BUREAUCRACY BUSTER
Neighbor's property a jungle
By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau
Q: Our newly renovated, like-new home is next door to a house that has been "abandoned" since the owner's mother passed away at least 15 years ago.
The property has been left to deteriorate, with a jungle of overgrown weeds and bushes that are over 6 to 10 feet tall, including very invasive bamboo.
The bamboo has rooted under our stone wall and is now shooting up in our yard. Is there some agency we can turn to?
A: City officials recommend you call the city's Residential Code Enforcement Branch at 527-6308 and tell officials the location of the house. Inspectors can check to see whether the house is indeed abandoned and whether the overgrowth is causing structural damage.
As for the bamboo, city officials say that's a neighbor-to-neighbor issue and they can't get involved. They suggest taking the issue to a neighborhood justice mediator if you two cannot resolve the matter. The Mediation Center of the Pacific also helps people with conflicts such as neighbor disputes. Reach them at 521-6767.
Q: My mother will be turning 65 in a few months, and therefore will be going on Medicare. I am completely lost when it comes to this program. I need to know the steps necessary for her to enroll.
Also, I would like to know where I could get more general information about the program. Is there a Web site I could go to?
A: You may file a Medicare enrollment application with your local Social Security office. There are two offices on O'ahu, in Honolulu and in Pearl City.
There are also offices in Lihu'e, Wailuku and Hilo, at the addresses listed in the blue, government pages of the phone book. To make an appointment, call (800) 772-1213.
You may also get general information about Medicare by calling (800) 633-4227. People already receiving Social Security benefits when they turn 65 will automatically be enrolled in Medicare.
These Web sites may be helpful to you and your mother: www.ssa.gov and the AARP site, www.aarp.org/hcchoices.
Do you ever get frustrated or confused trying to navigate the various layers of government? Are you looking for an answer to a simple question but can't figure out where to start? If you have a question or a problem and need help getting to the right person, you can reach The Bureaucracy Buster one of three ways:
• Write to:
The Bureaucracy Buster
The Honolulu Advertiser
605 Kapi'olani Blvd.
Honolulu, HI 96813
• e-mail: buster@honoluluadvertiser.com
• Phone: 535-2454 and leave a message.
Be sure to give us your name and daytime telephone number.
