Letters: Non-judicial seizures could be a slippery slope; Rights of co-owners weakened by the boards; Gender stereotypes in the cover of Kealoha

You know how people always talk about “slippery slope” or “unintended consequences”?

Well, House Bill 1434 certainly has every sign that both of these conditions will become real if passed (“Hawaiian Lawmakers Consider Allowing Seizure of Problematic Properties Without Court Process,” Star-Advertiser, 4 April). Basically, it’s a wrap around the current legal process to condemn and seize property.

A particularly egregious example used to argue the need for this bill is the property at 1421 Pensacola St., which has repeatedly made headlines over the years due to complaints of dangerous disrepair, vermin, two fires, unanswered complaints and unpaid fines.

Dean Uchida, director of the city’s Department of Planning and Permits, said the city’s corporation attorney viewed such foreclosures as a lower priority. Instead of circumventing existing legal property rights, the DPP and the company attorney should seriously discuss their responsibilities to the taxpayers.

I think $300,000 in fines, two fires and a blight in a neighborhood is a high priority and is just the tip of the iceberg.

Andrea W. Bell

Kailua

Invest in genki balls to clear Ala Wai

The article about the 5,000 genki balls dropped in the Ala Wai channel, a repeat of the 2019 genki ball drop, was much-needed positive news (“Thousands of ‘genki balls’ fell in Ala Wai” , Star-Advertiser, April 3). The beads contain fermentative bacteria which digest and oxidize the canal sludge.

The project team said they needed 200,000 genki balls for the entire canal, at a cost of almost $1 million, to complete this natural method of cleaning the canal.

Let’s do this job properly, not piecemeal. The state or a large corporation or a wealthy individual should finance this project.

Let’s do the work today. Imagine clean water in the Ala Wai Canal: it would be almost a miracle.

If 10,000 genki balls result in cleaner water, imagine what 200,000 genki balls would do.

Tom Sebastian

Waikiki

Downtown Art Center Deserves City Support

Your op-ed contained excellent advice for making Chinatown flourish (“Changes in Chinatown”, Star-Advertiser, Our View, April 2). Policing is important, but how about taking a closer look at creative projects like the Downtown Art Center?

Enterprising artists, led by longtime gallerist Sandy Pohl, have cleaned up space in one of the neglected municipal properties at Hotel and Nuuanu. Run by volunteers, it is now a vibrant place for exhibits, classes and more. Last Friday, the area was bustling with locals enjoying beautiful artwork and dining at nearby restaurants.

The city should encourage these efforts. Instead, there are rumors that he intends to raise the rent. Does that make sense?

Flora Ling

Kakaako

The rights of co-owners weakened by the boards

In response to “Condo Owners Have Obligations Too” (Star-Advertiser, Island Voices, April 3): If that’s all you can do to defend a corrupt board and incompetent property managers, then we have a very serious problem, and our legislature must look into it very seriously.

Term limits must be enforced. The proxy voting process is flawed, automatically favoring current boards. This only leads to corruption and high monthly maintenance costs for owners.

Stronger laws are needed to protect owners rather than boards and management companies. Accountability and transparency are essential. I encourage our legislators not to be swayed by special interest lobbyists.

David Ortis

Kaneohe

Gender stereotypes in the cover of Kealoha

Mahalo for your continued coverage of drug charges against Katherine Kealoha’s brother. One wonders why, although in the April 2 article of the two witnesses mentioned, only the woman’s clothing is mentioned (“Testimony in drug trial for Katherine Kealoha’s brother focus on fake prescriptions”, Star-Advertiser, April 2) ?

What does the fact of her black and white outfit add to the discussion? Why are we not informed in the same way of the colors that Chris McKinney wore to testify?

In the absence of any discernible substantial reason for this disparity, it would appear that unconscious gender stereotypes rooted in the judgment of women based on what they wear are at play.

We hope that by highlighting this problem, we can all become more aware and work collectively to stop it.

Nicole Altman

Molly Stebbin

Lawyers in Hawaii

The zoo improves steadily, offers great experiences

I disagree with your story about the Honolulu Zoo (“Re-emerging from pandemic struggles, Honolulu Zoo Seeks to Improve Facilities and Visitor Experience,” Star-Advertiser, April 3).

My husband and I are members and visit the zoo at least once every quarter. Since the new funding stream and the appointment of Linda Santos as Zoo Director, we have noticed an amazing improvement in the zoo and its exhibits.

Yes, there is construction going on and we have lost animals due to COVID-19 and old age, but I think the zoo is a great experience for young and old. I don’t know where the weeds block the exhibits as your reporter mentioned, nor the sad look at the place a visitor described. We have only seen constant improvements at the zoo.

Yes, it’s small and not comparable to large zoos like the one in San Diego, but our ohana island deserves the place to see exotic animals and learn about their challenges and the preservation of a species.

Mary Rydel

Kaimuki

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