HILO — Leilani Estates residents have had a front-row seat to the Kilauea eruption that has destroyed hundreds of homes and upended their community.
Now some say they want a seat the table with those making decisions that affect their lives.
Andy Andrews of Leilani said 126 residents signed a letter that was delivered to the county Wednesday seeking more transparency in decisions affecting their neighborhood. It also asks that someone selected by residents be allowed to attend government meetings where such decisions are made.
“We mostly presented it in the spirit of cooperation,” he said. “Although we were pretty emphatic it’s not something on our wish list. We kind of have an expectation of the need for transparency in government.”
Andrews said they understand and appreciate efforts to keep out people who shouldn’t be in the neighborhood following evacuations. But there are concerns decisions about access to the neighborhood, where the eruption started May 3, are made without consulting with residents or informing them.
For instance, he said he was surprised to find out at a community meeting a few weeks ago that residents could be cited or arrested for being in parts of the voluntary evacuation area away from their home.
“Part of our concern, too, is that things don’t show up in writing,” Andrews said.
He said the county did respond to complaints about the initial curfew hours and made changes.
The eruption has been paused for nearly two weeks, and it remains unclear if the fissures will reactivate. A mandatory evacuation area remains in place for the area from Pomaikai Street to the east.
Talmadge Mango, county Civil Defense administrator, said he attends meetings with community groups, and was meeting with Leilani residents Thursday to talk about what needs to happen to restore the subdivision if lava doesn’t return.
“That’s definitely something we’ve been doing,” he said.
But Magno said it might be too difficult to accommodate the request to invite residents or neighborhood representatives to agency meetings.
“To include all of the parties involved in these presentations, meetings would just be too cumbersome,” he said. “It would defeat the purpose of getting things to the point where it’s streamlined.”
No decisions have been made yet about loosening restrictions in the neighborhood, including access to homes that remain within the mandatory evacuation area. Residents can access only under escort.
As for restrictions on residents moving around the neighborhood, Magno said that was put in place early on to deal with people who were using placards to access the subdivision and burglarize homes. He said he wasn’t aware of a resident being arrested or cited because of that.
“I know there are situations where friends are visiting neighbors,” Magno said. “It’s up to the police officer to make that distinction.”
With the mandatory evacuation area still in place, Leilani resident Cheryl Carroll said they can’t access the Leilani Estates Community Center, forcing residents to hold meetings outside the subdivision.
She echoed Andrews’ concern, stating, “They’re trying to decide what’s best for us without consulting us or asking us what we need.”
Jay Turkovsky, president of the Leilani Estates Community Association, said the measures were making living in the subdivision harder than necessary.
“It’s like trying to keep road fatalities at zero by setting the speed limit at zero,” he said.
Magno said he understands residents’ frustration, but he re-emphasized that the volcanic threat is not over, despite the apparent pause in lower Puna lava activity.
“There’s no definite end in sight,” Magno said. “We can’t open up the subdivision until we’re sure it’s done.”
Magno said Civil Defense revisits its Leilani policies every day to determine if they are still valid and necessary as the state of the subdivision changes. If a policy is determined to have no more utility, then it will be abolished.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Email Michael Brestovansky at mbrestovansky@hawaiitribune-herald.com.
Your Government knows what you need, shut up and take it.
Well, you know what? I don’t care about your input. You decided it was a good idea to build or buy houses right in the middle of lava central, between two very recent lava flows, so your judgement is questionable to say the least. Rebuilding plans? You must be kidding, the vents are still smoking a few lots over!
You’re certainly living up to your user name today, Pest!
You know you make a lot of sense in your posts but your attitude comes across so negative, I think it has to do with your photo are you really that Pissed off with Life?
Complain about looting and when the authorities step up enforcement actions you cry? You want to go home then go home, don’t wander around the restricted areas taking pictures and bringing friends or media into the area to make an extra buck. County Government spearheaded by Old Harry Kim created this entitled attitude by insisting the government will make it better for them than before the Lava took their properties! How dare he dedicate tax payer monies for people who made a conscious decision to buy and build on an active volcano rift zone!
Very difficult and heart wrenching situations.
Part of what is being proposed by the counties ASK of 560 million dolls +- is to buy out property owners at pre eruption values and build a new community.
I doubt another building permit will ever be issued in the area.
I am just recalling from reading the ASK …that some 360 MILLION of that is to buy out and rebuild an entirely new community.
( A lofty vision for a county government that is fairly dysfunctional on a Good Day )
The county will burn thru Enormous chunks of cash if the ASK is granted.
Personally I don’t think the county is up to the long term realities and task.
All these proposals in the ASK assume that it is the taxpayers responsibility and DUTY and to make EVERYONE WHOLE that bought Private Property in Lava Zone One.
I don’t have anything except mixed feelings about that.
The government Making everyone whole is certainly the compassionate thing to do.
It is a very difficult and painful situation.
This is going to take a good long while with lots of frustrations, tears hurt and hope rolled into one.
I wish I did….but I do not have a lot of faith to putting 560 Million Dollars into a Union Run Political system……not day….not weeks….not moths but years.
Well I hope you understand that LOTS of malahini moved into Lava 1 so they could build a big, fancy house on the cheap. So why do expect the rest of us that paid for our property NOT in a risky lava zone to pay for their poor choices. How exactly did the county encourage people to build in Lava 1? Did they give out loans? Did they tell people it was safe? NO they did not. If you think risk is worth the affordability, excepting real Hawaiians, then you are confused.
I say they took the chance and lost. They could have had insurance. Life is a plethora of choices. Be careful why and how you choose.
Exactly. This is sending the wrong message to everyone: make ill-advised decisions, forgo proper insurance and then expect the County to make right your private decisions. Will the County cover my okole when an earthquake or hurricane hits? Will the County cover my okole if lava starts to flow again down Hualalai? Oh, wait, I pay good money every year to be insured against such catastrophes, so I wouldn’t need or expect help.
That said is Hawaii County going to make reimbursement of foreseeable loses the new norm? If so, I’ll take my insurance off my home and spend my money elsewhere. After all, why assume any personal responsibility if the County is going to cover my losses?
Spot on, my brother!
How about this as a concept? A private individual voluntarily enters into a contract to buy a property. There always has been full disclosure of the risks. End of story for who is responsible for loses.
Nothing else should matter.
There is no government responsibility here.
This is not like Flint Michigan with the lead poisoning or Love Canal, where the government does/did have a huge responsibility.
There were no guarantees made that the lava would not flow again; in fact, it is Lava Zone 1, and everyone who has bought property was well aware of this fact when they bought. Do I feel great sorry for their loses? Absolutely. Do I feel responsibility as a tax payer for their loses? Absolutely not.
Sad that so many have lost their homes. They should have been required to have insurance there, Hawaii recognized companies, just for this event. I looked at buying there but never felt comfortable with the LZ1 designation even though homes were 1/2 or less than the West side. Guess we all know why. The govt should provide low cost to zero % loans to those that want up to x $$ that’s about it; just so they can get started again if they decide to. We can be compassionate and sensible at the same time.
Can you say “stealin’ money” three times, real fast?
fail to see the point of your comment.
Better yet, those who are credit worthy should obtain loans from private sector financial institutions. Zero interest loans are only zero interest to the person who receives them. Tax payers will pay the interest costs, as well as the cost of setting up and administering the program, guaranteeing millions of dollars or costs just to run the program. The private sector will do it at no cost to tax payers, and with interest rates currently at about 4%, the costs to the borrower are not that high right now anyway. The Department of Hawaiian Homelands has millions of dollars of unpaid land leases they administer, and would could expect the same (or much worse) if our County tries to do the same.
No I believe the govt can and should help all who want with low %”loans. Taken in the big picture this would add zero impact to the tax Payer with the existing trillions dollar budget. You have to stop crying tax payer expense on everything every time someone wants the gov to help. Not talking free money just loans to catastrophic areas with low interest up to set amount not unlimited dollars. Hell they could use the drug dollars captured to fund this… Where do you think those dollars go?
Ok. I see you believe that below market rates on loans (no interest or low interest) have no impact on lender (the tax payers). So, how about providing me a personal no interest loan? I’ll take all you’ll give me.
Such is the absurdity of your claims.
All money has a cost; that’s why we pay interest on loans and government bonds pay interest, too. Money is not free and never has been. Add the cost of the money and the administrative costs, and I guarantee you that tax payers will be on the hook for a lot of money.
Let those who are credit worthy go to a bank or other financial institution and get a market-level loan, currently around 4% for a home on land. This is more efficient, and at 4% the current rates are extremely low and favorable borrowers.
Why perpetuate the proven track record of the government doing things worse and at a higher costs than the already existing financial systems? We already have a system that works and we know from history (see the Department of Hawaiian Homeland’s horrible record with collecting past due amounts) that our County would do a horrible job at a very high cost of administering a program like this. Let’s not look to the government to solve a problem that already has multiple solutions.
You must separate emotion to be logical. I never said below market rates I said low interest rates. Govt can lend to folks without the qualification requirements banks use that disqualify those in need but struggling. Loans like these would add nothing to the general taxe bill . Building a wall on our borders will do that. Simmer down
You can imagine that the County could set up a program, issue loans to credit unworthy individuals at an artificially low interest rate and administer the program at no cost to the tax payers, but it’s simply not true.
Interest rates on loans are reflective of risk of non-payment, but at some point a borrower is so risky (judged to be unable to repay a loan) that a loan is not given at any interest rate. The higher the risk of non-payment, the higher the rate. You’re proposing loans to people who not credit worthy, so, therefore, extremely high risk.
So, if you want the County, which by the way can’t even issue a building permit or a Certificate of Occupancy in many months, to go into the high-risk loan businesses, you have to understand that the loans would require a higher than market rate interest rate, currently at about 4% to adjust for the risk of non-payment (loss of the value of the loan).
Here’s why the County going into the loan business would be expensive to our tax payers:
1. Cost of setting up a loan program. Takes employees, attorneys, financial specialists. The County Band director is funded with a union contract for approximately $100,000/year in salary and benefits, so if you need to add 5-10 members to our County government to oversee such a program, you’re looking at several hundred thousand dollars a year just in personnel costs.
2. Cost of administering the program. Someone has to collect and record payments, and track down those who don’t pay. We’d also need a legal team to go through the foreclosure process when loans are not paid. The DHHL has millions of dollars of past due amounts; we’d have to expect the same or worse percentages for non-credit worthy loans.
3. Cost of the capital. The money would have to come from somewhere, and the only two options are Bonds, which require the County to pay interest, or taxes.
There is absolutely no way the County could do what you are proposing without creating huge costs and future obligations to our County/tax payers.
But, you miss the obvious.
We already have a financial system that is set up to do all of this at no cost to County/tax payers.
And, sorry, if someone is unable to qualify for any loans, they can rent, build up their credit worthiness, and buy at a later time. They are credit unworthy for reasons such as low income, high credit utilization, unpaid loans and bankruptcy. The government should not be in the business of solving problems that already have solutions available.
If you want to just give away money, then we just have a fundamental disagreement about the role of government and the value of tax payer money.
People are disqualified from bank or financial institution lending because they are not credit worthy. They have shown from their income, debt, bankruptcies, ect that they are too risky–at any interest level–to receive loans. These people should not receive government sponsored low interest rates, as they are not able to handle debt. They should rent, build their credit worthiness and then apply for market rate loans.
You are 100% delusional if you believe our County could set up and administer a low-interest loan program for people lacking credit worthiness and not cost the tax payers. This will cost a boatload of money now and well into the future. Please check the millions of dollars the DHHL has in delinquent payments and the costs it has administering its programs to understand the true costs of the government trying to do something better than the private sector can.
You are asking the County/tax payers to solve a problem at great cost that already has many solutions: banks and financial institutions.
You really went overboard. This was about people that lost everything due to disaster and don’t have enough cash to restart their lives They were not derelict and yes the fed can set up a loan at low to zero rates managed via banks like fha, fm for these individuals.
Yes, you did. “The govt should provide low cost to zero % loans to those that want” joedriver.
20 years ago the state had every resident read and sign a document that discussed the scientific odds of a flow happening in the next 50 years. It was under 5%
You could buy insurance on the open market until the 2014 flow too.
Royal Gardens residents were paid on their insurances in a far more “scientificly hazardous area. Don’t blame LE residents AFTER THE FACT!!!!!