February 24 – Nine units with 35 firefighters responded to the blaze at a two-story Kaimuki home on 4050 Iwalani Place at approximately 11:06 p.m. February 23. When firefighters arrived, they observed smoke and flames emerging from the front of the home. The home was unoccupied and under construction at the time. The blaze was put out just after midnight and the cause is currently under investigation. [Star-Advertiser]
February 23 – The Neighborhood Board Commission has published the 2017 list of candidates at its website. A certified list will be available no later than March 6. [Honolulu.Gov/NCO]
February 22 – Pacific Business News runs article on top AirBNB rentals in Hawaii and how much revenue they generate. “In terms of revenue, the highest-performing unit was a 10-bedroom oceanfront property in Kuliouou that sleeps 25 and brings in estimated annual revenue of $461,621, with an average daily rate of $2,308. The Honolulu estate includes a main house, a studio, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit and a two-bedroom cabana. The property is listed by Hawaii Beach Homes, a boutique vacation rental company.” “The listing with the highest average daily rate is a six-bedroom oceanfront house in Portlock that commands $3,272 per night, on average, according to the Airdna data. That house is listed by Elite Vacation Rentals, a division of the residential real estate firm Elite Pacific Properties.” [PBN]
On a sidenote, with the exception of less than 900 grandfathered units operating before 1986, Honolulu law does not permit short-term rentals housing in residential districts. As Kailua residents note, however, the law has been poorly enforced due to a lack of county staffing. [Hawaii News Now – archive]
February 22 – Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) recently sent out letters to customers with pending net metering solar requests. Customers were asked to pay large sums of money for the privilege of connection to the grid. Letters sent to customers and obtained by KHON requested amounts ranging from several thousand to as much as $26,000. Although letters were sent statewide, areas with high saturation rates such as Makaha and East Oahu received a greater proportion. The letters are seen by some as an attempt to move customers from the net metering plan to other more recent solar options. [KHON]
February 19 – The State Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) was out at Maunalua Bay advising watergoers of rules and regulations pertaining to the area. They will also hold a community Q and A session on Saturday, February 25 from 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at Koko Head Elementary School. [KHON]
February 19 – A faulty circuit breaker was determined to be the cause of a fire at the Coast Guard building in Wailupe on February 18. It took firefighters 15 minutes to bring the fire under control at the unoccupied building. [Star-Advertiser – library card required]
