Livable Hawaii Kai Hui announced a lengthy management plan for changes at the Ka Iwi Scenic Byway for the public to download and comment (“Plan Opens in a new tab for Ka Iwi coast up for public Opens in a new tabreview Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Sept. 16). Seeing nothing further, I have wondered (and hoped) that all who defended the beloved coastline so long and faithfully saw the announcement.
Mentioned for changes are docents at the lookouts, signage, tourist management, fencing and more. To encourage all interested parties to be well informed to comment, I suggest the coalition release a list of sites and brief proposals and hold a public meeting.
Congratulations to the new wave of defenders who defeated the vacation cabins and preserved the land. The byway can be a wonderful achievement.
As the Star-Advertiser said in its editorial (“Make Opens in a new tab long-term plans to protect Ka Iwi Opens in a new tabcoast Opens in a new tab,” Our View, Sept. 20): “Success hinges on careful planning that rejects any impulse to doll-up the byway with anything beyond basic improvements.”
Shirley Lum
Hawaii Kai
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‘Monster homes’ next step on Oahu
Oahu is 600 square miles in size. Of that, 19,000 acres of urban lands have been deemed developable and 6,000 acres of that is vacant.
Expensive housing, lack of rentals, increasing homeless — it is no wonder residents are seeking housing solutions such as monster homes on single-family lots (“The Opens in a new tab monster next Opens in a new tabdoor Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 30).
Just look down the street. More and more, multi-generation homes are becoming prevalent in the community. Young families who can’t afford to buy homes are opting to build large homes or renovating on their parents’ lots, eliminating the need for land purchase.
The “monster houses” are just the next step, in many cases due to zoning restrictions that allow only one kitchen for all inhabitants.
Arnold Imaoka
Mililani
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Keep TVUs out of residential areas
Comments about transient vacation units Opens in a new tab miss the key issue.
Supporters say TVUs bring in additional tax revenue. This has no validity, as these renters would otherwise be in Waikiki hotels that have 100 percent compliance, not hit-or-miss compliance on tax reporting.
Testifiers also say TVUs enable them to make a living. These include people with enough assets to own two homes, as they do not live in these houses. They can find other ways of making a living.
Last, there seems to be a growing number of “compromise proposals” to “limit” the number of TVUs. This means you are either a lucky resident who can continue to live in a real neighborhood with “real” neighbors, or an unlucky resident surrounded by “neighbors” who change every few days.
These “neighbors” are frequently loud, park illegally, and do not respect the neighborhood lifestyle. We have designated areas for various commercial activities. Why should neighborhoods where commercial businesses are banned be allowed to have a TUV commercial enterprise?
Anne Fleck
Hawaii Kai
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Sexual assault is no less than crime
I appreciate the timely articles, “Is Opens in a new tab There Sexual Harassment in Opens in a new tabHawaii Opens in a new tab?” (Star-Advertiser, Insight, Oct. 29).
Your two contributors join many other voices to break the silence in ways that evoke the language of 20th century feminist Betty Friedan — “the problem without a name.” The violative experiences so many women have had for so many years in the workplace and public spaces have been so varied, normalized and excused as “that’s just what men do,” no wonder women often looked for a reality check.
“But society treats it so casually. Is it me?”
Contemporary revelations, however, make it crystal-clear: Sexual harassment is real, the behavior is named a crime, and should be enforced as such. Any attempt to medicalize the crime of sexual assault and to frame the debate as an issue for “therapy,” as Harvey Weinstein attempts, is not legitimate.
The new climate of transparency is a powerful tool against attempts to obscure and intimidate women.
Nancie Caraway
Manoa
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Give minors good access to shelters
I was aghast to read Allison Schaefers’ article stating that homeless minors can’t be admitted into shelters without permission from a parent or guardian, and don’t qualify for any aid (“Delay Opens in a new tab in state funding pains tourism Opens in a new tabindustry Opens in a new tab,” Star-Advertiser, Oct. 29).
Legislators should remedy this outrageous situation immediately by special session, or Gov. David Ige should issue an emergency proclamation. It is inexcusable. Invite Covenant House, or an equivalent organization, into Honolulu.
Solutions to many of our ills abound in the Letters to the Editor. The city and state should aggressively monitor these letters and act on creative solutions.
Richard Stancliff
Makiki
