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Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Meeting NOVEMBER 2023 Minutes
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With Permission / Courtesy of: City and County of Honolulu Neighborhood Commission Office

DOWNTOWN - CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13

November 2023 Minutes

DRAFT WRITTEN SUMMARY FOR VIDEO RECORD

THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER 2023

PRINCESS RUTH KE�ELIK LANI MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY & WebEx

6:00 PM

The video record of this meeting may be found on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYoEZG1kMKo and https://olelo.granicus.com/player/clip/87789?view_id=78&redirect=true&h=e79569aa558b3b8be6a03e9a20138b8d.

Referenced reports and other meeting materials may be found in the month-specific folder of the NB 13 public-facing Google Drive on https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1F4DdI9R8Er12TNf6Bl-yb4p4EW0-68vu.

I. CALL TO ORDER - [0:00:20]: 6:02 pm

Chair Ernest Caravalho called the Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board 13 meeting to order at 6:02 pm. Quorum was established with five members present; this nine-member board requires five members to establish quorum and to take official action.

Members Present: Robert Armstrong, Ernest Caravalho, Ross Isokane, Kevin Lye, Lori McCarney.

Members Absent: Sean Fitzsimmons, Kevin McDonald, Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, Travis Thompson.

Guests: Firefighter Kaleo Kia (Honolulu Fire Department); Lieutenant Arnold Sagucio (Honolulu Police Department); Emily Perry, Judith Stilgenbauer (Trust for Public Land); Chad Koyanagi (State Department of Health); Director Anton Krucky (Department of Community Services); Shawn Hamamoto (Office of the Governor); Tim Nelson (Chief of Staff, Office of Congressman Ed Case); Honolulu Emergency Services Department Deputy Director Ian Santee (Office of the Mayor); Richmond Luzar (Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam); Sara Thorn (Senator Karl Rhoads); Iris Oda (Honolulu Board of Water Supply); Harry Cho (Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation); Greg Payton (Mental Health Kokua); Lee Stack (Chinatown Improvement District); Ronald Higa, Patrick Smith, Patrick Watson, Janice Guggino, Rick Keene, Charles Jonsson (residents); Kevin McDonald (present but not acting as a member of NB 13); Dylan Buck (Neighborhood Commission Office). Names were not included if not recognized or not legible on the sign-in sheet; there were as many as 33 unique attendees.

II. PUBLIC SAFETY REPORTS - [0:00:40]

Honolulu Fire Department (HFD) - [0:01:35]: Firefighter Kia spoke to a report and relayed the following information:

• October 2023 statistics: Four structure fires, 4 nuisance fires, 1 wildland/brush fire, 11 activated alarms (no fire), 107 medical emergencies, 9 motor vehicle crashes/collisions.

• Safety Tip: Holiday Cooking Safety - Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, and unattended cooking is by far the leading contributor. For more tips and information, visit https://fire.honolulu.gov/.

Questions, comments and concerns followed - [0:03:12].

Honolulu Police Department (HPD) - [0: 04:37]: Lieutenant Sagucio reported the following:

• October 2023 statistics: Twelve motor vehicle thefts, 3 burglaries, 39 thefts, 13 unauthorized entries into motor vehicles (UEMV), 17 assaults, 1 sexual assault, 7 drug offenses, and 2,132 total calls for service. Crime mapping statistics may be found on https://www.honolulupd.org/information/crime-mapping/.

• Safety Tip: Phone Scams - Be cautious of unknown numbers, heavily accented callers, lack of information on the caller's end of the conversation, and do not give out private information.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed [0: 08:06]. Isokane inquired about untoward incidents during the downtown bar crawl on the evening of Saturday 28 October 2023; Lt. Sagucio attributed effective crowd control to the impromptu surge in HPD presence, and noted communication that evening with the Honolulu Liquor Commission as well as HFD. Armstrong sought clarification about the nature of the crowds; Lt. Sagucio lamented that future events may simply take place without formal petitions for permission. Caravalho clarified that the bar crawl that evening was not affiliated with Hallowbaloo. McCarney suggested pre-emptive planning by HPD for any likely upcoming St. Patrick's Day festivities. Lye presented images and sought confirmation of the impropriety of smoking at city bus stops and of locking vehicles to sidewalk-mounted street signs; Lt. Sagucio noted HPD efforts to counter such activities, and confirmed that HPD will occasionally monitor breaking broadcast news as well as the security camera feeds on the large screens in the Chinatown substation.

III. PRESENTATIONS - [0:22:52]

�A�ala Park Proof of Concept Design - [0:23:10]: Emily Perry (Parks for People Program Manager - Trust for Public Land) spoke to a presentation and provided a brief history of �A�ala Park and the skate park, highlighted the benefits of parks in communities, noted the recent grassroots community engagement timeline, presented information about a possible design for revitalizing the park, and relayed the project's next steps.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [0:32:42].

State Department of Health (DOH) Adult Mental Health Division Iwilei Resource Center - [0:38:50]: Chad Koyanagi, MD (DOH), Director Anton Krucky (DCS), and Shawn Hamamoto (DOH) spoke to a report and announced that DOH and the City & County of Honolulu have entered into a partnership to establish a behavioral health crisis center at the Iwilei Resource Center (IRC); DOH's Behavioral Health Administration will provide behavioral health services to adults at the City-owned building located at 806 Iwilei Road in Honolulu. The IRC is undergoing final stages of renovation needed to serve as a crisis center and is scheduled to open in January 2024.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [0:43:40].

IV. PUBLIC CONCERNS - [0:55:14]

Congressman Ed Case's Representative - [0:55:23]: Tim Nelson spoke to Congressman Case's 2023 third quarter report and requested a standing item on future NB 13 agenda documents to provide ad hoc reports from the Congressman.

Additional items and public testimony are presented as labeled IV. within the NB 13 public-facing November 2023 Google Drive folder.

V. ELECTED OFFICIALS - [0:58:56]

Governor Josh Green - [0:59:04]: Hamamoto spoke to a report and provided responses to certain questions raised at the previous meeting.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:03:04]. McDonald inquired about public utility regulation by the state. McCarney requested an update from the state DOT Harbors Division about projects underway within the jurisdiction of NB 13. Isokane requested updates on the emergency housing proclamation.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi - [1:09:22]: Santee spoke to a report and provided responses to certain questions raised at the previous meeting.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:13:06]. Armstrong requested resumption of dissemination of Red-Light Safety Camera statistics. Caravalho requested a plan from the City to address chronic concerns about Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Park.

Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam (District 6) - [1:19:17]: Luzar spoke to a report and provided updates on legislation, Kekaulike Mall construction, installation of the Dolores Mollring plaque, and a recap of a recent Smith-Beretania Mini Park clean-up.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:22:05].

Senator Karl Rhoads (District 13) - [1:28:08]: Sara Thorn spoke to a report and noted that the Red Light Safety Camera program is now operating at all 10 locations, encouraged individuals interested in suggesting any new legislation to contact Senator Rhoads' office, and provided responses to certain questions raised at the previous meeting.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:32:40].

Representative Scott Saiki (District 26) - [1:35:12]: No representative present, no report submitted.

Representative Daniel Holt (District 28) - [1:35:24]: No representative present, no report submitted.

VI. MONTHLY REPORTS - [1:35:37]

Board of Water Supply (BWS) - [1:35:43]:]: Iris Oda reported that there were two water main breaks in this community during October 2023, provided responses to certain questions raised at the previous meeting, and announced the 2024 BWS Poster Contest (Grades K-6) and Poetry Contest (Grades 7-12), with theme �Our Water Our Home' and entry deadline of Wednesday 28 February 2024; more information is available on https://www.boardofwatersupply.com/.

Safe Haven - [1:39:08]: Greg Payton spoke to a report and highlighted that Safe Haven (Mental Health Kokua) has helped to place 63 individuals into permanent housing between January and October 2023, that Safe Haven has officially moved out of Pauahi Hale (126 Pauahi Street) and has downsized its presence in the community by about 50%, and that all residents of Pauahi Hale have been relocated to other housing facilities.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:40:12].

Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) - [1:43:35]: Harry Cho provided responses to certain questions raised at the previous meeting; construction updates can be found on https://honolulutransit.org/construction/.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:45:12].

Chinatown Improvement District (CID) - [1:46:22]: No representative present; Caravalho noted an intent to post the provided report to the NB 13 public-facing Google Drive.

Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Citizen Patrol - [1:46:56]: Kevin Lye presented images and reported observations by the patrol from September and October 2023, including multiple apparent sit-lie violations, copious improper multi-room semi-permanent structures made of wooden pallets impeding sidewalks as well as bike lanes and roadways, deep post-holes within downtown city sidewalks, activities of concern within downtown parking structures and arson of undriveable vehicles therein, a surfeit of graffiti, innumerable tents on the Diamond Head lawn of the state Capitol, and persistent illegal feeding of feral birds. Lye announced that there will be no hosted patrol for the months of November and December 2023; the patrol is scheduled to resume in January 2024 on the second Tuesday of every month, departing at 7:00 pm from outside the Diamond Head Tower lobby of Kukui Plaza [GPS: 1261 Fort Street]. Please bring a friend and a camera, join the patrol, and help identify areas of concern within the community.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [1:52:04]. Resident Smith inquired about initiatives by the city and county to address graffiti across the island; Lye expressed hope that the new Chinatown security camera system might employ software, as in other similar jurisdictions, to identify acts of graffiti in progress and automatedly notify the nearest HPD officer of a potential crime in progress, and also recognized efforts by Member Armstrong to address unfettered access to spray paint and large markers. Armstrong noted an apparent shift in the nature of immobile individuals found within downtown and Chinatown doorways towards catatonic, drug-induced stupors.

Chinatown Business Community Association (CBCA) - [1:58:42]: No representative present; a report was posted.

VII. APPROVAL OF WRITTEN SUMMARY OF VIDEO RECORD - [1:58:54]

Thursday 5 October 2023 Regular Meeting Written Summary for Video Record - [1:58:38]: [1:58:50] - Isokane MOVED and Armstrong SECONDED to approve the Written Summary of the Video Record as amended and distributed by Lye; the motion WAS ADOPTED 5-0-0 (Aye: Armstrong, Caravalho, Isokane, Lye, McCarney; Nay: None; Abstain: None) - [1:59:33].

VIII. NEW BUSINESS - [1:59:40]

Determination of Board Recess Schedule - [2:00:56]: Chair Caravalho noted that each Board is permitted up to three recesses per year, and recommended that this Board recess its meeting in January 2024 in light of its proximity to New Year's Day. [2:01:40] - McCarney MOVED and Isokane SECONDED to recess in January 2024; discussion followed. The motion was NOT ADOPTED 2-2-1 (Aye: Caravalho, McCarney; Nay: Armstrong, Lye; Abstain: Isokane) - [2:05:56].

Board Concerns - Hallowbaloo and events in Downtown-Chinatown requiring a street liquor permit: How NB 13 can approach this process for all such events - [2:06:10]: Chair Caravalho noted that community events are important to this neighborhood and opened the floor for discussion about how NB 13 can help ensure that such events are organized and operated appropriately.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [2:06:42]. Caravalho floated the idea of establishing a NB 13 committee to address this issue and ensure that events in the neighborhood are not cancelled. Members Armstrong and McCarney expressed interest in participating on said committee.

Lye was recognized [2:12:14] and raised several requests for review by the Chair or discussion during the next meeting of NB 13: (1) establishing if the default venue for the Thursday 4 January 2024 meeting of NB 13 will be Kap lama Hale if the middle school remains closed on that day; (2) establishing Approval of Written Summary for the Video Record as the name of the pertinent meeting agenda item; (3) testing the Shared Timer app for Webex Meetings to facilitate improved time management for future, potentially long-running meetings of NB 13; (4) providing an update regarding the intimation at a recent Neighborhood Commission meeting of the potential need to recall the $1000 per-board community outreach allocation, if unspent, in light of anticipated NCO budget constraints; (5) relaying any feedback received from NB 13 members about the draft Neighborhood Commission survey as circulated several months ago; and (6) a report about the most recent Conference of Chairs. Caravalho noted a plan to include these items on the NB 13 December 2023 meeting agenda.

Community Walk - A walk around Downtown-Chinatown with the community and local politicians on a weekend to visit areas of high concern, as well as areas of interest to the history of this community - [2:14:08]: Chair Caravalho noted that this proposed Community Walk is in the early planning stages and is likely to be organized in early 2024.

Questions, comments, and concerns followed - [2:15:52].

IX. ANNOUNCEMENTS - [2:19:06]

Next Regular Meeting - [2:19:13]: The next meeting of Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board 13 is scheduled for Thursday 7 December 2023 at 6:00 pm at the Princess Ruth Ke�elik lani Middle School and by Webex.

Rebroadcast - [2:19:22]: Rebroadcasts of Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board 13 meetings are scheduled on � lelo channel 49 every third Thursday at 9:00 pm, as well as 9:00 am on the third Saturday of each month. An archive of past meetings may be found on https://olelo.org/olelonet/ by searching on . A subset of video records of NB 13 meetings may be found on https://www.youtube.com/@cityandcountyneighborhoodc2559/search?query=downtown%20chinatown.

Archive: Find a trove of handouts and referenced materials appurtenant to Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board 13 on https://tinyurl.com/ycksd4e7.

X. ADJOURNMENT - [2:19:45]: The meeting was adjourned at 8:21 pm.

Submitted by Dylan Buck, Neighborhood Assistant

Reviewed by Naomi Hanohano, Community Relations Specialist

Finalized by Kevin Lye, Secretary, Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board 13

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First Friday Hawaii News Item

Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board Meeting NOVEMBER 2023 Minutes

DOWNTOWN - CHINATOWN NEIGHBORHOOD BOARD NO. 13

First Friday Hawaii
News Item