Oahu Moves to Tier 3: Covid Restrictions Finally Loosened
After more than four months in Tier 2, Oahu finally loosened up this past Thursday, Feb. 25. The following activities and operations are now allowed:
Restaurants: groups of 10 people regardless of household/living unit. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated
Social gatherings: groups up to 10 people
Shooting and archery ranges: groups up to 10 people
Certain real estate operations: groups up to 10 people
Retail and service businesses: groups up to 10 people. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated
Spiritual services: groups up to 10. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated
Funerals: groups up to 25 people
Gyms and fitness facilities: operate indoors at 50% capacity
Indoor group physical activity classes: groups no more than 10 people
Hawaii Golf Phase 3 to be issued by PGA Aloha Section shortly
Other commercial attractions: indoor groups of 10. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated
Commercial recreational boating: 50% capacity
Helicopter tours: groups up to 10. The capacity limit of 50% of legal occupancy is eliminated
BUT EVERYONE MUST STILL FOLLOW SOCIAL DISTANCING. AND FACE-COVERING REQUIREMENTS. The Tier 3 Reopening Strategy can be found here.
Looking to get Vaccinated? VaccineFinder Helps You Find A Vaccination Site Near You
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has launched the VaccineFinder website, a new tool that finds vaccination sites near you. It also:
Helps people find information about providers who offer select COVID-19 vaccines.
Allows healthcare providers to list their vaccination locations in a centralized, searchable database and to track vaccine availability.
Allows users to search by zip code or by vaccine manufacturer.
IRS and Unemployment Claims: What To Do if You are Overbilled on Taxes
If you received a federal 1099-G that has you paying taxes on UI payments you haven’t received, contact the issuing state agency to request a revised form 1099-G showing you did not receive these benefits. Taxpayers who are unable to obtain a timely corrected form from the state should still file an accurate tax return, reporting only the income they received. A corrected form 1099-G showing zero unemployment benefits in cases of identity theft will help taxpayers avoid being hit with an unexpected federal tax bill for unreported income.
Federal Small Business “Paycheck Protection Program” Relief: Special Application Period
To give the smallest businesses a chance to secure a Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan, SBA is making PPP loans available to businesses with fewer than 20 employees, from February 24 – March. 10. Also good news for small businesses is the PPP revised requirements. to expand access for sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals; and eligibility requirements are expanded to include small business owners (1) with prior non-fraud felony convictions; (2) who have fallen behind on student loan payments; or (3) who are non-citizen lawful U.S. residents and have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). These revisions will take effect in the upcoming days so check the SBA website here. For other resources, see Small Business Administration or U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship,or our local Small Business Development Center, Women’s Business Center, SCORE chapter, or SBA District Office.
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
The legislature is nearing “crossover” –our half-way mark– when bills that have survived vetting in one house crosses to the other. Mahalo to those who have been following our district and other important bills and testifying to voice your support, comments and/or concerns. Bills and resolutions survive (or not) based on you! So… continue to follow and weigh in on bills and resolutions that you believe will improve our lives. Here are some of the bills that are moving on:
Kupuna Care: Bills supported by the Kupuna Caucus; Meeting this Friday March 5
Rep. Troy Hashimoto and I are co-chairs of the Senate-House Kupuna Caucus that vets and supports legislation to support kupuna. Unfortunately of the 10 bills introduced only three survived. The Kupuna Caucus will meet on Friday, March 5 at 3pm on Zoom. On the agenda is a presentation by the Wanda Anae-Onishi, Director, Hawaii State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), on free health insurance information, education, counseling, and referral for those on Medicare. We will also discuss Kupuna Caucus legislation status. You can join the meeting using this link.
Kupuna Caucus Bills:
HB490 HD1 CRIMES AGAINST SENIORS – Protects kupuna by lowering the age at which enhanced penalties apply for crimes against seniors from sixty-two years of age to sixty years of age. STATUS: committee on JHA, the final house committee, passed the measure with amendments.
SB838 SD1 RELATING TO SERVICES FOR KUPUNA – Gives the Executive Office on Aging more flexibility to provide kupuna care and caregiving services to those in need. STATUS: The committee on CPN passed the measure unamended and recommended that the measure passed on Third Reading.
SB839 SD1 RELATING TO HEALTH – Authorizes advanced practice registered nurses, in addition to physicians, to practice medical aid in dying in accordance with their scope of practice and prescribing authority.
Bills affecting our community
Mahalo to everyone who submitted testimony on the bills we included in last week’s email message. Your voices are heard; our bills below are moving:
SB792 RELATING TO TRANSPORTATION – Increases the penalties for installation of a noisy, illegal muffler. STATUS: The Senate Judiciary (JDC) Committee recommended the bill be passed unamended. It is next going to the full Senate for vote.
HB296 HD1 RELATING TO LEAF BLOWERS – Restricts the use of leaf blowers in the Waikiki special improvement district within a residential zone or near a residence to between the hours of 9:00AM and 5:00PM on any day except Sunday or a state or federal holiday and between the hours of 10:00AM and 5:00PM on Sunday or any state or federal holiday. STATUS: The House Finance (FIN) Committee recommended the bill be passed unamended. Next going to the full House for vote.
SB800 RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY(HCDA) – Gives authority to State Legislature rather than County Councils to nominate members to the HCDA, the agency that oversees community development districts on State lands such as Kakaako. STATUS: Passed second reading and referred to the Senate Judiciary (JDC) Committee.
SB799 SD1 & HB272 HD1 RELATING TO CONDOMINIUMS – Makes condominium laws regarding sales to owner-occupants inapplicable to time share units. Increases the minimum percentage of residential units in a condominium project that must be offered for sale to prospective owner-occupants in the thirty-day period following the initial date of sale of the condominium from fifty per cent to ninety per cent. STATUS: SB799 passed in the Senate and now in the House, referred to its Housing (HSG) and Consumer Protection (CPC) Committees. HB272 passed second reading and referred to the House CPC Committee.
SB784 SD1 RELATING TO ASSOCIATION GOVERNANCE – Allows annual and special meetings to be conducted remotely during states of emergency. STATUS: passed the Senate and referred to the House CPC Committee.
SB1388 & HB1376 RELATING TO THE LANDLORD-TENANT CODE – Extends the period for a notice of summary possession from five days to fifteen. Requires landlords to provide notice with specified terms and enter into mediation. Delays when a landlord may seek possession of a dwelling unit if the tenant schedules or attempts to schedule mediation STATUS: both measures passed their final committee in their respective chambers and will be voted on in third reading.
HB286 HD1 RELATING TO REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS – Requires Real Estate Investment Trusts to be more accountable by reporting their assets and revenues to the Department of Taxation. STATUS: The House FIN Committee recommended the bill be passed unamended. Next going to full House for vote.
SB1179 & HB1025 SD1 RELATING TO FUNDING FOR DOCARE – Support for DOCARE to enforce our small boat harbors and other conservation areas. STATUS: SB1179 passed third reading in the Senate and crossed over to the House. HB1025 passed Second Reading and referred to the committee on FIN
SB791 RELATING TO VESSELS – Increases penalties for boat abandonment. STATUS: Reported from WTL with recommendation of passage on Second Reading, as amended (SD 1) and referral to WAM/JDC.
Of concern to many:
SB1344 RELATING TO THE HAWAII COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY – Allows the raising of the building height limit for two of the six parcels owned by the office of Hawaiian affairs in the Kakaako Makai area to four hundred feet. Lifts the current restriction against residential development in Kakaako Makai to allow residential development by the office of Hawaiian affairs or by third parties to which the office of Hawaiian affairs conveys the parcels. STATUS: The committees on JDC/WAM/WTL will hold a public decision making on 03-03-21 at 10:30AM.
DISTRICT & OTHER HAPPENINGS
KAKAAKO
Kakaako Disputed Streets Update
The ownership of the disputed Kakaako streets — all or part of Ward Avenue and Queen, Cooke, Cummins, Ilaniwai, Hustace , Kawaiahao, Clayton, and Waimanu —is all but decided by the court in its February 2 order. Rep Saiki and I followed up with our state attorneys and department of transportation, and the new city administration. Good news for our long-beleagured community: the city will be repairing the large potholes that have not been made by KLC. And, by the way, so long as you follow the city parking laws, you are now able to park freely on these streets (until the city puts up parking meters…)
Proposed 400-Foot Height Limit Increase for OHA Residential Development
If one embattled legislative bill passes a Senate committee next week Wednesday, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) will be another step closer to lifting the current height restriction and increasing the building height limit to 400 feet for a residential housing development in Kakaako Makai. The fate of Senate Bill SB1334 SD1 lies in the hands of three Senate Chairs of the committees on Judiciary, Ways & Means, and Water & Land who will decide on Wednesday, March 3, 10:30am, whether to kill (defer) the bill for this session or pass it on Wednesday and allow it to cross over to the House of Representatives where the dialogue will continue to be vetted via hearings there. If the bill is killed in the Senate committee, it may be resurrected during the 2022 session. The issue has been such a point of contention, that an island-wide poll was taken, asking: “Should the residential prohibition on Kakaako Makai be lifted to enable the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to optimize use of its lands?” Click here for the results. To view the hearing, click on the agenda here where you will find a link to “Senate Youtube.” The hearing won’t start until the scheduled time on March 3 at 10:30am. Click here to view the bill SB1334 SD1.
Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) Monthly Meeting Kakaako Development Projects Presentation Hearing: March 3 – HCDA monthly meeting will be held virtually on March 3 at 9:30 am. See agenda here. Developer Howard Hughes/Victoria Ward Ltd. Is presenting its Ulana Ward Village and The Park Ward Village mixed-use development projects on March 3 at 11am. The project consists of housing, open space, recreational, industrial and commercial space, and off-street parking. Click on the links below for the hearing notices, zoom links to participate, and to submit testimony:
New Book, Music Store to Open Near Ward Village
The Friends of the Library of Hawaii (FLH) is opening the new Village Books & Music store starting Saturday, Feb. 27, where thousands of books, CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, games, works of art and more will be for sale. The store:
Located at 1142 Auahi St. by the former location of Pier 1 Imports.
Will remain open daily through summer 2021
Will have inventory which will be rotated periodically and restocked daily.
Sponsored by Ward Village and the Hawaii State Federal Credit Union.
McCully Moiliili Neighborhood Board
The board meets on Wednesday, March 4 at 6:30pm on Webex. On the agenda are Ala Wai Canal Dredging Update, Ala Wai Canal Pedestrian Bridge (Ala Pono), Ala Wai Community Park Mural, and Ala Moana Multimodal Mobility Hub Analysis. To see the agenda and link to the meeting, click here.
Mural of Moiliili History at Old Stadium Park
A collaborative effort to paint a mural of Moiliili’s history is underway at the Old Stadium Park. See the mural on a wall on the park’s mauka end. More than 600 residents and others offered their input on what the mural should include. Local muralist Luke Dekneef finalized the design. His team will install the mural and will follow up with a multi-generational design workshop. The workshop will include community members and keiki from Voyager Public Charter School. The project came together through the city, AARP Hawaii, Blue Zones Project Hawaii, Voyager Public Charter School, and Age-Friendly Honolulu. For more info, click here.
WAIKIKI
Ala Wai Promenade Committee Meeting: March 2, 6:00pm
The Committee meets monthly to discuss improvements to the Promenade, a 1.9-mile walkway along the Ala Wai canal’s southwestern bank. It is now in talks with the new City administration to secure funds for these improvements. Click here for the agenda and link to join the meeting via zoom.
Virtual Consumer Education Fair: March 1 to March 5, 12:00pm – 1:00pm
A free virtual consumer fair will be held in March to commemorate National Consumer Protection Week. The annual event is hosted by the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA). A series of live, hour-long workshops will be featured. The public is encouraged to attend these free online workshops to better inform and protect themselves against fraud. Topics and agencies participating in the workshop series include:
Social Security Administration – Social Security Fraud
Identity Theft Resource Center – Keep Your Identity Safe
DCCA Office of Consumer Protection – COVID-Related Scams
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) – Medicare and You
U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Mail Scams
Participants can request a free Consumer Wise packet containing information about different consumer issues by sending their mailing address to education@dcca.hawaii.gov.
