2007-03-02 TBILLS (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

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of availability of housing and even to the extent availability of homeless facilities for people who move here. As I look at it, as I look at it from my point of view, you know, it would definitely be at an overload. When you speak of the local and regional traffic when you go to Kona, you have to waitoveran hour from Matsuyama Store to get down to Kailua Village; and by the same token with Kamuela from Hawaii Prep going to the intersection in Kamuela, it takes you one hour, 45 minutes to an hour toreach there. So, again, for me the quality of life has been impacted, my quality of life has been impacted. And then when you look at people who live here who want to buy a home, now for instance in my community there are people who worked in the plantation. They were fortunate that when the plantation had closed they had to pay only $1100 for the surveying and the documentation, and they owned their house and lot. Today, some of themhaveforeclosedontheirpropertybecausefindingthattheyhadsomeequityinthe homes they overspent and now theyre under foreclosure and they lose the property. And there are those who in turn improved their property a little bit and have sold their home for $250,000 plus dollars. They can get more for that. You know, thats a problem weve seen because the demand for housing has increased to the extent that, you know, it kind of, the supply is just not there but the demand is there and people are willing to pay for it. And that again impacts our real property taxes that we pay. When I had my place appraised just last year when I refinanced my loan, I was surprised that it was worth that much. I didnt imagine that it was worth that much. Then I looked at other properties in my surrounding area where it has been sold, and I would do some research, and then I find that the price was so astronomical that its sad. Everything is going out of whack right now. And when you find the median income housing in the Big Island is about probably $450,000 to $500,000, whos going to afford that? You know, those with medium income probably they can inch out their way. But those who are less, way less, who are just making a living, they cant even get a house, they cannot even pay the rental. And thats why throughout this whole state there are problems with the homeless; and its not low income, its the homeless ones who are in need of those help. So, you know, again, I look at this and I think what we have before us is something that would bring out these issues for discussion and for consideration. And then when the time comes, if and when we have to make some major decisions then these things, you know, will help us determine that. And whats why I asked if we have a growth management policy. As you indicated, you know, in such a way we have. But it would have to take someone who would become familiar with the Land Use laws, the General Plan and other issues to determine whether or not we have a controlled growth plan or not. And I was thinking might be if we can come up with some policy statement or document that would just state clearly, okay, this is what we want. And might be this can be done in the next General Plan review. But I think it should come out and specifically state, you know, what the goals are. Sometimes its so vague and hard to understand what the real message is. 8EXHIBIT D