Question: I’m losing monthly income from Lahaina rentals that burned. Will federal jobless aid cover that?
Answer: Rental and other passive income reported on U.S. Tax Form 1040, Schedule E, “is not qualifying income for (Disaster Unemployment Assistance),” according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
DUA, activated by the federal government for victims of the Maui wildfires, pays people whose employment or self-employment was disrupted by the disaster and who are not eligible for regular unemployment insurance. “An individual is ‘self-employed’ if the individual performs services for the individual’s own business,” the DLIR says on its website, at https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/mauiwildfires/. Some business owners who think of themselves as self-employed might qualify for UI. “Corporate officers/owners that performed services for their corporation or subchapter S corporation (SCorp) and received payments or are entitled to receive payments are considered employees, not self-employed, and may be eligible for regular UI benefits,” it says.
Q: Regarding passport replacements for Maui fire survivors, are they expediting that?
A: No. Although replacement fees can be waived for people who lost their valid U.S. passport book or card in the fires, processing times will be the same as for regular applicants, according to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs.
The fee waiver applies only to those who lost an unexpired passport in the fires, not to those replacing an expired passport or those applying for a passport for the first time.
Applicants seeking the fee waiver as they replace their passport must submit two forms (DS-5504 and DS-64) and a new passport photo. On Section 2 of Form DS-64, the applicant includes the name or description of the disaster (2023 Hawaii Wildfires; DR-4724-HI), the address where the loss occurred; the date it occurred; and certification that passport replacement fees won’t be reimbursed by homeowner’s insurance or some other source.
For links to the forms and detailed instructions, go to https://808ne.ws/3qX8s9N.
Q: Did Lahaina lose its district court?
A: No, it was the Old Lahaina Courthouse that burned, built in 1859 and a historic site, not the current district court, which was undamaged in the Aug. 8 fire and is scheduled to reopen Tuesday for normal operations. Pending cases — except for those already rescheduled to Hoapili Hale (Wailuku District Court) — will be addressed in the Lahaina court, the Hawaii State Judiciary said in a news release Wednesday.
By contrast, the old courthouse was heavily damaged, one of numerous historic sites damaged or destroyed in the fire. The Lahaina Restoration Society has before-and-after pictures of some of them on its website, https:// lahainarestoration.org/.
Going Green
The community recycling program Going Green has three drive-thru, drop-off events scheduled for September, accepting e-waste and certain other recyclables, according to a news release from coordinator Rene Mansho.
>> Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. at Hawaii Baptist Academy Elementary School in Honolulu (enter via shared driveway at 114 N. Kuakini St).
>> Sept. 16, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Leilehua High School in Wahiawa
>> Sept. 30, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Campbell High School in Ewa Beach
Only the following used items will be accepted: Computers, printers (no toner or ink cartridges) and scanners; TVs; batteries (auto and lead-acid only; no flashlight batteries); HI-5 containers (plastic and aluminum); eyeglasses and hearing aids; clothing (gently used); towels and blankets.
People also are welcome to donate the following new items: canned foods and other nonperishable food, pet food, diapers and wipes (for keiki or kupuna).
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
