COM 0805.001 1996-1998 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Summary of Comments The OHCD received one letter dated April 2, 1998, commenting on the draft 1998 Action Plan. The letter was written by Anthony D. Vidana, President of Hale Aloha O'Hilo Habitat for Humanities. In summary, Mr. Vidana requested that the OHCD reconsider their application for HOME funds. The letter states that "homeownership programs are vastly more successful than rental assistance programs" and that "it breaks the cycle of poverty that traditionally gets passed down from parents to their children and so on." In addition, the letter also transmits a letter dated March 28, 1998, to Councilman Al Smith. This letter explains that the Habitat's project was not included in the 1998 Action Plan. Mr. Vidana stated that he was disappointed that the funds were going toward rental assistance. He stated that there is a person in the Paradise Park subdivision that has a reputation of being a "slum lord." In summary, Mr. Vidana stated that this person owns at least 20 lots and builds low income rentals that are in violation of laws (i.e., set backs, two homes sharing one cesspool, rules for duplexes, etc.), only rents to people on welfare, has been cited for cheating his tenants by claiming higher rents than he was actually charging, and turning a neighborhood into a slum. Mr. Vidana also stated that "many believe that the action plan" was decided on long before any grants were even submitted. He requested that Councilman Smith reconsider Habitat's grant application. RESPONSE: The following is a summary of the OHCD's response to Habitat's letter: 1. His comments were received on April 8, 1998, after the deadline of April 7, 1998; therefore, the summary of comments were not attached to the 1998 Action Plan. 2. The OHCD explained that the Habitat's application did not meet the minimum threshold factors as explained in the V - 20