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Tuesday, August 7, 2001




KEN SAKAMOTO / KSAKAMOTO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Construction workers urge the granting of a
building permit today at Honolulu Hale.



Pre-fab home
contractor in
building permit fight

The company's CEO says the
Carpenter's Union is a hindrance


By Nelson Daranciang and Gordon Y.K. Pang
ndaranciang@starbulletin.com
gpang@starbulletin.com

Hawaiian Palisade Homes has been building pre-fabricated houses in its factory in the Campbell Industrial Park since March.

But the company says it has not been able to deliver any of the nine homes it has built because it hasn't received a final building permit for its factory from the city.

"It's a different thing every day. You gotta go to the Board of Water Supply, get their permits. You gotta do this. You gotta do that. Then you gotta go back here," said company chief executive officer Art Smith.

Smith and his workers held a noisy protest in front of Honolulu Hale this morning.

He alleges that the Capenter's Union is opposing his building permit because he employees nonunion carpenters for half of union wages.

But city spokeswoman Carol Costa says a lack of sprinklers, not politics, is the reason for the permit delay.

"The company is not being treated differently from others," Costa said.

She said building codes require Hawaiian Palisade Homes' factory to have a sprinkler system.

Smith has been trying to obtain a building permit since April. He obtained a temporary permit to expand an existing building.

Until the building is completely legal, however, the company says it can't sell the products built in it.

There is no more room to build any more houses, Smith said. He added that he has 153 employees and could double the amount of workers as soon has he can build more pre-fabricated homes.

This morning Smith met with city planning director Randy Fujiki in the managing director's office. Costa said the city may be issuing a permit based on compliance while the company appeals the need for a sprinkler system.



E-mail to City Desk


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