In The News
Residents Fight for Kukui Gardens
April 30, 2006
KGMB9
Kukui Gardens residents celebrated a small victory in a fight to preserve their affordable apartments. A conference committee on Friday passed a measure calling for the state to acquire the housing complex.
Joanne Winchester has called Kukui Gardens home for 35 years. She is worried about the affordable housing complex being up for sale.
“My husband is moving towards retiring this year so for us, it’s definitely is a concern,” said the long-time resident.
Winchester is one of 2,500 tenants living in the low to moderate-income rental units.
“I feel even more seriously for older people, the elderly here who are on fixed income, especially Chinese elderly people because they have their culture around here,” Winchester said. “They walk to Chinatown.”
Dozens turned out on Sunday to get an update at a Kukui Gardens Association meeting. An interpreter translated the remarks into Cantonese. Organizers were thrilled a bill allowing the state to buy or condemn the property was approved by a conference committee.
“We were just so happy,” said association president Carol Anzai. “You cannot imagine.”
City Councilman Rod Tam also accused several board members of the Kukui Gardens Corporation of having a conflict of interest in the sale.
“Not only are they on the board of directors, but they’re also managers of various charities who are receiving the money proceeds from the sale,” Tam explained.
A spokesman for the Kukui Gardens Corporations said the board held meetings this weekend to review the legislation and its impact. But members have not yet decided what action to take. The board plans to meet again on Monday and issue a statement. The corporation has said the buyer plans to keep the rents reasonable for at least the next five years. But residents vow to protect their way of life for the long-term future.
“Just keep on going, you know, just not sit back and relax and think, okay, we’ve won, it’s over. It’s not over,” said Anzai.
The association is also seeking help from Hawaii’s congressional delegation to launch a federal investigation into the buyer.
The bill must still be approved by the full House and Senate before it goes to the governor to be signed into law.
