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Kalihi project plans to be
ready for tenants in April

Question: What is up with the housing project at the intersection of Kamehameha IV Road and Likelike Highway? The rows of renovated housing have been vacant for almost one year, as you can tell by the weeds growing around them. Is this another state taxpayer-funded project with poor management? When will they be finished so the people can move in? There is no signage posted saying who is in charge and when they will be done. Wonder why?

Answer: It may not look like there's anything going on, and the "landscaping" leaves a lot to be desired, but the state overseer of the $11 million housing project, the Department of Human Services' Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii, says work is continuing.

Renovation of 63 units at Kalihi Valley Homes began in July 2002 and is tentatively scheduled to be completed in April, said Derick Dahilig, housing spokesman for the department.

"We've run into a few design snags," he said. However, when asked if the project was behind schedule, he said, "I wouldn't say we're behind schedule ... obviously, with any project renovation, we've run into some snags ..."

The focus is on making sure the units are in an acceptable and safe condition, he said. Since work is continuing, no one has been able to move back in.

Dahilig acknowledged that "it looks like (the project is) not taken care of," but said that's because work is taking place inside the units.

"Obviously, the landscaping is something that we're working with the contractor (Allied Builders System) to take care of, but right now they have higher priorities, which have to do with the actual inside of the units," he said. "0nce the contractor actually has taken care of that, we hope to have the landscape trimmed, mowed .... but the priority is ... to make sure everything is OK, everything is safe."

In response to your charge of poor management, he emphasized it's not a waste of taxpayers' money. "We're trying to improve the units for the residents, in a sense improve their quality of life."

Q: I have a service dog that travels with me everywhere. Next year, we have the American Legion Conference in Honolulu. What is needed to bring a service animal to Hawaii?

A: You should check with the Hawaii Department of Agriculture's Animal Quarantine Station. Call (808) 483-7151; e-mail rabiesfree@hawaii.gov; or get information on its Web site at www.hawaiiag.org/hdoa/ai_aqs_faq.htm#q6.

Service dogs are among those exempted from the state's animal quarantine requirements.

Since Hawaii is said to be the only state that is rabies free, state law requires dogs, cats and other carnivores to go through a 30-day or 120-day rabies quarantine.

But exemptions to quarantine confinement are given to guide dogs for the blind and "certified service dogs" for the disabled.

Such dogs must complete certain requirements before coming to Hawaii, including having a current rabies vaccination and passing a specific rabies blood test.

State law specifies exactly what is meant by guide and service dogs.

A guide dog is defined as "any dog individually trained by a licensed guide dog trainer for guiding a blind person by means of a harness attached to the dog and a rigid handle grasped by the person."

A service dog is one that is "individually and professionally trained" to help a disabled person with specific tasks.

The state requires a physician's statement certifying the owner's disability and the fact that the dog provides assistance because of that disability, or a certificate of training as a service dog by a program accredited by Assistance Dogs International or a comparable service dog training program.

You must notify the Rabies Quarantine Branch at least 24 hours in advance of when the dog is arriving, of where it will be staying.

Once in Hawaii, the dog must be taken by the airline to the Airport Animal Quarantine Holding Facility, to verify that all requirements have been met and that the dog is free of external parasites.

If there are no problems, the dog will be released to the owner.

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