Latest news with #Kaimuki
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'It's just ugly': Hawaii residents fed up with 'monster home' that's been standing 'derelict' for 3 years
Nestled in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kaimuki, a partially constructed building at 3615 Sierra Drive has become a focal point of contention. One of Hawaii's so-called 'monster homes' — unusually large residences, sometimes occupied by dozens of people — the structure has stood incomplete for three years, drawing criticism from residents and scrutiny from city officials. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) 'It's really just a disguised apartment house with inadequate parking, so as a nearby resident, I think it really should just be torn down,' a Kaimuki resident said, according to KHON2 News in a story published May 27. Here's the story behind the property, and why residents are so unhappy. Three years ago, the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) revoked the property's building permit after discovering discrepancies between the approved plans and the actual construction, per KHON2 News. A report by Hawai'i Public Radio says the structure exceeded the city's floor area ratio threshold, had more bathrooms and wet bars than permitted and lacked sufficient side and rear yards. After an appeal by the property owner was denied, new building permit applications to comply with the ordinance were filed, which are under review by the DPP, according to KHON2 News. A department spokesperson told the local broadcaster 'the owner must pay a triple fee penalty for the permit, and possibly remove any portions of the work that do not comply with the monster homes ordinance.' The DPP also noted that since 2022, 17 building permits have been revoked as part of a crackdown on such developments. Meanwhile, residents have voiced concerns about this particular unfinished building attracting illegal activity and being an eyesore. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it 'I don't think you can let these houses just sit there derelict indefinitely,' Elaine Evans told KHON2 News. Another resident, Daniel, told the broadcaster: 'Unfortunately, this monster home is very visible, that's the problem … It's just ugly.' Honolulu City Councillor Tyler Dos Santos-Tam spoke with KHON2 News last year to explain why monster homes can be a problem, particularly the one at 3615 Sierra Drive. He described these homes as large and often stretching to the border of the lot. 'Frequently, you'll see numerous entry points — disguised as back doors or side doors — but really serving as the entrances to separate units. Monster homes will have dozens of bedrooms. At 3615 Sierra Drive, for example, the building had 19 bathrooms and 21 bedrooms.' Unlike other parts of the city where there are high-rise buildings, this building was located in Kaimuki, 'where no house has more than, say, five bedrooms,' Dos Santos-Tam said. Since the neighborhood wasn't designed with high-density housing in mind, a monster home could potentially lead to problems. 'Assuming each bedroom goes to a separate person — which it often does — that's potentially 21 new cars using street parking. That's 21 new people using the area infrastructure — electrical, plumbing, water. That's 21 new people who often aren't attuned to the surrounding community. And this is assuming those people don't have spouses, children, pets, etc.' Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'It's just ugly': Hawaii residents fed up with 'monster home' that's been standing 'derelict' for 3 years
Nestled in the Honolulu neighborhood of Kaimuki, a partially constructed building at 3615 Sierra Drive has become a focal point of contention. One of Hawaii's so-called 'monster homes' — unusually large residences, sometimes occupied by dozens of people — the structure has stood incomplete for three years, drawing criticism from residents and scrutiny from city officials. Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don't have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how I'm 49 years old and have nothing saved for retirement — what should I do? Don't panic. Here are 6 of the easiest ways you can catch up (and fast) Nervous about the stock market in 2025? Find out how you can access this $1B private real estate fund (with as little as $10) 'It's really just a disguised apartment house with inadequate parking, so as a nearby resident, I think it really should just be torn down,' a Kaimuki resident said, according to KHON2 News in a story published May 27. Here's the story behind the property, and why residents are so unhappy. Three years ago, the Department of Planning and Permitting (DPP) revoked the property's building permit after discovering discrepancies between the approved plans and the actual construction, per KHON2 News. A report by Hawai'i Public Radio says the structure exceeded the city's floor area ratio threshold, had more bathrooms and wet bars than permitted and lacked sufficient side and rear yards. After an appeal by the property owner was denied, new building permit applications to comply with the ordinance were filed, which are under review by the DPP, according to KHON2 News. A department spokesperson told the local broadcaster 'the owner must pay a triple fee penalty for the permit, and possibly remove any portions of the work that do not comply with the monster homes ordinance.' The DPP also noted that since 2022, 17 building permits have been revoked as part of a crackdown on such developments. Meanwhile, residents have voiced concerns about this particular unfinished building attracting illegal activity and being an eyesore. Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says — and that 'anyone' can do it 'I don't think you can let these houses just sit there derelict indefinitely,' Elaine Evans told KHON2 News. Another resident, Daniel, told the broadcaster: 'Unfortunately, this monster home is very visible, that's the problem … It's just ugly.' Honolulu City Councillor Tyler Dos Santos-Tam spoke with KHON2 News last year to explain why monster homes can be a problem, particularly the one at 3615 Sierra Drive. He described these homes as large and often stretching to the border of the lot. 'Frequently, you'll see numerous entry points — disguised as back doors or side doors — but really serving as the entrances to separate units. Monster homes will have dozens of bedrooms. At 3615 Sierra Drive, for example, the building had 19 bathrooms and 21 bedrooms.' Unlike other parts of the city where there are high-rise buildings, this building was located in Kaimuki, 'where no house has more than, say, five bedrooms,' Dos Santos-Tam said. Since the neighborhood wasn't designed with high-density housing in mind, a monster home could potentially lead to problems. 'Assuming each bedroom goes to a separate person — which it often does — that's potentially 21 new cars using street parking. That's 21 new people using the area infrastructure — electrical, plumbing, water. That's 21 new people who often aren't attuned to the surrounding community. And this is assuming those people don't have spouses, children, pets, etc.' Rich, young Americans are ditching the stormy stock market — here are the alternative assets they're banking on instead How much cash do you plan to keep on hand after you retire? Here are 3 of the biggest reasons you'll need a substantial stash of savings in retirement Robert Kiyosaki warns of a 'Greater Depression' coming to the US — with millions of Americans going poor. But he says these 2 'easy-money' assets will bring in 'great wealth'. How to get in now Here are 5 'must have' items that Americans (almost) always overpay for — and very quickly regret. How many are hurting you? Like what you read? Join 200,000+ readers and get the best of Moneywise straight to your inbox every week. This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
How do illegal animals make their way to Hawaiʻi — and what happens when they're found?
HONOLULU (KHON2) — A Kaimuki man on June 3, and officials with the Hawaiʻi Department of Agriculture (HDOA) safely captured it. After the snake was captured, officials said it was being 'safeguarded' at the Plant Quarantine Branch (PQB). KHON2 spoke with Jonathan Ho, Plant Quarantine Branch Manager with the HDOA, to learn more about what comes next — and how these types of animals make it into Hawaiʻi in the first place. Ho said that, while there are regulations in place to prevent certain plants and animals from coming into Hawaiʻi, other states may not be looking to stop the transportation of those plants and animals because they are not as regulated elsewhere. Illegal 3.5-foot-long snake captured in Kaimuki backyard 'The regulations are designed to help protect the native and the natural resources that the state has,' Ho told KHON2. 'As it relates to plants and other things, they're all subject to inspection upon entry… staff are looking for diseases, whether that be insects, plant pests, frogs, whatever that may be.' When people travel to Hawaiʻi from the mainland, they are required to fill out a form to declare any agricultural items, including plants, animals, soil and more. If any agricultural items are being brought, they are subject to inspection upon arrival. So, how do some animals (like the snake in Kaimuki) get past that inspection? 'It's very easy for somebody to potentially smuggle one in when nobody's really looking for it except a small number of staff in the state,' Ho said. The ball python found in Kaimuki is not the first python that has been captured in Hawaiʻi. As recently as April 2024, a . In February 2021, HDOA inspectors . However, Ho said residents should not be concerned about the snakes, as ball pythons are common pets. He said in these situations, a snake was likely smuggled into the state as a pet before getting lost: 'Snakes are very good escape artists.' If you are concerned about an illegal animal, or if you see one in your area, you are encouraged to call 808-643-PEST (7378), which is the state's toll-free and confidential pest hotline. In Hawaiʻi, it is illegal to bring in or possess invasive bird species, invasive aquatic animals, non-native mammals, wild preadatory mammals, large reptiles and snakes, the HDOA said. For more specific examples of illegal animals, visit the . Being in possession of an illegal animal in Hawaiʻi may lead to a person being charged with a class C felony and being issued a fine of up to $200,000. If you are found to be in possession of an illegal animal, you , the HDOA said. The HDOA encouraged individuals who have illegal animals to turn them in under the , which allows people to voluntarily surrender illegal animals without facing criminal or civil penalties (if the animal is surrendered before an investigation). 'If you can prevent it from becoming established, it's far better than not being able to deal with it in the long run,' Ho said of illegal animals. Animals that are taken into HDOA custody are generally not euthanized. However, there are some circumstances where an animal may be put down — such as in situations where an animal is dangerous, injured or sick. In most other cases, Ho said that animals may be maintained or rehomed locally. The PQB holds on to some animals for demonstration purposes, and other animals may be sent to municipal zoos or shipped to an out-of-state sanctuary or university for research. 'The department puts a lot of effort into that because we want to incentivize people to surrender things as opposed to letting them go,' Ho said. People are advised against releasing illegal animals into the wild. Instead, illegal animals can be dropped off at a local Humane Society, municipal zoo or HDOA office. Anyone with information on illegal animals is asked to call 808-643-PEST (7378), which is the state's toll-free and confidential pest hotline. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
