HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0430.041 2018-2020 ° r
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From: BERNARD M EN DONCA
Sent: COUNTY CLERK
Monday, September 14, 2020 2:49 PMCOUNTY OF HAWAIII
To: Council Testimony RECEIVED
Subject: Vacation Land Recovery Plan Timeq
q0M By
r'EP 1 2020
Date 4
Hello: I would like to offer our testimony to the Vacation land Recovery effort.
My wife and I have been owners of a house and beach front lot in Vacation Land since 1974. We bought
our land and build our house on it then, and have improved it until it was lost in the eruption. To our boy
and happiness we have seen Vacation Land grow and improve from a dirt road, no water, no
telephone, no TV service, no mail serviced and not much else community to what it was at the time of the
eruption. Many memories and family milestones are buried in our property. Yes Vacation Land was and
became a thriving community with many new homes and services and people enjoying an idealistic life
style at the time of the volcanic eruption. Now lost.
I have been reading the communications about possible buy outs and etc and would like to offer my
comments. .
1- Surprisingly some property owners have offered their desire to rebuild and return and even try to revive
and rebuilt the community. I must wonder how serious their plans are. Especially since all of our
improvements were obtained painstakingly through our efforts and personal resources (finances) over
many years. The county did not pay for them.
2- Many have offered ideas of what to base a buy back on if there is in fact a buy back.
3- And whether or not properties were insured or not and whether or not this should have a bearing 'n the
buyback.
1- well my wife and I are way past our 80's in age, so for us and people like us rebuilding and returning is
factually out of the question. And I suspect there may be others like us. we have lost everything and if
possible would like to get some compensation if any will be available for us and others like us. We are not
returning to rebuild.
2- Regarding insurance, we remember very well that after Hurricane Iniki our state made it impossible for
us to buy any insurance just because we were a coastal property and fell within the red line drawn by state
officials for the whole state.. And this limiting lasted for many many years. And further many home owners
could not afford insurance even to this day depending on where your property was located. Or depending
on your income.
3- In our opinion any buy out should first depend and be based on the value of the land owned by property
owners. Since the land was not insured. So every one would be on equal footing for a buyout based on
land owned by each property owner. No matter how the buyout values for the land was/is
determined. And all of our land was destroyed and buried.
4-Then If there is money left and available for a buyout for the lost of houses, their contents and etc. This
could and should be negotiated as a second priority buy out as to whether or not the home owners have
been compensated by insurance or not. Because compensation by insurance companies are for the loss
of a home and tangle improvements and contents not for the land.
This are my thoughts on the matter.
And I would like to especially thank Susan Kim for her efforts in this. And to remind all the property owners
that there are many agendas and priorities in play with this effort. So I suspect a lot of negotiations and
compromises will be necessary if we are to even have a chance of a buy out. Let's all be positive and
helpful for a resolution that hopefully can benefit everyone involved.
Sincerely,
BG Mendonca Comm. No. 4�3 0
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