HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017-06-22 Letter to J.C. King re FUDS
WilOkabe
Managing Director
Harry Kim
Mayor
Barbara J. Kossow
Deputy Managing Director
County of Hawai‘i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 Hilo, Hawai‘i 96720 (808) 961-8211 Fax (808) 961-6553
KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg. C Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i 96740
(808) 323-4444Fax (808) 323-4440
June 22, 2017
J.C. King
Director of Munitions and Chemical
Matters, ODASA(ESOH)
James.C.King4.civ@mail.mil
Dear Mr. King,
RE:Former Waikoloa Maneuver Area
FUDS Project No. H09HI035922
On behalf of the residents of Hawai’i Island, I would like to request the U.S. Army
to change the direction of its Unexploded Ordinance Clearance Schedule and parcel out
specific sites that are designated for affordable housing projects.
The State of Hawai’i is mandated to build 22,000 affordable housing units by the
year 2025 and the County of Hawai’i has been actively seeking ways to meet its part of
this mandate. Approximately two (2) years ago, the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development (HUD) was made aware of concerns of unexploded ordinances
(UXO) in the Former Waikoloa Maneuver Area. Since this notification, HUD has placed
restrictions on new funding into this area, effectively stopping the development of four
(4) multi-family, affordable housing projects that would provide desperately, needed
housing for 1,564 families. In addition, there are two (2) existing affordable housing
projects (consisting of 108 families), that need to have their properties surveyed and
cleared to eliminate any danger from unexploded ordinances. These are:
Proposed:Kamakoa Nui (County of Hawai’i)1,200 units
Plumeria at Waikoloa (JSM Enterprises)200 units
Waikoloa Family Affordable (Gary Furuta)104 units
Kaialulu O Waikoloa (Urban Housing)60 units
Existing:Waikoloa Gardents (Jack Hall Waikoloa)24 units
Ke Kumu Ekaki (State Hawai’i Housing)94 units
County of Hawai‘i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.
Mr. J.C. King
Page 2
June 22, 2017
Again, I strongly urge your agency to parcel out these projects and schedule
them for Ordinance Clearance work at the earliest date possible. I cannot emphasize
the importance of clearing these subject parcels so as we can help our citizens make
this island a better place to live.
Please contact Neil Gyotoku of my staff at (808) 961-8379 if we can be of any
assistance in resolving this important issue.
Sincerely,
Harry Kim, Mayor
c: Senator Mazie Hirono
Senator Brian Schatz
Representative Colleen Hanabusa
Representative TulsiGabbard
County of Hawai`i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.