas would include all beaches, parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and athletic fields.  There will be a $100 penalty for the first violation and up to $500 for three or more violations.  The laws will go into effect on January 1, 2014.

Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson commented, "It's a solid step in the right direction toward sound public policy.  I look forward to this ban taking effect and to preserving all of our health."

There has been concern that smokers will simply step into the water and smoke there, since that would officially be the responsibility of the state and not the city.  However, Mayor Caldwell stated, "We're a nation of laws, and for most of us we abide by those laws.  I believe that when we know you can't smoke in parks, we won't smoke in parks."  The mayor added that the city will ask the state for the right to enforce the non smoking ban in the water along the shoreline. Caldwell added, "We have this executive order signed by the state of Hawaii that basically gives the City and County of Hono­­lulu at this park (Kuhio Beach Park) jurisdiction into the water.  If someone wants to walk into water and smoke a cigarette here, it'll be enforced, and they will be told to stop. So we hope people aren't going to do that to thumb their noses at what is a very good law."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-22-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Waikiki Sewer Repairs Completed After 7 Years

In 2006, heavy rain created a break in one of the main sewer pipes in Waikiki and caused 48 million gallons of untreated sewage to flow in the Ala Wai Canal.  This lead to a $42.7 million project to install a 5,800 foot long, 72 inch wide sewer line that will carry raw sewage from Waikiki and parts of the McCully and Moilili communities. The Waikiki sewer repair project has finally been completed.  Over the next two decades, the city of Honolulu plans to spend a total of $4.6 billion to upgrade Oahu's entire sewer network and treatment plants.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-22-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Commercial Hotel Purchases Boom During First Half of 2013

According to a report released by Hospitality Advisors LLC, $1.59 billion of commercial hotel purchases have occurred during the first half of 2013.  President and CEO for Hospitality Advisors, Joe Toy, noted that this amount of commercial interest in buying Hawaii hotels has not been seen in Hawaii since the Japanese bubble economy several decades ago.  The report notes that most of the buyers are actually large New York financial firms, but there are also commercial buyers from Japan, China and Korea.  Toy stated, "We began to see hotels start to trade again in 2012, but it really accelerated in 2013.  We finished June essentially at the same level as our best year ever. Knowing what's on the table and what's in the pipeline, we'll have a phenomenal year that far exceeds the 2004 level."

Colliers International's Director of Consulting and Research, Mike Hamasu, added that hotel sales may account for as much as 40 to 50 percent of the state's commercial sales volume for 2013. STR Global's senior vice president of global development, Jan Freitag, added that Hawaii's strong hotel performance combined with low interest rates are driving this hotel buying frenzy.  Freitag stated, "Roughly 8.5 out of 10 rooms every night for the first 180 days were occupied on Oahu. No other market even comes close to that performance."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-21-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Eight Public Schools Pilot Laptop and Tablet Program

State lawmakers have provided the Department of Education with $8 million to launch a program allowing eight public schools to give all of their students either a laptop or a tablet.  The DOE had originally hoped to get a total of $29 million from the state to have students in all public schools obtain a device over the next two years. However, lawmakers were uncertain if providing a 1-to-1 digital device per student was the best means of meeting the Common Core State Standards assessments.  

The eight schools include Keaau Elementary, Mililani Mauka Elementary, Mililani Waena Elementary, Moanalua Middle, Nanaikapono Elementary, Nanakuli Elementary, Nanakuli Intermediate and High, and Pahoa Elementary. Each student and teacher would get either a tablet or a laptop, as well as training on how to use Google Apps for Education.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-20-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Hawaii Residents Expected to Live Longest and Healthiest

According to study released by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hawaii residents that are currently 65 years old are expected to live the longest and healthiest lives as compared to residents of any other state.  The study predicted that those individuals would live another 21 years on average, and for 16 of those years they would be in good health.  The study noted that this was due to Hawaii's ethnic composition, good weather, access to health care and relatively low obesity rates.

Associate specialist for the University of Hawaii Center on the Family, Sarah Yuan, commented, "Longer life doesn't mean a good quality of life.  Healthy life expectancy is a modified measure that reflects how healthy we are as we age.  I think that is a very meaningful measure, more than the traditional one. The fact that on both measures Hawaii is ranked at the top, that's a good sign.  We tend to have a larger population of (people with) Japanese and Chinese background.  It turns out that the longest life expectancy is Chinese, and the second is Japanese."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-19-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Unemployment Rate Falls in June 2013

According to a report released by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Hawaii's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 4.6 percent in June 2013.  This represented the lowest unemployment level in nearly five years, since September 2008.  Finance and economics professor at Hawaii Pacific University, Leroy Laney, commented, "We're seeing a healthy increase in the job count and a declining unemployment rate.  The positive numbers are a clear sign the economy is improving."

Honolulu County posted a 4.7 percent unemployment rate, while Maui County had a 5.4 percent unemployment rate.  Kauai County had a 5.9 percent unemployment rate while Hawaii (Big Island of Hawaii) County had a 7.5 percent unemployment rate.  County data is not seasonally adjusted.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-19-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Filipino Supermarket to Open on Oahu in 2014

Seafood City Supermarket has announced that they will be opening up their first store in Oahu sometime in 2014. Based out of California, Seafood City caters primarily to Filipino customers, and plans to build their first Hawaii supermarket in the Waipahu Town Center.  The market will be just over 38,000 sq ft in size.  Retail experts believe this is an excellent move by Seafood City, especially since based upon the 2010 census data, more than 60 percent (16,000 residents) of Waipahu's population is Filipino.  Furthermore, the census reports that Kunia and Ewa Village, two nearby neighborhoods, are home to another 11,000 Filipino residents.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-19-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Thrill-Crafts Under State Review

William Aila Jr. the State Land Board Chairman, has announced that his department will be conducting a review of all water thrill-craft operations in the state of Hawaii to study the impact on traditional fishing and on the fish and coral larvae.  Under Hawaii Administrative Rules, personal thrill craft are required to operate at least 500 feet from shore or from a fringing reef.  Businesses may operate thrill craft within a 200-foot radius in state designated ocean recreation management areas.  Several members of the community testified that the thrill-craft are hurting fishing due to the noise that they create.  However, local businesses operating the water vehicles believe that they should be allowed to stay.  William Aila stated, "Our job is to balance everybody's needs."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-19-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

404 Ward Avenue Building Given Approval

In a 6-0 vote, the Hawaii Community Development Authority has given the Howard Hughes Corporation approval to build a moderate-priced condominium tower at 404 Ward Avenue.  This building, which has no official name yet, will have a total of 424 units.  Under its master plan, the Hughes Corp. would be required to make 20% of its 4,300 planned Kakaako residential units moderately priced. This means that only residents who earn between 100 percent to 140 percent of the median income for Honolulu county would be able to purchase those units. The 404 Ward Avenue property would satisfy approximately half of that requirement.  Howard Hughes senior vice president in Hawaii, David Striph, stated, "We are obviously very happy with the decision."

The Hughes Corp requested and was granted several variances for this project.  The first was a request to build the 404 Ward Avenue tower only 120 feet away from Kauhale Kakaako, an affordable rental building.  Zoning requirements previously required 300 feet in between the broad sides of a tower.  The second request was that the parking garage height would be raised to 75 feet to help create a smaller footprint of the building and to better accommodate ground-floor retail stores.  The Hawaii Community Development Authority has agreed to these items, provided that the Hughes Corp. includes a landscaped screen fronting the parking garage.

The Howard Hughes Corp has two additional towers being proposed to the Hawaii Community Development Authority at this time. One of them will be located on the site of the current Pier 1 Imports store at 1108 Auahi Street.  This building would have an estimated 318 units.  The second will be located at 1140 Ala Moana, across from the Ward movie theaters.  This building would have 177 units and will be marketed as an ultra-luxury building with spectacular, direct ocean views.  The HDCA will hold additional public hearings for these two project and will vote on their approval on August 21, 2013

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-18-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

No New Schools Planned for Kakaako Neighborhood

The state Department of Education has expressed their concern that no new schools have been planned for the Kakaako neighborhood, despite plans by the city to grow that community significantly over the next 25 years. Currently there are approximately 12,000 residents living in Kakaako, but with over 22 new condominium towers planned for the neighborhood, it is estimated that about 50,000 people will live there by 2030.  Currently, there are two elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school in the general area, though four of them are actually officially outside of the Kakaako neighborhood boundaries.  To make matters even more challenging, both elementary schools that serve the neighborhood, Royal School and Queen Kaahumanu Elementary, are currently at maximum capacity.  

According to Department of Education officials, normally when a developer decides to build a new community, the developer is required to provide land for a new school and put money towards the school's construction. However, the Hawaii Community Development Authority, which is the state agency responsible for regulating the redevelopment of the Kakaako neighborhood, has no such requirements for the area's two largest developers, Howard Hughes Corp. and Kamehameha Schools.  This may mean that the Department of Education would be responsible for finding a school site and paying for the school's construction.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-18-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

State and City Official Worked Together to Remove Homeless from Kaakako's Sidewalks and Parks

State of Hawaii and and Honolulu City officials worked together this morning to clear sidewalks and parks used by homeless in the Kakaako neighborhood.  The sidewalks fall under city jurisdiction while parks and parking lots belong to the state.  The Office of Hawaiian Affairs also had officials on hand, since some homeless campers have moved onto private land owned by that agency. Under City Council Bill 7 (2013), city workers are now allowed to remove any item deemed as a sidewalk nuisance.  A sidewalk nuisance is defined in the new law as "any object or collection of objects constructed, erected, installed, maintained, kept or operated on or over any sidewalk, including but not limited to stalls, stands, tents, furniture, and containers, and of their contents or attachments."  People may retrieve these items if they pay a $200 fee.  The American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii argues that Bill 7 criminalizes homelessness and their right to free speech.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-18-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Ewa Beach Homeowners Sues Developer Haseko for Lack of Boat Marina

A class-action lawsuit has been filed by the homeowners of the Hoakalei Resort and Ocean Pointe communities in Ewa Beach against developer Haseko Inc for failure to provide a small boat marina that connects to the ocean. According to the lawsuit, the homeowners are claiming that Haseko had lied to them and violated state condominium laws, land sale, and fair trade practices and breached an implied contract when Haseko decided not to build a marina for the neighborhood.  In November 2011, Haseko announced that instead of building a marina, they would build a land-locked lagoon.  Haseko stated at that time that there was a lack of demand for market-priced boat slips and that the cost was too great to excavate a channel from the lagoon to the ocean. This decision by Haseko, homeowners argue, has materially affected the value of their properties.  The lawsuit represents over 700 homeowners in the Hoakalei Resort and Ocean Pointe neighborhoods who purchased their homes before November 2011.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-18-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Water-Propelled Jet Packs Under Scrutiny

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources is current investigating concerns from residents about the unregulated use of water-propelled jet packs around Oahu.  Officially considered to be a watercraft under federal law, the jet pack allows users to shoot a powerful stream of water that propels users up into the air and holds them up over the ocean like a hovercraft.  The DLNR would have to determine if the jet pack should be redefined as a "thrill craft".  If it is a "thrill craft" then the department would be allowed to regulate its use.  Ester Kia'aina, the deputy director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, stated, "We were alerted by our enforcement agency that they had been receiving complaints from the public and have witnessed activities in areas that were of concern.  If they meet the definition of a vessel under federal law, they're able to launch off of any ramp, and that's clearly something we don't want.  Right now it's not clear what they are, and as a result a lot of people have been skirting the rules and using these units wherever they want, and that's wrong."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-17-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Castle Foundation to Sell 60 Properties Valued at $600 Million

The Kaneohe Ranch and the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation have announced that they would like to sell 60 of their real estate holdings, valued at approximately $600 million. The properties are located both in Hawaii and on the mainland United States and are expected to bring in between the mid-$500 million to the low-$600 million range.  The majority of the Hawaii properties are located in Kaneohe and in Kailua, leaving many residents of those two neighborhoods nervous of the direction that a potential buyer would like to take the commercial properties.  Kailua resident Rusty Niau commented that Kaneohe Ranch has "pretty much tried to keep Kailua Kailua, like what it was before.  If they sell it, who knows what will happen. Is Kailua going to turn into another Waikiki?  We don't want to change the character of Kailua.  We'd like to keep Kailua as much country as we can. It is a unique town. That's part of the beauty. At any point in Kailua you can look up and see blue skies. I don't want to be stifled or closed in by high-rises."

Jack Aaron, president of Aaron's Dive Shops, added, "I'm scared if it's a mainland company coming in.  The one thing about Kaneohe Ranch is they definitely employ local people, and they seem to really care about the tenants and the properties they manage. Will new management be going to want to raise rents a lot and change the way things are? The fear with new people is if they're all from the mainland, then you're going to have that mainland mentality."

Below is a list of properties that are being put up for sale:

KANEOHE RANCH PORTFOLIO ASSETS

Kailua Properties:
Kailua Town Center III
First Hawaiian Bank
Kailua Shopping Center
Kailua Foodland Marketplace
Straub Building
Hahani Plaza
789 Kailua Road Davis Building
776 Kailua Road
Kalapawai Cafe & Deli
Hekili Business Center
171 Hamakua Drive
156 Hamakua Drive
134 Hamakua Drive
160 Hamakua Drive
380 Hahani parking lot
Windward Town & Country I & II
Kailua Post Office
McKenna Hamakua Drive
Kanoa Estate
167 Hamakua Drive
150 Hamakua Drive
Midas
McKenna Windward Ford & Wheels 4 Less
Napa Auto Parts
Kailua Beach Center
Pali Palms Plaza and Pinky’s
Koolau Farmers Garden Center
Agricultural land
Sprint PCS Tower
Triangle parcel

Kaneohe Properties:
Windward City Shopping Center
Kalaheo Hillside
Telecom Licenses
Hawaiian Telecom

Honolulu Properties:
Kaimuki Shopping Center
Servco Honolulu
Tesoro Honolulu

Mainland Properties:
FBI Building in Mobile, Ala.
Nob Hills Foods in Mountain View, Calif.
Kohl's in Phoenix Red Sunset Apartments in Gresham, Ore.
Lowe’s San Jose in San Jose, Calif.
Miami Marriott Biscayne Bay in Miami
2000 M Street, NW in Washington, D.C.
One Bellevue Center in Bellevue, Wash.
Stanford Corporate Center & Telos Health Club in Dallas

CASTLE FOUNDATION PORTFOLIO ASSETS

Kailua Properties:
Kailua Town Center
151 Hekili St.
Kailua Village Shops
143 Hekili St.
Merchant’s Row
146 Hekili St.
Macy’s
Pali Lanes Bowling Center
HIC Surf
Macy’s parking lot
Aikahi Park Shopping Center
7 Eleven Shopping Center
Former Tesoro Kailua

Kaneohe Properties:
Servco Windward Toyota

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-16-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

State May Build Parking Structure Next to UH Medical School in Kakaako

The Hawaii Community Development Authority, the state agency responsible for regulating development in Kakaako, has announced that they are considering building a new parking structure and other public facilities on a 5-acre lot located next to the University of Hawaii's John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kakaako.  The lot, which is bordered by Keawe Street and Ilalo Street, was originally planned to serve as the home for the school's cancer center, but the University had decided to build the $120 cancer center on the ocean side of the medical school's campus.

Executive Director for the HCDA, Anthony Ching, stated, "As we believe that the university still has room for expansion, and as we believe in that vision and support it, we've entered into discussions where we would master-develop the lot.  While we develop appropriate university facilities there, we would also look to develop an appropriate regional parking facility and other uses like an innovation and technology park and perhaps some other public-facility-type uses, alongside what the university envisioned at that site.  The advantages to the HCDA serving as master developer is that we're a sister (state) agency not looking to profit, but support the development of university facilities. We're doing it as part of our function as a community redevelopment agency. Development is our expertise.  We'll leave to the university what educational developments would be appropriate and needed at that site, which is their expertise."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-16-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Honolulu City Council Considering Building Hygiene Centers for Homeless

The Honolulu City Council is considering creating hygiene centers where the homeless and others can take a shower, use the restroom, and wash their clothes.  City Councilman Joey Manahan is introducing the proposal and stated, "It's a compassionate approach to very basic needs that people have, especially the homeless.  Next to having a shelter, people need a place to go to be able to shower, go to the bathroom, do laundry and just get clean."  Manahan would like to create several centers in downtown Honolulu, Waikiki and other places where homeless current gather.  It is unclear at this point where the funding to build and maintain the hygiene centers will come from.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-16-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

University of Hawaii Athletics to Reduce Number of Complimentary Tickets

According to an audit conducted of the University of Hawaii athletic department, nearly $2.5 million of complimentary sporting event tickets are given out each year, causing significant concern by University and State officials.  The Hawaii State Ethics Commission issued an advisory stating, "Tickets, entry passes and parking passes to UH athletic events are state assets, i.e. state property with a relatively substantial dollar value. Distribution of complimentary tickets or passes to any person must serve a legitimate state purpose.  The commission does not agree that all aspects of the UH ticket policies applicable to the regents, system administrators and the (Manoa) Chancellor, in their current form, comport with the State Ethics Code, and has recommended that the ticket policies be revised to be consistent with the State Ethics Code.  Tickets and passes to UH Manoa athletic events are state assets, under the jurisdiction and control of the Chancellor. The State Ethics Code prohibits the Chancellor and athletics department from distributing these assets in a manner that creates unwarranted privileges or advantages or preferential treatment for the regents, system administrators, Chancellor or other UH personnel or anyone else.  Complimentary tickets should not be distributed routinely to community leaders or government officials (including legislators) by virtue of their positions."

For example, the University of Hawaii gave away 3,387 football season tickets during the 2011 football season, valued at $851,910.  This equaled approximately 16 percent of all football season tickets issued that season. The new athletic director Ben Jay commented, "We're looking at (restricting) who is going to be able to get those tickets this season and how many they can get.  In a way, that's lost revenue to us, but I don't know (whether) this is going to spur people to buy tickets."

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-15-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com

Residents Requesting Kaneohe Bay Harbor Masters and Agents to Work Weekends

Currently, the harbor masters and agents at Kaneohe Bay only work during the normal weekdays.  However, residents of Kaneohe are requesting the state's Division of Boating and Ocean Recreation to have the harbor masters and agents adjust their schedule to during the weekend.  The residents state that having harbor personnel on duty during the weekend out curb vandalism at the harbor as well as allow boating enthusiast an easier opportunity to pay their slip fees and obtain boat-safety checks.  Loren Lasher, a Kaneohe resident, is also appealing to state Senator Clayton Hee.  Lasher commented, "To me? Hello. We're an ocean island, and 90 percent of recreation is based on the water. And 90 percent of that takes place on the weekend."  Lasher will also address this concern to the Kaneohe Neighborhood Board.

Source: Honolulu Star Advertiser, 7-15-2013, www.staradvertiser.com
Posted by Jeff Uyemura-Reyes, Broker-in-Charge, REALTOR®
Global Executive Realty, LLC
www.myhawaiihomesearch.com
www.myhawaiicondo.com
www.myhawaiidreamhome.com