What the heck has happened to West Hawaii’s rental market? The crap you folks are renting us hardworking folks isn’t quirky, it’s just plain wrong. How can a contractor do such shoddy work? What happened to pride in craftsmanship and ownership?
Maybe no contractors were involved. Maybe no plans, no permits, no inspections, in other words, no professionals or fees to the county and state. I get it if you have to frame in a room for tutu, that’s not the beef and by all means should be encouraged, it’s ohana.
No, it’s the greedy amateur property managers and unqualified builders thinking they can get away with scamming, skimming and skating the system, our system. A system designed during cave man times. Everyone must pay to play, you want our roads, food inspectors, police and fire, then you need to pay an honest share. In other words, they are stealing from you and me, the honest taxpayer.
Just because the system is so backed up and too complicated for some to operate in is not an excuse. In other words, the cheats are steeling from you and me, the honest. That money is needed to pay teachers and fix roads we all use.
So, they throw up whatever materials the box store has on sale, with whom ever will show up on the cheap and sneak to throw up another addition to your illegal compound. All for under $1,000, as is the handyman’s code. That under the table loophole should be changed.
I wonder how you landlords sleep at night, good I bet on that big bed of $100 dollar bills from collecting cash money from your unknowing renters.
Beware renters, do not pay cash or half cash, half check, contributing to fraud by the IRS, that’s federal. The statute of limitations is seven years and punishable for up to seven years after you move out. You could get a humongous tax bill in 2028 and a $100,000 fine and jail time to boot.
The only way out of it is if you turn the fraudulent landlord in first. ‘Cuz they will for sure turn you in when they get caught looking at federal prison time plus 25% penalties and 20% interest with their personal fine of $100,000.
Google it! Yep, certified federal criminals and you are part of their crew. The junk you are renting us isn’t justifiable at the price you are charging. Some conditions are deplorable and unsafe, it’s just a matter of time for another fire taking out trapped kids, seniors and our neighbors.
The county should be embarrassed for letting it get so out of hand. Mr. Mayor, I know you need “cash now” but please leave the honest taxpayers alone and go cash in on the not so clever construction cheats and criminals.
Plenty of easy ways to cash in on these crooks. It’s not like they can hide a house.
Stop the illegal tax rip offs, sir, and collect from these cheats first before raising taxes on the honest hardworking folks of Hawaii who pay and pay and pay to elected officials to do the right thing.
Enough said.
David O. Baldwin is a resident of Kailua-Kona.
