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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 26, 2002

Leasehold law fight goes on TV

By Treena Shapiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Opponents of the city's 1992 mandatory leasehold conversion law will air a video on 'Olelo Public Television tonight in their latest push for a repeal

A coalition of Hawaiian landowners and community groups held a press conference on the steps of 'Iolani Palace to announce their opposition to mandatory lease-to-fee conversion bills currently before the city council. At left is spokesperson Vicky Holt Takamine.

Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser

The 28-minute documentary discusses the city's right to condemn property under condominium projects when petitioned by at least half, or 25, owner-occupants. It also looks at the three projects slated for condemnation at a City Council meeting Dec. 4: Kahala Beach Apartments, Camelot Condominium and the Admiral Thomas Apartments.

The City Council gave preliminary approval to the condemnations at a November meeting, but more than half of the nine members expressed reservations after hearing hours of critical testimony.

Many opponents were among the 35 small landowners and representatives of civic, religious and cultural groups who gathered at 'Iolani Palace yesterday to protest the condemnations, arguing that the services provided by lease revenue serve a greater public purpose than condemning the land in favor of owner-occupants.

The coalition has drafted an open letter to the City Council urging members to defer the issue until six new members take office in January and have time to review the law.

Kamehameha Schools Chief Executive Hamilton McCubbin said the land under its Kahala Beach project "serves a much, much higher public purpose than 31 lessees. It will serve thousands of more kids presently and in the future."

The revenue from the property can send 720 children to preschool for one year, provide college scholarships to 808 non-Kamehameha graduates and allow 2,371 students to attend Kamehameha for a year on full scholarship, McCubbin told the City Council last month.

The charitable trust formerly known as Bishop Estate is the state's largest private landowner, and runs Kamehameha Schools at Kapalama Heights and on Maui and the Big Island campuses for children of Hawaiian ancestry.

The First United Methodist Church, which owns the land under the Admiral Thomas, is also protesting the condemnation, out of fear it will jeopardize the church's future.

Gene Grippin, who has been with the church for 40 years, said revenue from the leases supports a preschool, food bank program serving more than 700 people a month, college scholarships for the congregation and contributions to community outreach.

"At no time would we have gone into this development if we didn't feel we would eventually get the property back," Grippin said. When the church decided to acquire the property, it was to "make sure there will be a church 25, 50, 100 years from now."

Grippin said he was not opposed to eminent domain "when used correctly." But "this is putting the cart before the horse," he said.

The documentary will air on Oceanic Channel 53 at 6:30 p.m., and can be viewed online at www.kupaa.org and www.ksbe.edu. It will repeat on the same channel Sunday at noon, Monday at 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

Reach Treena Shapiro at 525-8070 or tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.


Correction: The documentary by opponents of Honolulu's leasehold conversion law will be aired on 'Olelo, Channel 53. Information in a previous version of this story was incorrect. The show will air again on Sunday at noon, Monday at 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.