Kokua Line June Watanabe

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State will clear junked cars in Kalihi

Question: I certainly hope you can help those of us living here at the Maluhia Senior Residence. Our building is located at 1111 Hala Drive, but many of us look out on Keola Street, which is becoming a haven for abandoned cars, 10 at last count. I've been told the state owns the land, but won't cut the grass or remove the cars because apparently it has ceded the land to the city. The city won't do the work because it seems it hasn't accepted ownership yet. Meanwhile, litter, refuse, trash and dumped cars have taken over. It has become a health hazard, a severe eyesore, and it seems people are actually making a home in one of the wrecked cars. If you don't believe me, try driving by -- head Ewa on Kuakini Street until it dead-ends at Lanakila. Then make a right turn, then a quick left on Keola Street and drive up to Hala Street. You will see for yourself how bad things are in our neighborhood. Can you help?

Answer: It's taken a while to get the jurisdiction straightened out, but the bottom line is that the area should be cleared of the trash and vehicles soon.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources already has initiated some cleanup of the vehicles, which, according to the Honolulu Police Department, belong to area residents, said DLNR spokeswoman Deborah Ward.

In December 2004, the Board of Land and Natural Resources conveyed the area in question to the city, which had planned to use it to extend Kuakini Street.

However, the funding fell through, so the city no longer wants the land.

At a meeting tomorrow, the board is scheduled to vote on rescinding its action that conveyed the state property to the city, Ward said.

Since the city doesn't want it anymore, "we will resume responsibility for the land," she said.

Q: Early last year, I began contacting TheBus about removing a tourist booklet/newspaper rack that was placed exactly blocking the view from the bench under a bus shelter on Kuhio Avenue, on the Diamond Head side of Lewers. After nothing happened for several months, I phoned and got someone who said, "Not our responsibility -- contact the city." So I contacted the mayor's "fix-it" line, via e-mail, and twice got calls back from a nice guy who said, "We've tried and 'turned it in,' but they seem to be too busy. Maybe you can call them." I don't feel a citizen should have to override the mayor's office to deal with a city department, so can you stir some action? With the way the rack is placed, neither passengers nor bus drivers can see each other, and I have missed buses that sail on by -- and others have, too.

A: The rack was relocated on March 16, about a year after you started complaining, but at least it finally was moved.

The city Department of Transportation Service's Public Transit Division said it was moved "to an area in the back of the bus stop away from the bus shelter to mitigate the view plane issue."