Lynda Gill’s Poipu, Kauai, Hawaii Real Estate at Pacific Ocean Properties

Hawaii Mortgage Foreclosure Dispute Resolution Program

Last Monday Hawaii introduced a mortgage foreclosure dispute resolution program that will allow owner-occupants with homes in nonjudicial foreclosure to have the opportunity to meet directly with their lenders.  The program will give those owners the opportunity to work with lenders to modify their loans or work out an alternative to foreclosure, the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said in a statement.  The program is a component of a new state law that sought to reform the foreclosure process in Hawaii and will be funded by fees paid by participating lenders and homeowners. Under the law, the program started Oct. 1 and will be in effect until Sept. 30, 2014.  As of Oct. 1 lenders may submit nonjudicial foreclosure notice filings online once they have registered with the state.

 Sales last week here on Kauai followed the same pattern as what we have been seeing; a good number of properties going off the market by going into escrow or selling and the number of properties that came on the market is fairly low.  For an excel spreadsheet on all of our activity CLICK HERE FOR SPREADSHEET

Visitors Body Found Off Polihale Beach

The body of a 28 year old visitor from Ontario, Canada was recovered off Polihale Beach on Wednesday.  The visitor was with his brother in the ocean about waist high deep on late Tuesday when he got swept out to sea.  A surfer on the beach went after the man but was not able to find him.

At 6:25 that night the Kauai Fire Department arrived on the scene and searched until 9 pm assisted by Air 1.  Early the next morning the search resumed and the visitor’s body was found about 30 yards offshore.

Massive Marijuana Plant Seizure In Mount Waialeale

A tip off to Kauai Police Department last November started an investigation into a well-run marijuana farm on state land in the Mount Waialeale area.  5 Kauai residents were arrested after officers seized about 6,000 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of $5.9 million.  This bust is the largest outdoor marijuana growing operation ever prosecuted in the state of Hawaii.

“Growing season” for marijuana starts in September and since police were not tipped off until last November they were only able to start their surveillance last July.  They video tapped the five suspects allegedly harvesting, cultivating and smoking the marijuana.  The suspects were arrested on Friday.

A similar situation also happened this week.  Another 12 Hawaii residents were arrested in a crystal meth drug ring.  After Federal officials put wire taps on three cell phones six pounds of crystal meth was found hidden in socks and in hollowed out bars of soap from the Phillippines.  The seizure was on Kauai and Sacramento.  The ice was being mailed or body carried from the Philippines and California with Kauai as its final destination, authorities said.  The DEA said the drug ring was in operation for several years and brought in an estimated 30 pounds of meth a month.

“To those who choose to poison our community for profit, let it be known that law enforcement in the state of Hawaii will continue to come together to find you and to bring you to justice,” Kauai Police Department Lt. Michael Contrades said.

Kauai Utility Company Pursues Solar Farm

Last Wednesday the Kauai Island Utility Cooperative said they are intending to pursue the development of a 10-megawatt solar farm.  This will be the largest in the state.

They will also create a “for-profit” subsidiary to qualify the solar project for state and federal tax credits.  By doing this 50 percent of the cost will be paid by taxpayers through the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act”.  The timeline to do this is short in order to qualify for the federal incentives.

There are several locations that are being considered no news yet on which one it will be.

Our current electric rate is 42 cents per kilowatt which is the highest in the country and the highest in our state which averages 36 cents per kilowatt.

Lihue and Kekaha Sugar Mills To Be Dismantled

Last Tuesday former workers and Kauai residents gathered to bid farewell to the Kekaha Sugar Mill and on Wednesday the same was done for the Lihue Mill.  The Lihue Mill was blessed among former workers and local residents before work began to raze the asbestos laden and corroded structures.  Former workers were amazed that they outlived the building which they never thought would happen.

The end of en era came for Kauai in 2000 when sugar processing stopped and most of the equipment was auctioned off in 2001.   The town of Lihue was literally built around the mill which was erected in 1934 which in its heyday processed more cane than any other mill in the state and was the most advanced of any in Hawaii.    Since the closing of the Lihue Mill several structures have collapsed and vandalism has occurred at both the Lihue and Kekaha locations.

A couple of weeks ago town meetings had been held to involve the public on the demolition and asbestos control.