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A new proposal has cleared its first hurdle in amending Honolulu’s Land Use Ordinance to impose fines of $25,000 or more on builders of “monster homes” on Oahu.
The Honolulu City Council unanimously approved the first reading of Bill 52, which was introduced by Council Chair Tommy Waters and focuses solely on higher fines.
Under Bill 52, builders who violate city laws regarding development standards and permitted uses and structures would face an initial fine of up to $25,000, plus a daily fine of up to $10,000 per violation.
The Council recognizes that monster homes in residential areas continue to be a problem, and the current penalty of $250 per day, up to a total of $2,000, is insufficient. The Department of Planning and Permitting incurs additional costs to audit, revoke, and defend revocations at the Building Board of Appeals, justifying the need for higher fines.
Bill 52 aims to provide a stronger deterrent and penalty for developers who violate the monster homes ordinance by providing incorrect information on plans or converting rooms for multi-family use during or after construction.
Violations would occur if the applicant, plan maker, architect, or engineer supplies incorrect information on plans submitted for a building permit application.
No Council discussion was held on the measure before its approval, but resident Natalie Iwasa expressed support for Bill 52 over another measure involving false statements to officials. She requested information on the amount of fines waived by the Department of Planning and Permitting in previous years.
Resident Lynne Matusow recommended including provisions in Bill 52 for the demolition of monster homes to have a stronger impact on violators.
The Building Industry Association of Hawaii had mixed reactions to Bill 52, stating that while they support higher fines, more aggressive enforcement would be more effective. They recommended unannounced inspections during the period of temporary occupancy to ensure compliance with building codes.
The Director of the Department of Planning and Permitting, Dawn Takeuchi Apuna, explained in a memorandum that existing laws have not effectively addressed the issue of monster home developments. She noted that another proposed measure, Bill 44, may be unworkable due to existing state law.
Takeuchi Apuna emphasized the department’s commitment to eliminating monster homes on Oahu and revealed that 15 permits have already been revoked since January. She believes that substantially increasing fines will send a strong message to developers who disobey the law.