Isle landlord starts
group to combat
bad tenants

A bad experience leads to an
association to help others
in similar situations

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By Lyn Danninger
Star-Bulletin

When it comes to bad tenants, Big Island rental property owner Leland Okura knows what he's talking about.

He had a tenant in a rental home who he suspected of being a drug dealer. The man had stopped paying rent yet Okura had a difficult time evicting him.

"It took me six months to get him out, he owed me over $4,000, not to mention the damage he did to the house," Okura said.

Once the tenant finally left, Okura attempted to garnishee the man's wages for the back rent he was owed -- only to find out when he called the tenant's employer that there were others waiting to be paid.

"They told me to wait in line. There were three other people ahead of me," he said. "That was the last straw, I decided I had to do something positive."

Now Okura is starting a nonprofit landlord association to share information with other landlords, providing mutual assistance he says is unavailable anywhere else.

If the experience with his tenant was not bad enough, Okura said he got very little help from the state's court system when he tried to have the tenant evicted.

"That was another nightmare in itself," he said.

Okura said he went back and forth for information to the courts and filled out many forms. At one point he even spoke to a court supervisor about the difficulty of the process.

"I asked them why they don't create a packet with instructions. Not everyone can afford a lawyer," he said.

While Okura eventually got his court order, the experience left him frustrated.

"I can win a case, yet I still lose," he said.

Apparently, others agree with Okura.

E-mails and phone calls have been coming in steadily from others who've had similar experiences since Okura announced his intention to form an association.

Ultimately, he'd like the court system to be more user friendly to landlords when it comes to evicting bad tenants.

But the only way to affect change is to put pressure on lawmakers. One of the association's goals would be to lobby politicians, Okura says.

He also wants to educate new landlords on their rights and responsibilities and teach them how to effectively screen prospective tenants. Many landlord problems could be solved with a common-sense approach, he said.

"You can do a police records check if you have the full name, birthdate and Social Security number," he said. "Also court records show outstanding judgments and criminal records. It's all public record."

He also thinks landlords should require a credit report for rental applicants over age 18.

Okura believes a landlords organization would benefit everyone in the community. By not renting to people who manufacture drugs, Okura said landlords can make a difference.

"I've lived in Kona since 1982, but I'm originally a local boy from Hilo. I've seen the change in the community and the people who rolled in," Okura said. "They haven't contributed positively to the community."

"We've got to clean up and get our community back," he said.

Okura said he was surprised to hear from so many different people about his idea.

"I got a call from a guy who was part of a similar grass roots lobbying organization in Montana, also a lady who has experience putting together by-laws and even a guy who's a reformed drug addict," he said.

Ralph Lewis, a Kona resident since 1982, was one of those who called Okura with an offer to help.

Lewis was state vice president of the Montana Landlords Association for seven years.

Lewis said the Montana organization was born out of much of the same kind of frustration now being experienced by Okura and other local rental property owners.

"It was the same kind of basic problems although we didn't have a big drug problem there," he said.

Over the years, Lewis said the organization has been effective in lobbying lawmakers to make state laws fairer.

But in spite of landlords' problems, Lewis is quick to point out they also need to do their part to encourage good tenants.

"Landlords need to take care of good tenants but they also need to have a way to get rid of the bad ones," he said.

Okura says he will begin the association by assembling those interested.

"Our first step will be to call a meeting. We'll get the expertise of each person who's there, decide what our mission will be and try to organize," he said.

Those interested in getting more information about the landlord association can contact Okura by e-mail: lasonlin@greensand.net or by phone at (808)329-3655.