Tag: hawaii state,oahu,honolulu,senator district 12,sharon moriwaki

  • COVID update, Rent assistance, District news

    COVID update, Rent assistance, District news

    Aloha Neighbor,

    UPDATES ON COVID VACCINES 

    • HAWAII REVS UP TO VACCINATE! The much-anticipated COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Hawaii on December 14, 2020. Here are some common questions about the vaccine. Click on the links for the answer:
    • MORE ON THE COVID-19 VACCINES: What’s the Plan?  Most of us know that healthcare workers will be the first to receive the vaccine, who else is on the priority list? Here’s the breakdown:
    • Phase 1-A: Health care workers, nursing home and long-term care facilities.
    • Phase 1-B: Essential workers such as teachers, firefighters, police, other first responders.
    • Phase 1-C: People over age 65.
    • Phase 1 also will include correctional officers and inmates.
    • Phase 2: The chronically ill.
    • Phase 3: Everyone else.

    • Vaccinations will not be mandatory.

    • The vaccine has not yet been approved for children under age 16.

    • The State warns that even if you are vaccinated, you should still  wear masks, wash hands often and observe socially distancing.

    • It could take six to eight months for the state to vaccinate enough people to achieve “herd immunity” — the point when the likelihood of infection for individuals who lack COVID-19 immunity is low, about 70% of Hawaii’s population.

    • It would likely be July before Hawaii approaches normalcy.

    • Caller says, “We can get you to the front of the line.” That’s not how it works; the priority list is set.

    • Caller asks you to pay over the phone to secure a COVID-19 vaccine. It’s a scam.

    • And DON’T give any personal data over the phone to secure your vaccine shot .

    • WARNING: Fake Vaccine Sales! If you receive messages that seem to be from health care providers promising early access to the vaccine, be careful. Watch out if:

    The vaccine is being dispensed through the medical community.  Scammer may try to scare you to get your personal data or money.  Don’t fall for it. When in doubt, reach out to your health care professional.  For more tips on how to avoid a COVID-19 vaccine scams, click here.  For more info on the consumer alert, click here.

    STIMULUS CHECK: Recovery Tax Rebate Credit
    Non-tax filers who failed to register for stimulus may seek a tax rebate for the full amount in 2021. Check if you qualify under the conditions below:

    • If you are eligible but were not issued an Economic Impact Payment.

    • If your Economic Impact Payment was less than $1,200 ($2,400 if married filing a joint return) plus $500 for each qualifying child you had in 2020.

    • If you were a U.S. citizen or U.S. resident alien in 2020, are not a dependent of another taxpayer for tax year 2020, and have a social security number valid for employment that is issued before the due date of your 2020 tax return (including extensions).

    • For more info, click here.

    RENT ASSISTANCE: Landlords Can Still Verify Tenant’s Rental Application
    It is not too late for a landlord to verify a pending application that a tenant had previously submitted, but it is too late for a tenant to submit a new application. Nearly $6.5 million was pending verification by the landlords who are to receive the rent. Some landlords have rejected about $8 million in direct payments to cover the rents they’re owed because they do not have general excise tax licenses and are not paying taxes on their rental income. For more info, click here.  If you have a landlord/tenant problem, call 586-2634.

    CITY PURSUES LAWSUIT AGAINST KAKAAKO DEVELOPER
    The City filed a lawsuit against Howard Hughes Corporation over the parcels needed to finish rail. They’re at odds over the value of an approximately 2-acre stretch of property needed to erect the elevated line between Cooke and Kamakee Streets. The trial is scheduled for March.  The City estimated the total value of the parcel portions at nearly $13.7 million but Howard Hughes has informally discussed valuations as high as $100 million more than the present offer. For more, click here.

    BLESSING OF THE FUTURE CENTENNIAL PARK WAIKIKI
    Nearly one-acre of green space has been blessed as part of public-private partnership with Rotary Club of Honolulu.  The City’s 304th park location moved closer to reopening following a blessing of Centennial Park Waikiki in the heart of Oahu’s tourist district Tuesday.  The development of the nearly one-acre park land located on Aloha Drive between Royal Hawaiian and Seaside avenues, is thanks to a public-private partnership between the City and the Rotary Club of Honolulu, which included the donation of $1.532 million from the Rotarians.  The name Centennial Park Waikiki was approved via Resolution 20-232 and commemorates the Hawaii Rotary Club’s 100 year anniversary of providing outstanding community service to our island.  For more information about Centennial Park Waikiki, and how you can help the Rotary Club of Honolulu’s efforts to revitalize this park land, please visit centennialparkwaikiki.org

    HILTON HAWAIIAN VILLAGE: Accepting FROM DEC. 15
    The flagship hotel is now open for business. The Hilton Hawaiian Village (HHV) closed on April 13 due to COVID-19.  It reopened yesterday, on December 15.  It is currently accepting applications; about 200 workers are returning. The rest will be returning after the reopening. Hilton Hawaiian Village is currently accepting reservations from December 15, 2020.  For more info, click here.

    Take care & stay safe!

  • COVID updates, Development projects, Driving, Shopping

    COVID updates, Development projects, Driving, Shopping

    Aloha Neighbor,

    UPDATES ON COVID

    • VACCINES COMING TO TOWN: Joint Senate-House informational briefing – On Friday, the Senate Committee on Health and the House Committee on Pandemic and Disaster Preparedness held an informational briefing on the COVID-19 vaccines.  It was a very informative session covering the basics of the vaccine, the vaccine trial and FDA approval process, and the effectiveness and safety of the two currently available vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.  Also presented was the network of working groups with over 90 partners and stakeholders and 150 individuals involved in the preparation for and distribution of the vaccine once here.  There was also significant discussion on the priority of vaccine distribution to health care workers and vulnerable populations in long-term care facilities. Many questions on vaccine distribution, managing pharmacy partnerships, storage and distribution points for the vaccine. You can see the full informational briefing at the
      Hawaii Senate YouTube page
    • HELP DOH: Participate in the DOH COVID-19 Vaccine Survey – The State Department of Health (DOH) survey will help DOH better understand residents’ perceptions of the new vaccines. All information collected is confidential and will be used by the DOH to plan for the state’s COVID-19 vaccination program.  To complete the survey, click here.
    • CITY RESOURCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES : Adapting to the pandemic – This past Monday, the City launched an online resource hub called the Small Business Resource Network (SBRN) to connect small businesses with experts and resources to help them adapt to operating during the coronavirus pandemic. It includes guides for applying for relief funding, advice on financial management, assistance with digital business, guidance with leases, suppliers and vendors as well as coaching on the COVID-related health and safety protocols. For more information, click here.

    DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UPDATES:

    • ALA MOANA PLAZA PROJECT: City Council sends it back to the Zoning Committee to consider community benefits – This past Wednesday the Honolulu City Council heard and sent a developer’s high-rise project resolution back to the zoning committee for further consideration of community benefits commensurate to the height variance requested by the developer. Resolution 20-315 and Resolution 20-315, Proposed CD1, both of which approve a development transit permit for the Ala Moana Plaza Development Project. The developer, Brookfield Properties, is requesting to build a high-rise tower to a height of 400 feet, among other variances. Testifiers supporting the resolutions opted for more time to consider the recommendations of the City Council. Some of the considerations were:
    • STUDY: Councilmember Carol Fukunaga sought $500,000 to undertake a regional traffic study because the growing number of condo rentals and sales is resulting in traffic and pedestrian safety issues, plus the City has been removing pedestrian crosswalks in the area.
    • CONCERNS ABOUT SETTING PRECEDENCE: Worry that the 400-foot variance will set a precedence for other developments.
    • TRAFFIC: Construction preparations for rail lines are already causing major traffic problems
    • Click here to view the full video.
    • Click here to view agenda (Scroll down to Reso 20-315)
    • PUBLIC MEETING ON ALA MOANA-NIMITZ CORRIDOR PROJECTS: DEC. 15 – The state transportation department (HDOT) will hold a virtual public meeting to provide an update on current and future projects for the Ala Moana Boulevard/Nimitz Highway Corridor. These projects include the ongoing Ala Moana/Nimitz Resurfacing – Kalihi Stream Bridge to Atkinson and the planned Ala Moana Elevated Pedestrian Walkway. Meeting details:
    • TIME: 6 – 7 p.m.
    • PHONE: Call in at 1-808-829-4853; ID: 985 850 87#
    • VIDEOCONFERENCE: Find the Microsoft Teams Meeting link here
    • For more info, call 808-587-2160 or email dotpao@hawaii.gov.

    TIPS ON SAFE HOLIDAY SHOPPING
    The long lines are familiar during the holidays but of course the coronavirus has made it hard to happily spend our money.  Here are some tips that might make holiday shopping a little less painful:

    • Avoid last-minute panic-shopping. Get your shopping done early.
    • The best times to shop are during the weekday. Mondays and Tuesdays are the least crowded days at most malls.
    • You likely won’t find a line in the morning when stores have just opened.
    • Check if your store offers shopping by appointment, especially on the weekends.
    • Ask if your shopping mall store has a pick-up area where attendants bring out items to your car.
    • For more info, click here

    SHOP TO HELP THE Hawaiian Humane Society: Sponsor a pet!
    Hawaiian Humane Society “Deck the Paws” Event: Dec. 7 through 13     – The Hawaiian Humane Society dug up ways we can lend a paw to its residents this month. Sponsor a stocking, which will hang on the house of an animal waiting to be adopted or purchase a DIY stocking kit for your own pet that includes fun, fetching decorations: one stocking, six glitter glues, one iron-on paw print and an assortment of embellishments. Sponsored stocking, $35, DIY stocking kit, $60. Cost includes shipping to anywhere in the U.S. For more info, click here.

    TRAFFIC ADVISORY – SEWER WORK: DEC. 14-18
    The City Department of Environmental Services traffic alert cautions drivers on Cedar Street (Ala Moana) next week as city contractors will be conducting work between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. at 816 Cedar Street (Ala Moana) for a main rehabilitation.

    DRIVERS: GET VEHICLE SAFETY CHECKS BEFORE YEAR’S END
    Currently all commercial and non-commercial motor vehicle safety inspection certificates and stickers that expire during the declared emergency period for COVID-19 are still considered valid through Dec. 31.  However, HDOT warns that the deadline for the extension is fast approaching. The Periodic Motor Vehicle Inspection (PMVI) stations were approved to reopen under COVID-19 guidelines on May 15. The concern is with drivers with expired safety checks who may get caught in a last-minute rush, should the safety inspection expiration not get extended. These guidelines are required if you go to one of the PMVI stations:

    • Keep a physical distancing of six feet or greater.
    • Implement sanitation measures and wear appropriate PPE.
    • Entry will be denied to anyone visibly displaying symptoms of COVID-19
    • For more information, click here.

    REGISTRATION RENEWALS:  An alternative to going to the DMV or Satellite City Hall, you can register online here or at a City DMV kiosk at select locations (Safeways Beretania or Kapahulu near our district).  The kiosk can print your registration document and sticker immediately after payment.  See Hawaii DMV Now.

    Take care & stay safe!