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Home My WebLink AboutCOM 0109.012 2020-2022 { From: Hedonisia Community Director Sent: Sunday, November 14, 2021 3:29 PM To: Council Testimony Subject: Testimony for Governmental Operations, Relations, and Economic Developm t C ttee - Comm 109.2 Aloha, - I would like to submit testimony on the way the volcano recovery and buyout funds are being administered. It is now apparent that many in the so-called recovery program are attempting to use funds for other projects than actual recovery in the affected area of lower Puna. While there are tiny hints of positive change such as the partnership between County, creation of co- chairs and County into six resilience teams, there are RED FLAGS which abound. Instead of infrastructure being created for lower Puna and Pahoa, funds are being diverted to the pet projects of certain officials like the Hilo Municipal Golf Course and Shipman Business park that have nothing to do with the loss our community suffered. We do not even have proper sidewalks and safe bicycle paths in Pahoa and Puna making it unsafe for keiki, native Hawaiians and tourists to walk or cycle in the town or surrounding area yet funds are being diverted. We do not have access to drinking water in our volcano ravaged lands. Diverting funds for disaster relief into non-related projects is the essence of corruption. The officials who approved volcano funds for the Hilo Golf Course should be prosecuted for corruption. If indeed, monies are diverted to non-volcano related projects like the golf course I would like to submit a formal complaint to that effect so that there is an investigation of the officials who "approved" this diversion. There is still no commitment to supplying water to Ahalanui despite there being a county water tank on Hinalo Street that was not damaged in the eruption and can be restored to give water access. On 26 May 2018, 1 lost my personal home and community business in the Kilauea eruption. The HUD rules on the Housing Buyback program gives the appearance of helping lower- income people like myself. However, the actual funds disbursed will benefit mostly wealthier property owners with permitted high-value homes while discriminating against poorer residents who happen to be local and Hawaiian. This has indeed happened to me after my initial interviews with the Buyout Team, with my last meeting on Sept 21 , 2021. 1 am hearing similar stories from others. Nor have I received follow up on despite making written complaints to the Recovery Team. Comm' No., 10 A Ref. To: 0 960 1 Ref. Dote—NOV 1 7 ZA21 Buyout Program a cios. Buyouts are based on 2017 tax values. The Buyout prioritizes low and mid-income persons which is commendable. However, the program would actually disqualify most low and mid-income people from receiving the full payout. The only way lower- income persons could qualify for the cap of $230,000 is if we had very expensive properties after insurance deductions. I am in the category of low to middle income. I own 3.7 acres of land. My home was a permitted house with a barn. When I bought the property it was an illegal junkyard which is why I purchased it at a cheaper price. I made 14 years of property improvements. This included removing 18 junked vehicles at my own expense, building additional structures, and creating a taxpaying agricultural and ecotourist community for which I can provide photographic evidence. All of this work and effort to clean polluted land and replace it with an eco-friendly home and tax-paying community counts for zero in the government's buyback calculations. The County Hawaii 2017 tax value of my property is calculated at $149,000 which is only $19,000 more than what I paid for it in 2004. 14 years of sweat and tears count for nothing. Unpermitted buildings and backbreaking labor to restore land for agriculture and nature are the assets of the poor and count for nothing in the government's calculations. The government only recognizes the value of those who can afford permits which is not the situation for many residents in Puna, including local and Native Hawaiians. A March 2018 Hawaii government study on "Demographic, Social, Economic, and Housing Characteristics for Selected Race Groups in Hawaii" found that: -"Native Hawaiian experience housing problems at a greater rate than non-Natives living in the same environment." -"Native Hawaiians have the highest poverty rates for individuals and families, with 6,610 families (12.6% of families) and 45,420 individuals (15.5% of the population) living below the poverty level." This is especially true in Puna which has a large percentage of Native Hawaiians and poor local residents. The Buyout program exacerbates this problem; wealthier residents who own expensive properties get high insurance payouts and because their homes are so valuable they also qualify for the full Buyout. do not begrudge richer folks getting the $230,000. 1 have friends who lived in Kapoho who are on track to receive the full payout. I wish them well as they enjoy the benefits of being able to afford permits and expensive houses unlike us poorer Puna folks who are discriminated against. Of course the Buyout does not say it discriminates. Quite the contrary. The government boasts in their expensive PR campaigns about how they are helping the poor and low income recover from the volcano. This is simply not true for many of us in this category. Instead, the program is similar to the old practice of "redlining" on the US mainland where subtle rules and regulations had the end result of discriminating against African Americans in housing. The Buyout program will have a similar end result for Hawaiians and low-income people whose homes, which are built for the tropics and are part of their cultural heritage, are valued at zero. 2 This email is cc'd to the Office of Housing and Community Development and HUD to see if there is a basis for more formal legal action as low income and Native Hawaiians receive the least funds from this program because of the discriminatory attitude towards local Puna and Hawaiian housing. Despite having funds, the government made a decision recently to refuse to rebuild even a dirt road on upper Hinalo street to give landowners access as some of us still have properties not inundated by lava. I lived on Hinalo street so not only is the government refusing to allow me to access my home through a legal road but they are also underpricing my property based on a formula which is designed for high value homeowners. I'm literally being squeezed on both sides by the government. As I've stated multiple times to various officials, I do NOT want the buyout especially as the program is designed to short-change low-income recipients. I would prefer help to return to my land. I would be willingto accept a fraction of the buyout sum so I can build a tiny home. 1 would o so under any program that allows me to do so, especially one that supports the environmental and community work we were doing prior to the eruption. In my years-long effort to return, I have applied for the Neighborhood Place of Puna, Kilauea Recovery and Puna Strong grants as we were already doing community and environmental resilience work before the eruption. Despite countless hours of preparation and effort, the applications were rejected. Thus far, I have not received any aid from the local government. It feels very bitter to be treated this way after being a community paying state taxes for 14 years. The government has spent tens of thousands of dollars making expensive brochures, PR campaigns and administrative costs to tell people how it is helping the poor to recover from the effects of the volcano. To date, I have only received help from FEMA and nothing from the local government except lofty words. I have been a refugee living for the past 3.5 years in Portland. I'm finally coming back to Hawaii at the end of October. As a result of my negative experience with the Kilauea recovery programs thus far, I will be very active in the effort to receive justice for those of us who care for our local community and want to return. I have joined the local grassroots group Lower Puna Rising. Though my time and funds are limited, I have also volunteered to help with the RCA Action Team for Revitalize Puna. My Statement to Media. Government and relevant activist organizations is in support of efforts to enact zoning changes for Lava zones 1 and 2 with legislation promoting sustainable and community based tourism in Puna as part of the recovery effort. 3 If the Buyout program does not give more substantive assistance to low income folks, I predict the majority of maximum buyouts will be for wealthier resident home owners with permitted buildings. The uperitted buildings on the land of Native Hawaiians, the poor and lower working class of Puna will be valued at nothing. Is this the intention of Kilauea Buyout and HUD? To be an aid program for the rich while discriminating against poor and Native people by valuing their tropical-adapted homes, which are part of their cultural heritage, at nothing? Thank you for your time, Sincerely, ojo Mustapha Moja Mustapha:Community Director Phone: 808-269-2825 He onisia Hawaii EcoFeminist Community --2018 Kilauea Eruption — ^- Post-Volcano Hedonisia — 4