Hoolulu Street behind Zippy’s Kapahulu
Monster houses have been popping up on the island of Oahu in neighborhoods that normally have single family dwellings with yards and frontages allowing for parking of their inhabitants.
Granted, Kaimuki isn’t a ritzy area. It is spotted with some derelict houses amongst nice old houses and a few new big houses that don’t always fit in, BUT, 10 – 20 bedroom houses are being built on average sized lots that are zoned for single family dwellings, passing the permitting process with unusual speed. These “homes” do not have enough parking (wasn’t there a requirement of 1 parking available per bedroom?), some are 3 stories (what happened to the height restrictions?) and they take up the entire lot without setbacks (aren’t there 10′ setbacks for front and back and 5′ setbacks per side?)
Aunty’s beloved Palolo Valley has fallen victim. Wilhelmina Rise, with its already horrible lack of parking has a community up in arms, but the building goes on.
A recent KITV news report highlighted one project on Houghtailing Street with 29 (!) bedrooms and 17 (!) bathrooms that has been permitted as a 2 family unit. The same contractor is building another one on Kalihi Street – a 6 (!) story home with 20 bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. The parking situation on those streets will definitely cause problems. These look and act like apartment buildings.
Regardless, these “homes” have NOT been in violation of building codes – until a City and County moratorium was passed this February with the Mayor signing off in March. This is a temporary halt with rough edges until the new building code laws are changed sometime this year.
Currently, our State legislators are pushing through a bill to make lying to county inspectors a crime, to strengthen the enforcement side of illegal building and/or use.
A question to determine our future
Thomas Bena produced a documentary, “One Big Home”. about monster homes that started popping up on Martha’s Vineyard, in Chilmark – a rather laid back township, sort of like Kauai. Some of those monster homes had 66,000 sq ft of building! Aunty went to see a free showing of it since Thomas was in town.
Kristin Andres, a reviewer, asked this question, “What is it we value about our town, our community, and what is our responsibility in protecting it?”
Aunty feels that this is a question that everyone who loves our island should think about and answer.
You can also share it in a comment below. Aunty’s answer of value is growing up in a neighborhood that is safe and friendly. Having mangoes handed over from neighbors that call me “Aunty.” It does not include being invaded by monsters and an over growth of buildings changing our skylines, horizon, and density.
Share your answers with your elected officials. Let your voice be heard, and in doing so, you are doing your bit to protect our island lifestyle that is getting more fragile with every pour of concrete and uninhibited change.
Go get um Aunty!
Thank you Aunty for championing this cause.
I’ll vote for you! I’d even carry a sign for you and wave to people! Or if not you, someone whom you believe is worthy of support on this issue.
Ha! Actually all of the current city council members are pretty good and on board except Kimberly Pine actually killed the first moratorium bill back in November when she heard it as Zoning chair. However, I can see her point on wanting to support multi-generational families living together but she also needs to see the bigger picture of builder/investors who are ruining our neighborhoods.
I am glad that Ikaika Anderson re-introduced the moratorium bill and pushed it through. I like him. I don’t understand the politics of changing leadership going on right now, booting him out of vice chair and Menor out as chair.
When we did our home renovation with a total of only 4 bedrooms, we had to make sure we had adequate parking for 4 cars for the space of our construction. There were so many regulations which we followed totally. I really don’t understand how these monster homes get away with it. I’ve seen one coming up across from my uncle’s house and it boggles my mind. Where are they going to park? I have a terrible feeling it’s going to be on my uncle’s side of the road where they park.
I didn’t get it either, though the 4 parking could have been street parking. This just goes to show how brilliant these builders are – that they can get away with seeming to circumvent the regulations but actually they are totally legal.
Your poor uncle. If he sees anything that looks suspicious or fishy, tell him to call the Department of Planning and Permitting and report it in to be investigated. They are getting tougher on rule breakers and cheaters. I wish they could just knock them down.
Monster homes have not been built in my neighborhood. Thank goodness!
They are almost everywhere but you don’t notice them until you drive on streets that you usually don’t go on. Check out the monster that was recently built on 1353 Olino Street. The parking is already very bad on that street. Another house a few houses down and across the street from the monster has illegal b&b activity after he extended his house all the way to an adjacent street.
You are right, though. They haven’t infiltrated your neighborhood as much and so your councilman was not as passionate about it as was mine.
Dear Aunty,
As usual you are on target with questions that forecast uncontrolled development which will adversely affect local residents, even tourists with lack of infrastructure, horrendous traffic, & other bad effects, like no longer being able to enjoy natural scenery, simply because you can’t see it behind a 6 story house or 25 story building in our neighborhoods. A solution is for those who care about our aina & residential overdevelopment is to get akamai & dedicated candidates like you to run for City Council where your voices may be heard in order to bring about change. The ohana fans on your website will support & work on your campaign!
A devoted fan always,
Tutu
Ah Tutu, running for a position is the last thing that I would want to do, but thank you for the kind words of support.
I totally agree with you about the bad effects such as not being able to enjoy our views, and without vision with a plan, our island will get uglier and uglier.
Our grandchildren will not know that we could see the ocean without much effort if these buildings don’t stop.