HUD awards nearly $500,000 for job aid

Nearly $500,000 will go toward funding jobs that help Hawaii residents move toward economic independence and housing self-sufficiency.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said it awarded $485,583 to Hawaii counties and the state for the initiative, which will allow recipients to retain or hire 1,500 service coordinators to help residents obtain jobs.

Honolulu County is receiving the biggest piece of the award, or $189,008, followed by Kauai County at $133,000. Hawaii County will receive $66,204 and Maui County will receive $34,340. The Hawaii Public Housing Authority will receive $63,031.

Coordinators funded through the grants will work to provide residents receiving HUD rental and/or welfare assistance with education and training that leads to employment and reduces or eliminates the need for assistance.

The effort also includes connecting residents with child care, counseling, transportation and computer and financial literacy services.

Residents participating in the program sign a contract that requires the head of household to obtain employment and no longer receive welfare assistance at the end of a five-year term, HUD said. As a family’s income rises, a portion of the gain is deposited in an interest-bearing escrow account. If the contract is fulfilled, the family may use the escrow money for any purpose.

Kam Drive-In site’s development advances

A final environmental impact statement has been deemed complete for a plan to develop five high-rises on the former Kam Drive-In theater site in Aiea next to Pearlridge Center.

Project developer Robertson Properties Group announced the milestone Monday following submittal of a draft EIS in February. The company’s major regulatory hurdle will be obtaining a zoning change to allow for residential use and taller building height limits.

Present zoning prohibits residential use and limits building heights to 60 feet. Robertson seeks to develop residential towers up to 350 feet mixed with shorter retail and office buildings.

The estimated $767 million project dubbed Live Work Play ‘Aiea is designed to have 1,500 residential units in five buildings ranging from 150 feet to 350 feet high, along with 143,000 square feet of retail anchored by a grocery store and 80,000 square feet of office space. A 150-room hotel is also envisioned if zoning rules are adjusted to allow for such use.

If approvals are obtained without delay, Robertson estimates that construction could begin next year, with an initial phase of retail and office space opening in 2015. Full construction is expected to take 13 years.

Toyota plans expanded range of hybrids

TOKYO » Toyota Motor Corp. is boosting its green vehicle lineup, with plans for 21 new hybrids in the next three years, a new electric car later this year and a fuel cell vehicle by 2015 in response to growing demand for fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly driving.

Toyota said Monday it will offer an electric compact called eQ, based on its iQ model, in Japan and the U.S. in December, though the number of the vehicles made will be extremely limited — about 100 for special fleet use, according to the company. The car, which will be called the iQ EV in the U.S, is pricey at $45,000 and has a limited cruise range of 62 miles.

In the U.S. an electric version of the Rav-4 sport utility model, which Toyota worked on with U.S. electric vehicle maker Tesla Motors, goes on sale this month.

Verizon settles TiVo suit for $250 million

Verizon will pay TiVo Inc. at least $250.4 million to license its digital video recording technology and settle a patent lawsuit. It is the third settlement that TiVo has garnered in recent patent cases. At the heart of the cases, TiVo has alleged that companies have copied its DVR technology. The company’s string of settlements "bodes well for its future litigation," said Alan Gould, an analyst with Evercore, in a research note.

TiVo, based in Alviso, Calif., is set to go to trial in patent lawsuits over DVRs made by Google Inc.’s Motorola unit and Cisco Systems Inc. next year.

Toys R Us to hire 45,000 temp workers

Toys R Us is hiring 45,000 seasonal workers to staff up its pop-up stores and help fulfill its expanded customer services, like shipping online purchases to stores, this holiday shopping season.

That a nearly 13 percent jump from the 40,000 seasonal workers the Wayne, N.J.-based company hired in 2011. Toys R Us, like many retailers, hires thousands of temporary workers during the important holiday season, which can account for up to 40 percent of a retailer’s annual revenue.

Toys R Us said part of the increase is to help fulfill customer orders made with its new online shipping options — such as ordering online and picking up items in store — as well as its free layaway program and new toy reservation system.

ON THE MOVE

Junior Achievement of Hawaii has announced: 

» Roz Burton-Torres has been named president. She is a business manager with more than 20 years of sales and management experience, and has been a principal of various businesses in technology, real estate and retail industries.

» Abigail Royce has been named program manager. She was previously an owner of Harmony Wellness Co. and worked in management and marketing for Hawaiian Springs Water.

James Campbell Co. has donated $250,000 to Kapolei and West Oahu public schools to support the capital and technology needs of each school. The funds were allocated to Kapolei High School, $45,000; Kapolei Middle School, $45,000; Kapolei Elementary School, $25,000; Barbers Point Elementary School, $25,000; Maka­kilo Elementary School, $25,000; Mauka Lani Elementary School, $25,000; James Campbell High School, $20,000; Nana­kuli High and Intermediate School, $20,000; and Wai­anae High School, $20,000.