Seniors at Kailua complex uneasy
By Eloise Aguiar
Advertiser Windward O'ahu Writer
KAILUA — The city has begun a 24-hour security patrol at the Lani Huli Elderly Apartments following complaints from residents and surrounding businesses about vagrancy and suspected drug activities in the parking lot below the senior housing complex.
The city and the owners of the complex are working on other, more permanent solutions, which may include fencing the parking structure.
Samuel Bishaw Jr., who operates a tae kwon do center next to Lani Huli, said he complained to state Rep. Cynthia Thielen about vagrants, people sleeping on his doorstep and what he suspects are drug activities.
Bishaw said he has seen as many as 15 people — many of them "unsavory" — hanging around the area.
"Being a businessman, especially dealing with children, I was concerned," he said. "I'm concerned for their safety."
Lani Huli is an award-winning complex known for its beautiful landscaping and surrounded by small businesses. It was built on a city parking lot and in developing the project the city agreed to build in such a way as to maintain the public parking. But to do that the parking structure included a floor below street level.
Pacific Housing Assistance Corp. owns the apartments and the city owns the parking lot, but Pacific Housing maintains the parking lot and common elements.
Police said the lower level of the parking lot attracts problems, but on the whole the area receives no more complaints than other areas.
"We've investigated," said Maj. Susan Dowsett. "The primary thing we see are nuisance-type complaints stemming from homeless individuals that hang out in the area due to the unsecured parking lot."
Al Palmieri, 87, and a resident of Lani Huli, said the combination of "old-timers," skateboarders and kids hanging out makes the area dangerous for pedestrians.
"It's kind of risky," Palmieri said. "A couple of times I almost got run over."
Other residents complained about fighting and drug dealing, but Palmieri said he never saw that because he doesn't go out at night and his hearing is bad. However, he said he has seen drinking on the premises.
City Council member Barbara Marshall said the city is assessing the problem before taking permanent and more costly action. Until Thielen brought up the issue, Marshall said her office had received no complaints.
Police have done drug stakeouts in the area and come up empty-handed, she said. But since business owners have complained and the elderly are concerned, the city is taking another look at the problem, Marshall said. The safety of the elderly is foremost, she said.
"But it begs the question of how much money the city can throw at one area without creating more problems in another area."
Thielen said she responded to the complaints by visiting the area and found drunks loitering and evidence of people sleeping on the sidewalks. She praised the city for initiating the security guard service but said more has to be done.
"My hope is the city will take the second step and do what's necessary to lock down the garage at night."
In a letter to Thielen, Mayor Jeremy Harris said the city is reviewing a maintenance operating agreement for the parking lot, which would include provisions for a security guard and will make a budget request for money next year.
"The revenues generated from the parking lot are not sufficient to cover the cost of a 24-hour security guard, but the seriousness of this problem requires that we take action," Harris said.
Marvin Awaya, executive director for Pacific Housing Assistance Corp., said he will meet with the city this week to discuss other options.
Awaya said he had worked with police to rid the area of youth gangs and will now try to solve the problem of loiterers, but he sees two aspects to the issue.
"It's a maintenance as well as a security issue," Awaya said.
Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com or 234-5266.
