Change of Address

My roommate is moving back to New York so I'm looking for a new place to live and hopefully in a new neighborhood. For anyone who didn't read or reply in the Safe Places at Night thread, I've got a few questions about the different area's of Honolulu.

Ideally I'd like to find something between my two jobs, Kahala on one end and Kaheka St. on the other. That leaves me with Makiki, Kaimuki, Manoa, Kapahulu, McCully, Ala Moana, Moiliili or the Ala Wai. Waikiki is still an option but I think I'm ready to move out of the tourist district. Am I forgetting any other viable parts of town? I've got until July 1st so I will be starting the search in 10 days.

I really don't want another roommate but it's my last resort. I'm willing to pay anywhere between $500 to $700 a month but I'd like to stay on the lower end of that scale if possible.

My inquiries about safety were for the most part geared towards living in Kalihi or Chinatown but now that I think about it, those area's are to far from work.

Comments

There was a recent article in the Honolulu Advertiser about a rental housing shortage, and an About Men column.

Instead of blind numbers and stats here is my personal experience trying to find a place in Honolulu.
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4/28/03

Started looking for a place when a letter of 45-day notice to raise my rent from $485 to $650 for a 175 Sq.Ft. studio at 1226 Kinau St. During the past 8 weeks I am either "not first choice" or the place had already been rented. Then there is the standard "single person only", no kids.

2 months ago, March 1, I had put down a $300 deposit down for 2338 Young St. Although credit good etc. - lost the place due to dubious reasons from the realtor.

Paid application fee of $20 at Oishi's and although credit check good, was beat out with someone "more solid" financially. Bill Ramsey credit check came up bad from Equifax.

Paid money for application at Shinsato and Nu'uanu Gardens. According to the 2 CRA reports, they never even checked my credit and just took my money.

Went to see a place at 2421 Ohua St at 7 PM last night to rent. Granted - it wasn't the Raiders of the Lost Ark with a carpet of snakes or rats, it was more like Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom - in the bug room - except with the light on.

There were roaches everywhere, crawling on the bed, all over the floor and even inside the fridge. When he opened the apartment door, I squelched a scream that came out as a yip aria and danced like a little kid who had to go real bad so that the roaches wouldn't crawl up my legs. It's ballet/opera time! Let out another yelp when he flicked a roach away that landed on my thigh so he could show the bed was a futon.

The whole building is probably swarming with vermin.
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5/12/03 3:45:56 PM Monday

May 8 put down $545 deposit & prorated rent for May to Island west. One hour later come back to get check back because found a much more better place. First Sarah says "No," I ask her to call her boss. Boss out to lunch. I will not leave until get answer. Another woman comes by same deal wants deposit back. Sarah says "14 days," then to me, "that goes for you too." Sarah accepts keys with a blank deduction slip. I have to come back in an hour to get a copy of blank deduction slip because machine wasn't "on."

May 9 Mom calls to say no have to wait 14 days because never moved in. Three days. I go to Island West and repeat. Sarah calls the office and then says OK Monday afternoon.

May 12 Go to Homeless Solutions, at 2734 South King St. 973-0660 (never answer phone - and doesn't answer knock on the door when office is "open")which manages Island West. A women open the locked office doors and I say I want my check. She recognizes me, and knows who I am. I tried to follow her into the inner office as she closes the door on my foot that I stuck out. She was going to slam the door in my face while says, "you wait 14 days". Both raising our voices, she tells me to leave, and I'm telling her she is illegally withholding check that is already past due. Haole man comes out. And friendly like sits down with me to talk. I tell him I've already been screwed repeatedly and shaking hands and streaming tears show him the paperwork and what has transpired, breaking a promise of Monday check of money return and the woman treating me like a cockroach.

I said; "If I don't get my money this afternoon I will call the state attorney, Channel 2 and some other agency that I cannot remember now. He said I'll get the check and to call him up first before pick up.

At 1 called up, he said come on down. At the office the woment will not even open door. Had to call from across the street and have the guy meet me outside.

Gave $545 Check. Everything OK but I notices that were going to charge me money but had it crossed out: They were going to charge me $13 for a days rent. And just give me $532. It was crosed out and hand written $545 refund. Thanks to the only human being at Island West and Homeless Solutions with any integirty: Terry Brooks Executive Director & Principal Broker

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5/14/03

Go over to new place and old tenant isn't even packed. Sarina is cleaning up mess downstairs that Larry is suppossed to move into. Looks like I'll be moving my stuff onto the stairwell Tues PM.

In the mail today Equifax sends the same form letter as the last one. Even thought my delivery confirmed date says it has arrived

Yesterday on 5/13/03 filed a complaint with Ofc. R. Oakes police report #03186300 / Assault 3rd nieghbor at the new place. I moved from Makiki makai to mauka.

I have had these same problems at 1226 Kinau St. with a bad neighbor, which is why I was moving. What I got from the police at 1226 Kinau residence is to "move" and from the landlord "not my problem"

To get the place as fast as I could I helped out cleaning the place. Overcoming the disgust of cockroaches crawling all over in the kitchen I started putting all the vermin ridden spices into a bag. I continued putting things into garbage bags. At no time was I told to stop from Fran. Fran took four garbage bags downstairs then disappeared. The excuse from new & nasty nieghbor Fran was that she was sick with hapai of 2 months - a condition that disappeared later that afternoon when she was repeatedly punching me and throwing high kicks aka "Bruce Lee" style. Why was Larry mad at me

I just wanted her to stop hitting me without resorting to me hurting her. I am not a coward.

I lived at the top of Ward ave on the slopes of Punchbowl (Emerson St.) It was a quiet neighborhood, less crowded and less traffic than Makiki. It was in a 3-story walk up. 2bdrm 750sqft unit with a balcony lanai and a swimming pool on the property. Rent was $750, but they raised it to $800 a few months before we moved in April. I found it to be a convenient area to live in since the freeway onramps were closeby.

This is scary. I am thinking of moving back to Hawai'i from NYC in the next few years, but filed for bankruptcy 1.5 years ago. I recently moved into a share situation and am thankful that the apt. owner(a personal acquaintance) didn't do a credit check. Is it impossible to find a place on your own(not a share) with a blemished credit history? I am wondering if this means I will have to stay here for the next 8.5 years, until the bankruptcy is off my credit report...

It's been four years since I moved, and I guess things have changed a lot in that time. We didn't have many problems, but a big part of it was ending up sticking with our present management company and just changing properties - obviously, our deposit and rental history wasn't a problem. The other major plus was that we were a family... something I thought was a liability (I used to imagine landlords scowling at my kid(s)), but I guess I was wrong!

Getting back to James' original question, I would say all of the neighborhoods identified — Makiki, Kaimuki, Manoa, Kapahulu, McCully, Ala Moana, Moiliili or the Ala Wai — are good ones. I live in Makiki, but looked at places in Kaimuki, Kapahulu and Kapahulu. The challenge might actually be credit (which I in my naivete have never had checked, thank god) and price.

In the $500 to $700, I'd say you're probably looking at a share situation, which - considering ptosis' experience - might not be a bad thing. And for that, the Manoa area is full of them, obviously because of the student population. I have a friend who isn't a student, but lives with a constantly rotating cast of characters in a decent (if somewhat noisy) building just next to the H-1 overpass at University, but even he says, "Can't beat the price!"

James, you did miss one area that you should consider...

Palolo.

It's better than its reputation. Find a nice house in the back valley and get away from it all. Stay away from the projects though... that place is SCARY...

http://ptosis.blogspot.com/

Sigh* Yesterday morning at 8:30 AM was given verbal eviction to "get out" by 6. This morning got a improper notice of eviction effective yesterday but the state of Hawaii says have to give 10 days notice - unless you are setting the house on fire - which I'm not! I just bitched about how come never get receipt for May rent and rental lease agreement and now they are trying to deny my housing.

Contacted owner of this place and was informed that her signature was on the document. She never signed no document nor informed of eviction either.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire....

Holy rent! — The Aloha State once again tops the nation with a median rental price of $779, the Census shows

Little wonder the IHS shelter has had to institute a limit of 250 per night and is turning people away, even though there's no place they can *legally* sleep.

Another good online resource the good folks at soc.culture.hawaii turned me on to:

Hawaii Real Estate Central:
http://www.hicentral.com/

use to share an studio with a lover on algaroba. Ha what a joke zoombie land. watch out! not well losers

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