Kokua Line
Kokua Line
Question: The city took over a small single-family house at 1459 Aalapapa Drive in Lanikai a couple of years ago. At first, a sign in front indicated it would be used for senior living. The sign has since been removed. The house has been repaired and the house and yard spruced up, but so far no one has moved in. What are the plans for this property? City to rent bequeathed
Lanikai homeAnswer: The plan now is to rent it out to an "income-eligible family" because original plans to operate a group home for low-income senior citizens there have been thwarted by the inability to find a nonprofit operator.
The city had put out a request for proposals from nonprofit group home operators last fall, but no one responded, said Karen Miyake, the county executive on aging for the city Elderly Affairs Division.
The operators indicated that, given the overall decline in the real estate market, it would be difficult to break even on such a project, she said. On top of that, they would not be able to secure additional funds to subsidize operations, she said.
Since federally funded renovations to the home were completed late last year, the Elderly Affairs Division has sought alternative uses, Miyake said. This spring, the decision was made to rent it, with proceeds from the rental used to support senior programs, she said.
An agreement with a property management company is being finalized, Miyake said. The company would then screen tenants, execute rental agreements, accept rental payments and handle maintenance.
The house was willed to the Elderly Affairs Division by the late owner. Two years ago, in answer to a Kokua Line complaint about the yard being an overgrown mess, we were told the will was in probate and the property not yet legally the city's.
However, the yard was cleaned first by city staff volunteers, then by a crew from the city Parks Department.
Q: Where can I obtain the Social Security number for a deceased person since the death certificate does not show this?
A: Take the death certificate to either the Honolulu office (federal building, corner of Punchbowl Street and Ala Moana Boulevard) or Pearl City office (719 Kamehameha Highway) of the Social Security Administration, said spokesman Tim Walsh.
If, for some reason, the deceased person's date of birth is not on the death certificate, you must be able to show proof of birth date.
To do a search, a name and birth date are required.
"If a person is deceased, we can disclose that (Social Security) number," Walsh said. Such third-party disclosures are not done for a living person.
Mahalo
I would like to thank the patient at Dr. Celina Guerrero's office who found a tennis bracelet I lost in the building's restroom. I would also like to thank Guerrero's staff, as well as Dr. Antonio Cordero's staff, for returning the bracelet to me. -- Phyllis Kam
Auwe
To the men who came to pick coconuts on our tree. We told them they could help themselves, which they did. They also helped themselves to our lime tree, taking most of the good limes, too. Later, we found they took all the nice tangerines, which we had been waiting to get ripe enough to eat, then threw all the peels in the yard. I never want to see those people again. -- No name
Need help with problems? Call Kokua Line at 525-8686,
fax 525-6711, or write to P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802.
Email to kokualine@starbulletin.com