Public Comments on County of Hawai‘i’s initial Action Plan for Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Funds

The County of Hawai‘i received 93 written comments during the 30-day public comment period for its initial Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery Action Plan that was submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The comments are listed below in chronological order with personal information redacted. Following the comment period, HUD provided additional clarification on how duplication of benefits (such as insurance payouts and Federal assistance programs) would be handled.

***

Looking for more information about the voluntary buyout and if anyone as started a list that we need to get on etc

I think this is a well organized plan. I would however like to know if the state has looked at the impact on small business and market vendors. We are the heart beat of the island keeping the markets going but since the lava flow many market vendors have suffered. Is their any funding or grants that can be created to support and help maintain market vendors?

Does this include homes that were not permitted?

I know that you do not have your plan approved yet but I wanted to get on the list somehow and make sure you have my information. I have 2 parcels of land on Hawaii at Leilani Estates. I am currently in the military stationed in Virginia and was planning on retiring and building there. Unfortunately our land is now inaccessible due to the lava covering our road and partially covered in lava.

"I have two tax keys (9.6 acres combined) of agricultural land in an isolated area. The buyout plan seems to only include residential zone land. I was planning to build a single family home on my ag land and farm. I would like to see all landowners included in the buyout option, not just 'residential' zoned properties. I am currently renting elsewhere in Puna (not in the impacted area) and paying a large seller financed mortgage for my land in the isolated area. Please consider expanding your priority list to include agricultural land with no buildings (yet). ###############

################

I own a House in Leilani Estates. It sit Four streets up from fissure 8. It is unliveable with the insurance company. And all this happen during the Volcano eruptions. So we are still displace. If we are qualified please let me know. Thank You! ########################

1 | Page

First of all mahalo nui for this very very much needed help after my complete loss of home and business on Hinalo street. No insurance and living on FEMA has been beyond difficult however I do now have new property in Hawaiian Shores area. I will need every cent possible to actually build something. I am hoping to get at least a percentage of what the property and permitted structure were valued at not to mention the extra cabins fully furnished and large gym filled with amazing fitness equipment all lost. Please and thank you

I had to relocate from my home in 2014 because the lava came 60 ft from my home. I was forced to leave with my family. I planed to relocate to my property in Nanawale when I recovered. I was forced to move to California where I had family to help me. When the flow occurred again I was unable to start rebuilding plans. Will funds be available to me?

Good Afternoon. Thank you for putting together an easy and complete summary. I have one question. A large part of my loss was personal property inside the house that we could not remove. Insurance covered only a portion of this. My total real property loss was about $100,000 above what was covered by insurance. The personal property loss was an additional $40,000 above insurance. I am sure many others have similar situations. Will the personal property losses be part of the recovery? Thank you.

Will non citizens be considered for the property buyout program? Thank you #################################

Our home in Leilani Estates was lost to the eruption on May 25, 2018. Fortunately, we had insurance coverage and they paid us promptly for the loss. Fortunately, we had insurance coverage and they paid us promptly for the loss. That payment covered the structure (primary residence) and outer buildings plus contents, but nothing for the land. Are we entitled to apply for the buyout program to “sell” the land to the program?

Our house burned down in the 2018 eruption. The insurance paid us for our loss. Is this recovery fund for buying back the land? It is under fissure 8. Mahalo

Hi, I just read this article: https://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2020/07/21/buyouts-for-properties- impacted-by-2018-eruption-supported-in-new-plan/?fbclid=IwAR36r1S3a3LjPs5y7- 3xai0Qy104_w3EsafXY4XMxfY4REl-c9j5Q8o4X3o I lost my home, farm, and clinic to the 2018 flow. My parcel TMK number is ##############. My question is regarding "assessed value of the property" described in the article: What does "property" include? Does it include one's house in addition to the value of the land and improvements such as bulldozing and orchards? My home was still under construction and about 90% completed so if the value of the home is included in "property," a fair and

2 | Page

accurate assessment would need to be made for the stage of completion. Also, I had no home owner's insurance. Hope to hear back and thank you.

Aloha- I would love to talk to someone that could help me out with this process. To see if it would be a good choice for me. Thank you

A lot of us are misplaced, and continue to be displaced. The gift of these funds is a gift of our lives back. We lost our homes, our lives, our way of making a living. We lost our sense of being, sense of purpose. We lost our compass. We are looking to local and federal government to help us regain what we lost. A modest home, sense of security.

This is a comment from the President of Royal Garden subdivision and Community Association. I see nothing about Royal Garden subdivision, yet we had request Condemning of The whole subdivision in 2016, Mayor Kim agreed on doing so. A group of rep's have met us over and over nothing was yet too be ready to go. We have been destroyed for 35 years and nothing like this was ever offered, and by law it should have...April J. Of long term planning, knows about this!

Dear Sir/ Madam: I totally disagree with this program. Really... my tax dollars will be given to citizens who either lost their home, lot or received damage to their home due to the 2018 Kilauea flow. This is bullshit.

Aloha. Mahalo for the time to respond and for your dliigent efforts. There is a lot here to unpack. Just a few thoughts, and sorry I offer no solutions to my initial reflections at this time: First, if residents, small businesses and farmers etc. knew what roads might be opened in the near future, it would surely affect their decisions on the buy out and relocation proposals. Roads before Buy Outs! That said: *Buy outs proposed for 300 parcels with median before disaster value stated as 316,000 (mine was valued at much more) and only offering 230,000 for buy out? Then cleared of all structures, then becomes "non developable land???" * Seems to me this action plan has irreversible implications for lower Puna, much of which is in Lava Zone 1 and 2. If folks still own their land, they should be allowed to return and rebuild if they so choose, with support from the County and its permitting processes. Yet this implicitly states no HUD or CRDGB funds can be used in Lava Zones 1 and 2. *I find it interesting that there is no insurance data available as that would definitely affect the financial outlook on the amounts offered in the buy outs. If FEMA, insurance and other matching funds will be subtracted from the buy out prices offered, this data will need to come forth. *There is a big focus here on folks relocating to Town Centers. Our Puna communities are OUR centers. We are very self-sufficient and choose a rural lifestyle, Pahoa is our closest town center. Many of us do not want to move into newly created neighborhoods and new subdivisions. *This plan mentions widespread community input...yes,I have attended most of the many talk story sessions and meetings, as well as most County Council meetings, Yet, it seems that perhaps the main desires of the communities are not really being heard...I believe the County agenda is paramount and predetermined. Many thanks to Douglas Le and his team for coming onboard and being

3 | Page

willing to come to the table. *I attended the Youth Speak Out panel held at PHIS There were 3 students on that panel who mainly responded to the question, "What does Puna Strong mean to you?" The large audience that was reported in the media was really only 5 students and their parents, 2 teachers, 1 Counselor, and 2 Principals The next day did have a bit better attendance and had more particular data recorded on whiteboards. I would not call this active community youth engagement. *I need to better define a few terms...who is granter and grantee mentioned? (County, projects, individuals)?? What is Slum and Blight? *Relocation concerns state that no one can ask for assistance if they are now permanently relocated. It has been over 2 years, so yes, many of us have found our own solutions at much personal expense (retirees returning to the work force, taking funds early out of retirement accounts or 401Ks with penalties, taking out loans for mortgages as examples). This plan dismisses the people who took care of themselves when the government was trying to figure out what to do with all the monies allotted and sitting there waiting for a plan. *It is stated that the Dept. of Finance will be responsible for consistently tracking these funds. Will this reporting be transparent? Over the last 2 + years, constituents and Council Members have asked for reporting of recovery funds allocated and spent to date and to no avail on numerous occasions. Even when the Council agenda specifically requested those numbers be reported at those meetings the numbers were not available. *This is a cumbersome undertaking and will require the hiring of many new personnel and positions, as shown in the organizational charts. Those salaries will take a chunk of funds that will reduce the amounts granted to recovery projects. Again, I apologize for not offering pro active comments at this time. We were asked to respond, so these are some red flags that caught my attention for further conversation. Mahalo for you time and good intentions, #############

Buy only primary residence and farm lands (300) everything else the other (400 ish) 2nd homes and vacation rentals count as loss ! Rebuild the boat ramp and make a swimming surfing area down at Pohoiki rest of monies??? Just sayin

I live in Leilani but have decided to keep my property as of now. I think it is great for others to be able to recoup their losses so they can move on. These properties should never been developed in the first place. I hope the buy out will allow the properties to become state park conservation land.

I was wondering if we get bought out do we have to leave our home and purchase or rent another?

My wife and I used to live at ####################### on 3 acres. The ag land and home were covered and destroyed by the lava eruption. There is no road access. Fema has helped us recover and we now live in HPP. My question is "Would our 3 acres covered by lava and no road access qualify for a buy out? I would appreciate an answer. Mahalo, ############ 7/28/2020

Lost my house to lava, Cost $350.000,00

4 | Page

My farm on Kapoho Beach Road was completely inundated on June 2, 2018. I have tried and tried and tried to connect with recovery efforts, but no one calls me back. Please help me. I am truly struggling from depression and very difficult life circumstances. I moved away after my life andhome were destroyed. please help me.

Hello! My name is #################. We were one of the families who lost our home to the volcano. I read the action article but not sure what am i suppose to do at rhis point. Am i missing an application? Please call me at ############### or email. Thank you!

My email has been called inactive. please fix this. I need to be informed of what's going on with Kilauea eruption recovery. Why I need this? In April 2018 K borrowed 11,000.00$ to pay back taxes on a five acre farmlot with warehouse. My late husband both had suffered grave spinal injuries and bought the property as retirement security and a way to offer local jobs. We went to work planting noni ,ti,lei flowers,kakui nut, a grotto of orchids and antheriums...all the beauties.. and vegtables,building a nursery with all manner of plants had dreamed of a farm there and a community center of sorts with produce stand,little store,art center with classes for the local children,landscape supply and nursery....we even bought a pumper fire truck to start a volunteer fire dept. We worked night and day on this and had permit and were in the process of finalizing our commercial kitchen when my husband's injury started to really take its toll. Things went from bad to worse. We split up. My husband was making bad decisions and start hanging with bad people. He died Nov.2017. The property still in my name I went to work at once. The place was filled with squatters and theives. I got rid of them with no help from police or community. Cleaning up trash and.mowing etc I was determined to find a family that maybe would want to realize the dream for that place my husband and I had. I would go home for dinner andwould nap late afternoon,then show up arroun d 10.00pm when the crack heads started creeping in. With my two small dog's I would burn the days trimmings and chase away groups as they cut the fences or pried up gate posts. I had a mission. I had paid off my first mortgage on my beloved home and garden in vacationland, had a plan to paid down an equity loan my husband had gotten and squandered. I had fruit trees and food and friends and caring neighbors. I could finish my days and live within my social security benifits...swim everyday...make art I didn't care if anyone wanted to buy. What I worked towards my entire life. I could live with my limited physicality and chronic pain issues. I was Okay. And not a burden to anyone. In April 2018 I borrowed 11,000.00 dollars to pay back taxes on the five acres across from Green lake. Less than Two months later Since the all I had was gone.lava covered my home and farm in Kapoho I have stayed at 8 different places.mostly on friends porches or lanais. Sometimes these places have no internet. I have had terrible times with my u.s.p.s. Mail. Couldn't get my own mailbox until one became available at huge cost in Keaau( 24 mile round trip from me here). I am disabled due to several failed back surgeries which has been greatly exacerbated by easy access to my aqua therapy. I've also developed cataracts which the treatment of has been delayed due to covid. I am currently house sitting for an off island friend. I must move out Sept 30. I have no idea where I will go or how I Will be able to do so. I've been trying to save guard the money fema.gave.me. I had hoped of moving back to my dear freshly coated land. But am told it'll be too hot for years. I am unable to work. To build from scratch a new life...a new home, especially on the 31,000.00 dollars I have saved for this. I can't find a rental within my means or needs. Although I paid off my home my credit is shot. Even the slummyest of hedious apartments charge me 40.00$ to apply and won't take me. The little houses in Pahoa won't take

5 | Page me because of my 1,000 and security. My food costs have quadrupled with loss of farm goods and a .permanent place to live and cook and refridgerate. I had moved many of my special family heirlooms and a lot of artwork from my home prior to evacuation. Keeping care of these items has been a hardsHip. I've been trying for a year to build a storage shed/shelter with found paperwork and homedepot. But where to put this. And I really can't lift anything. And end up killing self without getting anywhere but a big pile of wood So I have mostly read your 85 pages. I can't imagine the work ,time and expense that went into this.But I found myself trying to fast forward. To a passage of what do I do now? This buy out proposal. Starts next year. Maybe finished by 2026? What can I do now? It is extremely hard to sit for long periods,or for that manner to concentrate due to The pain I have. I am getting hopeless here. Don't know where to go. I'm too old and disabled for this. And who knows how I can make it out there on someone's couch in two months. So please. With all your planning...tell me what to do? I always seem to get text messages where ever I am. My phone number is ############## and now am staying on ######### until Sept 30.thankyou

"The property i own half of is in Kapoho and is isolated because of the lava flow. I’ve heard that the county has plans to buy out property next spring and I need to know what I need to do if anything, to be part of the funds available for this huge loss. I took the property through rezoning and county made a stipulation that we build a permitted house which we did, although none of our neighbors who also had to rezone were not. The cost of dong this as you well know is much higher.

Tax map key ############

What happens to the lands purchased under the Voluntary Housing Buyout Program?

We lost our uninsured Kapoho Beach Lots primary residence in the 2018 flow. We have an appraisal of the property immediately before the flow for $516,000. We are currently using the $34,000 relief from FEMA to equip our current residence for year round living. We want to be assured that the money we would be eligible for under a buyout program for Kapoho will be tax exempt. We were able to file for losses the first year, which used a minimal fraction of the total loss because we are seniors on fixed, social security income, but were not allowed to carry it over in subsequent years. If the buyout payment is taxable, we would consider keeping our Kapoho property because it has value as one of the better solar radiation locations in the state.

To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express concerns regarding the Buyout Action Plan. I was a 40 year resident in Kapoho Vacationland Farmlots. I lost my home (primary residence), 3,000 square foot commercial agricultural processing plant (solar dried fruit), garden cabin, art studio, 5 acres of land covered in active fruit trees & gardens. I only had insurance on my home, the other structures & all land was a total loss. I received a policy payout for my home only and relocated to HPP in Puna. The policy did not provide funds to buy land, only the replacement home. The proposed Buyout Plan penalizes those of us that paid insurance premiums for many years. It is unfair to reward homeowners who did not act responsibly and insure their own

6 | Page homes. The buyout Plan should first compensate for land since no one with or without insurance was covered for that, after that uninsured primary residences could be considered. I hope you will reconsider the Buyout priorities and realize the current proposal is very unfair to those of us who took personal responsibility and paid insurance premiums for many, many years. We suffered uncovered losses too and should be compensated first.

Aloha, I lost my primary residence in the 2018 eruption. I am interested in the proposed buyout program, but I would like to know the 2017 appraised value. Is this information available? Thank you, matt

A maximum buy out of $250,000 per property. Property lost that had County water and power can not be replaced for like property in today’s market. What about property owners that had farm acreages? Is there fairness in buyout? What will be captured in the buyout (capital improvements, rare trees producing seeds for sale…)? The eighty-four (84) page Draft Action Plan has a lot of statistical information that is interesting to read as an overview of the Puna area. However, in reading the document there are consistent contradictions. If the allocated County funds, as captured in the table above…are to be delegated to Puna area which consists primarily of Lava Zones 1 and 2…why is it that the funds are now not to be used primarily in this area of need? It seems that some roads/infrastructure in Lava Zones 1 and 2 have been and are in process of being replaced but others have been removed from the designated construction list? What happened to the $127M in FEMA grants for infrastructure for the Puna area? It’s sad that the whole of the Puna District (that know of this option) are trying to overcome hurdles and link to some 501C(3) to get a piece of a $20M grant for re-establishment of simple roads to get to their properties. People had mere weeks to accomplish the grant application. For those of us that have lost our house and farm property that included County services and roads, have testified at previous County counsel meetings, have sent letters to our Senators, County Counsel, et al…and have no response…we are upset. In our case, we had no one at any County level reach out to us in response. We try to follow news articles or Puna IMUA blogs to see what our options are. Our street was covered by lava and was on the list to be restored…then it was removed from the list. Whereas, others as Vacationland and others further into lava destruction are being restored. This all seems incredulous! The Action Plan, as it stands, does nothing to explain precisely where the allocated funding that was received by Hawaii County is going to be directed. Somewhere HUD stated they would not fund infrastructure in Lava Zones 1 and 2. Where is the FEMA $127M infrastructure funds allocated if not for Puna? Where is the funding for Pohoiki and other roads/streets in Puna sourced?

My House was destroyed in Lava flow and was my primary house (only house) I had My address is ##################### I am very interested in the program Please keep me In touch Thank You #####################################

7 | Page

We owned a beach home as a second residence and also ran it as a Vacation rental Through VRBO. I fully understand the priority being given to settle principal residence first but feel it should be clear that as a second residence we and many others paid higher property taxes on an annual basis and as a vacation rental we also paid GE tax and TAT tax for years and should receive equal treatment as any primary residence that paid a reduced property tax and no GE or TAT tax. As for Insurance off set to what can be recovered, That should not even come into consideration for all those who had a total loss of any improvements. Insurance only covers the structure and improvements on your property, there is no coverage for the land or property itself. So on a total loss and equitable land value should be established and no deduction for any insurance recovery since the insurance recovery is only for your improvements and not land value. I would appreciate updates as this moves forward.

After reviewing the Draft Kilauea Recovery Plan, I suggest that the Eligibility Requirements be expanded to current property owners who were also the property owners of record prior to the eruption in May, 2018. Since the eruption stopped, undeveloped lots affected by the lava flow in Leilani Estates, for example, are being sold at a steep discount from their pre-eruption values. The purchaser(s) of these lots are hoping to re-sell them to the County under the Kilauea Recovery Plan at pre-eruption land values. To my knowledge, sellers of these affected lots were not advised of the proposal that the County was putting together to purchase the properties. Anyone who purchased an undeveloped lot after the eruption, knew what he or she was purchasing and the "value" of the property would be limited going forward.

Aloha- I just read/skimmed through the draft of the Action Plan: https://recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/home/showdocument?id=302289 There is a major contradiction in this draft that I would like to see Douglas Le address: 1) The one-page Action Plan Summary (https://recovery.hawaiicounty.gov/planning/recovery-funding/cdbg-dr/action- plan) only mentions how funding will be used for the housing buy-out program. There is no mention of funding for economic development and infrastructure Regarding housing: The CDBG states: The notice published in the Federal Register requires grant recipients to "primarily consider and address its unmet housing recovery needs." Funds may be used for unmet economic revitalization and infrastructure that is not related to housing if there is no remaining unmet housing need. (My underlining) 2) How does the singular focus on housing square with the overall objectives of the Kilauea Recovery Action Plan: I have highlighted in red goals that the Action Plan does not directly address. Yes, the plan does address the housing issue, but I see no other actionable items that address the issue of economic development and infrastructure. For example, there is no mention about the loss of access to the ocean to Puna fisherman, no mention about the loss of access to swimmable areas for residents and visitors, no mention that route 137 will not be fully restored. Furthermore, the way the buy-out program is currently planned, there is no overall planning for how these properties will be managed. The buying out of properties will create a checkerboard land-use that would work against building community capacity. (I want individuals who want to receive buyouts to be able to receive those funds; I also would like to see a more comprehensive, holistic buyout

8 | Page program created that would not eviscerate our local communities.) Vision for Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience To foster resilient communities that exist in harmony with the Puna region’s ever-changing landscape. This vision honors ʻāina, supports our communities to recover from the 2018 Kīlauea eruption, builds our capacity to mitigate against disaster events by reducing risk to life and property, and prioritizes economic opportunity and well-being for residents. Goals for Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience Near-Term Goal: Facilitate projects and efforts that continue to provide relief to residents and businesses impacted by the eruption in the Puna District. Long-Term Goal: Implement strategies, policies, and projects that protect public health and safety, enhance community well-being, and help create a resilient economy islandwide. Strategies for Kīlauea Recovery and Resilience• Kīlauea Eruption Recovery: Invest in infrastructure that supports recovery, promote housing security, address eruption-impacted properties, and support community economic recovery.• Disaster Resilience: Improve community planning and disaster preparedness, manage development in high hazard risk areas through land use, and implement mitigation measures for natural and built infrastructure.• Community Development – Building Community Capacity: Build networks and community capacity, invest in targeted revitalization efforts in Puna to support disaster resilience and economic growth, identify areas for natural and cultural resources management and agriculture development, and improve access to goods and services. Am I missing something? Am I reading the Action Plan correctly? I would appreciate your feedback.

Aloha, I just want to say thank you in advance of hopefully receiving some money for our loss in Kapoho. We saved all our lives, worked hard and finally retired to Kapoho. We bought a 5 acre beautiful property and home and were unpacking our boxes…then the volcano went off. We enjoyed our home for 7 weeks… and then lost everything… everything. My husband ##### is ## and I am ##. We have been married and in love for 46 years. We had to start over and it has been very difficult…very difficult. We both have health challenges and have gone back to work full time. We would be SOOOO grateful to see the kilauea recovery buy our 5 acre parcel - now buried under 75’ of lava - with all our earthly treasures. We are living in Waikoloa Village now - thanks to a dear friend who is helping us. We have NO plans to move off our Island. I was born on Oahu and we have lived on this beautiful big Island off and on for 46 years. Blessings to you all, #####################

My husband and I lost our primary residence in Kapoho Beach Lots on July 2 2018. We’ve been living w my Brother since then. How do we register for the buyout? My husband and I are both seniors who lost our primary residence on July 2, 2018. We lost everything, including our 2013 Prius. We left Kapoho Beach Lots on May 10, when water and electricity became dicey. My husband has Parkinson’s Disease and was ## at the time of the eruption, and I couldn’t risk injury or falls, so we went to CA to visit family and wait out the eruption. We have lived at my brother-in-laws home In San Jose CA since then. When we left the island we believed we’d return by the end of June. Finally we received insurance payments and bought a condo here. We renovated the condo, and had to purchase, literally everything , from furniture to towels and sheets. We’re driving my Brother-in-law’s old 2006 car, that keeps breaking down. Without

9 | Page

family we would have been homeless. My husband is a retired High School teacher and I’m a Psychotherapist turned caretaker. We could really use the money from a buyout program. I read some of the plan, and I feel it is sound, well conceived and balanced. Our annual income is below 40k, and we appear to fit all the criteria for the first buyouts planned. I know there are folks who did not have our options and who have suffered greatly. I do believe they should be paid out first and foremost. Thank you for seeking my opinion, and thank you for the bang up job you are all doing in the midst of this new disaster. ############ former resident of Kapoho Beach Lots on ###########.

It's nice to know this will be done by 2026. I am one of the 296 that lost primary residence. Now living with no power in a 8×11 house.

Aloha, My name is ############## and I owned two parcels in Leilani Estates that I was actively working to live on as my primary residence. At the time of the eruption I had built a temporary tiny home while I commenced with the main build. I lost everything in the flow and since my structure was temporary and not permitted, it was unrecognized by any agencies providing support. I would like to strongly urge all involved in the allocation of funds to help all those who lost their homes and possessions and futures to the 2018 flow. I am personally still reeling from the blow. This was my entire life and savings I put in, and now it is gone without a trace. Being able to get 'bought out' for the land that is not usable or livable will be a small step for me to being able to try and get my life back on track. I beg you to please allocate these funds to help people such as myself in trying to get their lives back together after such an immense disaster. Thank you for reading this. Mahalo #####

Hello! My name is ####################. I'm writing about my family that was a victim of kilauea volcano in 2018. We lost our beautiful home that we were building from the bottom up. My husband bulit it all on his own. It was our dream home to raise our 5 children. Wish it still be there. It would be so helpful to get financila help for at least half of the value we put in. Pleaseet us know what action we take forward. Thank you! My number is ###########

Where do I apply? I lost my primary home in Kapoho Beach Lots and had no insurance. Never mind I found the county site .

yes !! i would be willing to help in any capacity that would keep the ball rolling and ultimately receive reimbursement for myself and others who lost their homes in the 2018 lava flows. My primary home was in Kapoho Beach Lots. I had no insurance on it and had just purchased it in October 2017 after receiving a settlement in a malpractice lawsuit. I did receive $34,000 from FEMA. My children also lost their home in Leilani Estates on ############. and had no insurance and no funds from FEMA were received by them. hopefully this process can be implemented as soon as possible with all of us working toward the goal. Mahalo,

10 | Page

############## Please contact me on my phone or msg. me at ##############. I dont always check my email

To whom it may concern: I think that everyone who lost a primary residence should offerred an amount based on the value of their land. It is unfair that people who did not insure their residences be awarded for neglecting to do so.

We are interested in the buy out proposal for our properties in Kapoho that were destroyed in the 2018 Lava eruption. We are turning ## and ## years old this year. We were/are working but low income. We lived in Kapoho Beaches for 27 years. We built 2 houses, living in one and renting the other as a month to month rental, NOt a vacation rental. During our time in Hawaii we lived a simple life; we worked, played, paid taxes, attended college, volunteered with various community efforts and made many friends. After the eruption we found we were "underinsured" and did not get sufficient funds to relocate where we felt we would be safe from possible further eruption activity inlcuding fumes and earthquakes. Also homeowners' insurance does not pay for the land, only the house. The loss of our rental hosue and the income it would provide in our retirement years has caused further economic hardship. Rather than make a hasty real estate purchase in Hawaii during all the uncertainty in the aftermath of the eruption we made the decision to leave the island and see if we could return in a couple years' time to rebuild on our lot. Such as it is. A buy out from the County will ensure we don't try to build in Kapoho and allow us to move back the the Big Island and purchase or build a single family home in a safe lava zone.

Dear Recovery Staff, I was surprised to find that the proposed buy-out program does not include investment properties. A very large proportion of Vacationland and KBC was comprised of homes that were primarily used as vacation rentals with owners (sometimes generations of owners in the same family) using the property some as well but for fewer nights than it was used as a vacation rental. Many of those people likely qualify as low to moderate income. Their now inundated investment property represented a significant investment and in some cases was the sole source of investment income for the owner. Some of them were uninsured. From reading HUD documentation there does not appear to be any prohibition against including such properties. While I understand why primary residences should be first in line for buy-out funding, I do not understand why investment properties should not be included along with secondary residences. Thank you for considering this aspect, Sincerely, ################# I don’t see this as a recovery plan which is disappointing after two years of waiting. Recovery would not only benefit the lot owners – it would benefit the County as money came in from the mainland to fund construction jobs and ultimately the County would enjoy property tax revenue from replacement homes being built. A large proportion of the owners of Vacationland lots were retirees. We have limited time left in our lives. So for us, the greatest threat to recovery is delays and this buy-out project, as proposed, would drag out for FIVE MORE YEARS. I think that is very unfortunate. Folks who are considering investing in

11 | Page

building need to understand what may be happening with the lots around them. Enough money needs to go into Vacationland to ensure that quality owners will be attracted, consistent with the past. Quality owners will not be attracted to a subdivision with bad roads. A lot of work has gone into making sure that Vacationland, with some limited help, can recover. So, I am hopeful that the County will want to see the subdivisions to be restored – restored successfully. There is a lot of money that has come into the County to make folks who suffered from a disaster at least partially whole. It will not reflect well on the County of Hawaii if that money is not directed to where the losses occurred. The patchy results of County owned lots needs to be addressed. I think those should be offered to neighboring properties but restricted as to any building to meet the HUD requirements and the overarching goal of reducing density. That would allow for their maintenance. It would also deal with the issue of assessments.

Aloha, First of all, I am very happy that the County of Hawaii, State of Hawaii, and the Federal Government are looking to have a buyout program for the victims of the 2018 lava flow. There are a few items that I am confused about concerning the buyout program. My thoughts are that the main goal of the program is give people money for their property so that they can relocate to a less lava intrusive place on the island. To me this makes the most sense, this would keep people on the Big Island and provide a new property tax basis as a continual revenue stream for the County though property taxes. If this is a correct hypothesis, getting people the most money for their land would allow them to have more purchasing power and a larger yearly tax basis for the County. The confusion rests in the fact that our homeowner insurance was for the structures on our property, and did not include the land value. Since we purchased the land prior to building our residence, we could produce a true market value of the land. We paid $200K for our land (county records show $190K, but $10K went to the seller's agent) in 2009, that same year the market value from the county was $136K. The prior year the market value on the land was $225K! The crazy thing is the market value dropped from 2008 at $225K, 2009-2014 $136K, 2015-2016 $130K, 2017 $114k, and the value went up in 2018 for the first time to $149K. I had an appraisal done on home and the land, the land appraisal was $259K in May 2018. So my question is because the county had a market value that continued to drop for ten years from when I purchased the land at $200K, setting the true "market value" but the land increased in value to $259K via appraisal. To me, this should be the true value of the land. I understand the cap is at $230K, which would be acceptable to me as a buyout. The next part of the equation is the home value. The county had the home valued for 2017 at $404K, and it 2018 at $416K. We had the home insured at $409K and were paid in full for the home, but we were also paid for additional structures, personal items, some landscaping, non permitted farm structures, and photovoltaic system, etc. We had an appraisal done for the entire estate and the value was in 2018 $1,074,800. Our total payout was $541K for the entire estate (excluding personal items). So the problem is created in this equation, if you look only at our "2017 market value" which is $524K, or even the "2018 market value" of $572K. There is a very large difference from that value compared to a true appraisal. However, if you look at our "2017 market value" of land and building at $524K, and subtract that from the insurance payment of $409K for the MAIN STRUCTURE ONLY, with a "market value "$405K (excluding all the other items that were paid on), then a buyout of $115K for the land using this approach. I would say this would be the most fair way to do this based on your guidelines that were published. The problem I see with this though, even though the best possible outcome for me on your proposal is: Is my land worth $115K, or would I be better off

12 | Page

trying to sell it on the open market for more money? But we then must go back to the original question: Is the county trying to get people out of the lava zone and re-establish a future tax basis for the county? Again, I think the true "market value" is what someone is willing to pay. I paid $200K for my land in 2009, had a licensed appraisal in 2018 for $276K and think the payout should be closer to the $230K. Then homeowners insurance pays for the structure (s) only, not anything for the land. I also do not see how my land value continued to depreciate since I owned it for ten years by $106K, but my structure increased in value? It was also interesting how my "market value" of my land in 2018 went up in value by $36K, the first time my land value increased in ten years and this is not the year the county is getting the "market value" for the buyout program? I'm sure I am not the only person who notices this and I think the county may be unaware of this problem. I think the solution may need to be rethought, because if I can see some major problems, I'm sure with the pure volume of people affected, there will be others. Another item to consider is possibly a lower "cash" amount to buy people out directly, for those who chose to not stay in Hawaii or reinvest in a new property. And for the people who purchase a new residence or invest the money from the buyout into a current property, get a larger buyout. This keeps the buyout money as a tax basis here in Hawaii. Also, what about people who have purchased or moved to a second residence. Could they use the "buy out" money to pay down their mortgage or is this "buyout" money to purchase new land or dwelling? There was also talk of "Shipman's Land", below Keaau town and the ocean for a possible land swap? is this still on the table? In lieu of a buyout, could there be a land exchange, like for like? Thanks for your time and many of us really appreciate that we are being considered for this program. I really think though, that in order for it to be successful people need to get a more fair evaluation of their land. If not, in 40-60 years we will be facing this same problem again. We need to get people out of the lower rift zone. Thanks, ##################################################################################### ########

To Whom It May Concern: In 2006, we purchased 3 acres of vacant land in Kapoho on ###########. The cost was $250,000. ################################ We had a house built on the property and in August 2007 we moved into our new home. We did the smart and responsible thing and bought homeowners insurance. On June 5, 2018, fire, started as a result of lava flow, destroyed our home. Our insurance was paid in full for our home, but, obviously, nothing for our property. The county would like to purchase our land minus what we received for our house. Notice the difference in the two words: land, house. The idea of penalizing us for insuring our home is absurd. We would like to take part in the county buy out, but not under those unfair conditions. Please reconsider this unfair condition and we will take part in the buy out of our property. Mahalo, #########################

Aloha, We own the property at ##################. Our home, belongings, and property have been completely covered in lava. We had insurance but were under insured and had to use the money from the insurance company to pay off what is now in lava in order for us to relocate and purchase another home. We did not get help from FEMA or anyone except an offer of a loan from SBA to purchase another home. After our home owners insurance

13 | Page

payments we are still at a 472k loss. We fall in the LMI category. Would we even be able to be considered for the buy out beings we had any insurance coverage?

I will participate in the buyout if it happens and hope for the success of VHCA in recovery.

Why is any recovery payment subject to a DEDUCTION of an SBA loan? The loan from SBA must be PAID BACK as opposed to a recovery payment that does not. This seems VERY UNFAIR! Many residents, including myself, DID NOT HAVE A CHOICE except to obtain and SBA loan.

Goodmorning, I am a former Hawaii resident, had a property at ################# since 2001 until it was inundated by the lava on May 26, 2018. I am temporarily staying with my son in Massachusetts. My questions about the buy out: 1. What requirements do you need to prove you were a former Leilani resident and property owner, should i go for the buy out? 2. What happens to the property if i do not opt for the buyout? 3. Do you foresee Leilani Estates as a future park, a tourist destination? Thank you for giving time to my questions.

I owned a house in Kapoho Vacationland (##################). It seems to me that using the 2017 tax assessment as the basis for the voluntary buyout program will not support hazard mitigation objectives. It will offer financial assistance to those who were underinsured and to those who owned undeveloped land; but will not offer a buyout incentive to those who owned fully-insured primary or secondary residences. As a consequence, the plan will produce a patchwork of bought-out and still-owned lots, rather than creating contiguous bought-out land parcels in the high risk areas affected by the 2018 eruption. I'll use our property as a case-in- point. It's a sample of one, but I suspect it is a common scenario. We purchased our house in 2017 for a fair market value of $304,000. At the time of purchase, the insurance reconstruction estimate for the dwelling was around $225,000. Post-disaster, the insurance adjuster's calculation for reconstruction of the dwelling was around $290,000. The 2017 tax assessment, on the other hand, gives a total valuation of $209,100: $72,000 for the land; $137,100 for the dwelling. The land component is, I believe, about right for the fair market value of undeveloped lots in Vacationland at the time of the disaster. The dwelling component, however -- and consequently the overall tax valuation of the property -- is well below the 2017 fair market value; it is also below the insurance carried on the dwelling and the eventual settlement of the claim for its loss. Using the formula contained in the Action Plan, we would be eligible for $0 in the buyout program, and have no incentive to hand the property over to the county. Instead, the plan creates an incentive for us to retain the property and hope for an opportunity to rebuild, or to sell to a private party for an amount closer to the pre-disaster market valuation of the raw land (something greater than $0). Meanwhile, our house was bordered by four vacant lots. Since raw land is generally uninsurable, and the 2017 tax valuation of land seems to have been on par with its 2017 fair market valuation, I imagine that the owners of these lots will be eligible for a voluntary buyout, and perhaps even at a profit

14 | Page

relative to the initial purchase costs (a pretty good incentive to take the buyout offer). Should they be offered and accept a buyout, our property will be an island surrounded by county land - - a scenario that could be replicated across the Kapoho area. Thus my conclusion that the plan will produce a patchwork of bought-out and still-owned lots which will not meet hazard mitigation objectives (at least not fully). It seems to me that another effect will be a de facto change in the prioritization of the buyout program -- not what is written in the plan, but what will actually happen in practice. The priority will be: 1) uninsured or extremely under-insured owners of pre-disaster primary residences, 2) uninsured or extremely under-insured owners of pre-disaster secondary residences, and 3) owners of pre-disaster raw land lots. Those who owned fully-insured primary residences will find themselves ineligible, while out-of-state owners of raw land will potentially be made whole (or perhaps even profit). And so it seems to me that if the buyout program is directed at hazard mitigation -- at preventing reconstruction in the areas most affected by the disaster -- its basis should be the 2017 tax valuation for the raw land only. It is, after all, only the land that the county will be buying.

Allow this email to be considered my comments to the draft Action Plan submitted within the time for public comments. I own #############, a property located within Kapoho Beach Lots, with a street address of ########################. It was one of the last homes in Kapoho Beach Lots completely destroyed. It was covered with lava on or about June 30, 2018 in the Kilauea flow. My concern relates to Section 4.4.1 of the Action Plan (and summarized in the FAQ document) identifying the 2017 County of Hawaii assessment amount as the sole basis of determining the fair market value of the property. For homes that were completed prior to 2017, the choice of using the assessment amount appears to be a relatively straightforward, easy method to determine fair market value. However, I completed my home- all new construction and which was to be my primary residence- in approximately April 2018. I resided in the home for four days before we were evacuated. The water system was compromised as the flow mauka of our neighborhood broke pipes for our source water. Utilizing the 2017 assess value of the bare land ($132,600), without factoring in the increased value of the completed residence, would misstate the true fair market value of the property. At the very least, the value of the permitted improvements, all of which were final, inspected permits, would provide a more accurate estimate of the value of the property. On January 13, 2017, the County issued a permit for $218,000. In February 2017, electrical and plumbing permits were issued for an additional $9,000 of improvements. All permits were finalized and closed. The raw land assessed value, and permitted value of the improvements, aggregates to $359,600. This aggregated value should be the minimum fair market value used for determination of the pre- disaster fair market value not the assessed value of the bare land. Inn fact, even this calculation understates the true fair market value of the improved property lost in the flow. I have an appraisal from a licensed Hawaii appraiser valuing the final completed property on April 30, 2018 at $501,000, which makes sense since the fair market value of the property should be a multiple of the cost of the new construction and land value. My home was not the only home recently finished or under construction in Kapoho Beach Lots, so I am not the only impacted resident. Some alternative mechanism, other than solely the 2017 assessed valuation, should be incorporated into the Action Plan. For an equitable determination of the fair market value of

15 | Page homes improved by properly issued building permits after the 2017 assessed valuation, imputation of the costs of improvements (at the very least), or utilization of an appraisal of the fair market value prior to the flow, would be a more accurate valuation of the property destroyed. Other than FEMA, I received no offsets to the loss of what would be my primary residence today. When I called my insurer to insure my home, I was informed that they were no longer writing in my zip code. Therefore, other than FEMA, this was a total loss. Your consideration in using an objective, governmental permitting process increase in valuation, or other means of valuation such as an appraisal, is the only fair method of addressing property improved following the determination of the 2017 County assessed valuation.

I am interested in the proposed buyout of the property inundated by the eruption of 2018 in the kapoho area, I am an ########## widow. My handicapped son, my grandson, and I were residing in the home and this was our full time residence for 30 yrs. It was the family home. I raised my 5 grandchildren in this home and it meant the world to us. We were evacuated at 2am in the morning so we lost all of our possessions. Can you even imagine how traumatic it was to have to start over at ##########. I had fire insurance under HPIA for the house but was underinsured. And found that I could not purcahse a home in a safe area in Hawaii. I have since left Hawaii for the mainland but would love to return to be with my family that is still residing there. A buyout would enable me to do this. Please keep me notified as to the progress that is made in this proposal.

Would be fair to pay out for property and buildings. We lost our place. It was in Lanipuna Gardens. We were building and did not finish. Lava put us in big debt for all materials and labor that was gone.

Dear Mr. Le and VHCA Board, Thank you for your work and considering our inputs. I lost my newly built custom home (about 90% complete), my orchards and gardens, and my Chinese medicine clinic to the 2018 lava flow. I did not have insurance for any of these. I did receive maximum FEMA support. I am writing to request what seems to be a fair proposal: that lava victims’ property values be assessed not according to 2017 values, but 2018 values. Most of us lost our homes in June, 2018, so why not assess from 2018? This difference is particularly salient for me because I was still constructing my home (owner-builder) when the lava came in early June, 2018. I had added significant value to my home between 2017 and 2018. I spoke to Kaleb and the Hawaii Tax Office about this (phone: 808- 961-8354). He calculated that the new improvements I made to my home between 2017 and 2018 (I added all new sanded, sealed, and treated wood paneling throughout the interior, pictures available) amounts to a 20% increase in completion rate, which translates to an increase of 20% in my home value. Per the Kaleb’s figures, the value of my property in 2017 was assessed at $196, 100 and 62% complete. Adding Kaleb’s 20% increase to the 2017 value, the value of my property in 2018 at 82% completion, would be approximately $219,600. We could confirm if this figure exact; it is what

16 | Page

Kaleb figured. More, I have a professional estimate from February, 2016, by a licensed real estate broker (attached) at Aloha Coast Realty, assessing my home value at between $350,000- $375,000 when finished. The mean of this range is $362,500. If we then multiply this number by the 82% finish rate from the Tax Office for 2018, this places the value of my home alone (again, not including the rest of my property and improvements) at $297,300 in 2018. The actual market value of my home and property in 2018 before the lava arrived was actually somewhere between $410,000 to $492,000 (500-600K finished value @ the 2018 completion rate of 82%), per consulting with realtors at the time. This value makes sense, given that the 30 or truckloads of cinder and three bulldozing ventures, long driveway, and beautiful orchards and gardens I planted (I have pictures), and the 5 acres itself, easily amounted to $200,000. Therefore: Aloha Coast Realty home assessment value of 362.5K (home) + 200K (land, improvements) = 562.5K. In sum, I am requesting to buy out for at least the fuller and more accurate, and I think more fair, assessed value of my home prior to the lava flow, which is $297,300 (peer the realtor’s evaluation attached) and plus any additional value for the land and improvements. If the realtor’s letter is not adequate, at the least I request buy out at the 2018 value of approximately 219,600 as estimated in calculation by the Tax Office. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you,

Aloha! I would like to see how to quality for property buyouts for those affected by the 2018 eruption.

How do I get an application for the buyout of Kapoho?

To Whom It May Concern, We would like to request that our home be included in the county buyout program. Our home sustained major damages during the eruption event of 2018 and is unlivable. We purchased our home in Leilani Estates in October of 1992. It was being used as a family rental and still a shell of a home. We made it our primary residence and lived there until the eruption event in 2018. We had completed the home, putting up drywall, carpeting and then tile, adding full decks to the front and back, remodeling a bathroom and doing all the things homeowners do over the years. We added solar panels and became “off the grid”. We survived hurricanes, tropical storms, earthquakes and a previous eruption event that threatened to cut us off from Pahoa. Our love for our home, Leilani Estates and Hawaii surpassed any set-backs we experienced. My husband,####, worked for Hawaii County Parks and Recreation, retiring in 2005. He was a program director for the Sports Complex in Honokaa. He played softball in the Kupuna league, joined a theater -group and performed in several plays (even writing one of the plays that was performed), participated in several writing groups and published ten novels thus far. He also volunteered as a “bell ringer” for the Salvation Army one Christmas. He volunteered as a basketball coach and refereed many games. He joined me many weekends swimming in the ocean and Pahoa’s pool. We played golf at Hilo’s public golf course. He was thoroughly engrained in our community. I worked for the State of Hawaii, Hilo Medical Center, for six years and North Hawaii Community Hospital for

17 | Page

twenty years. I worked in the operating room as a Surgical Technician. I spent many hours in the hospital as a full- time employee and a staff member that took call. I came in many nights and weekends for emergency and urgent surgeries. I participated in Parks and Recreation programs, especially step-aerobics in both Honokaa and Pahoa. I loved the ocean and pool swimming. I was a member of the VFW auxiliary. My friendships were lasting and steadfast. I was thoroughly engrained in my community. Then came 3am, May 4, 2018. We were told to evacuate the area and it was the last night we spent in the home we so loved. Everything was so surreal. The ground was opening up all over our neighborhood. Lava was fountaining and spewing out, taking homes and properties, creating fires that no one could stop. The sky was blood red at night. Smoke and steam and the smell of Sulphur was everywhere. Barricades were put in place. The National Guard was summoned. The police were there. We were issued placards after proving our residency. It was two weeks after our evacuation that we were allowed back in to see our home and then only for 15 minutes because we had to make a reservation to be led in and there were so many that had been displaced. Civil Defense led us in and monitored the air while we were there. A sudden shift in the wind and we were hurried out. My husband has COPD. We bought the recommended “gas masks” but he still couldn’t stay in the area for more than 10 or 15 minutes. I can’t tell you how many times he tried to go to our home, only to turn around and not gather the items he wanted. I ended up going alone. We were trying to find a place to live. Rentals and kennels (we have pets) were at a premium and it was so hard to find an affordable one. We spent so much time in lines. Waiting for referrals, waiting to file with FEMA, waiting to hear if our house was still standing. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Fissure 8 came to the end of our driveway and stopped. The river of lava, reaching 30 miles an hour, was flowing downhill, away from our home. We thought we were one of the “lucky” ones. We filed a claim with our insurance company, Allstate. Our home was uninhabitable. Tephra was everywhere. Little explosions were going off all around our home. The gases that we learned to call SO2 kept us from breathing without a mask and was visibly eating away at our home. The cable operating our garage door was eaten through. A thick, garage door cable that had been installed just two years prior. An engineer assessed the damage and said all the electrical wiring was damaged and needed replacing. Anything metal, screws, plumbing, solar panels, water system, window frames, door- knobs, cabinet handles, hinges, appliances, everything was damaged and needed replacement. The S02 continued. Relentless. My husband couldn’t breathe and even though we found a rental in Hawaiian Paradise Park the air still affected him and he was getting sicker. Allstate came back to us and said they wouldn’t cover any of the damage. They had an ironclad clause in our policy denying coverage for toxic gases. The damage to our home was from S02, their toxic gas. And so, we’ve had to start over with no payouts from insurance. We moved to Nevada to an area with cleaner air where my husband can get the treatments he needs. We are surrounded by family and they have helped us in so many ways. We can’t afford to continue making the mortgage payments on our home in Hawaii. I worked until I was 71 to add to our retirement and live happily in Leilani Estates, Pahoa, HI. Our insurance company of twenty-six years failed us and we’ve been using everything to start over. We would like to apply for the grants being considered in Hawaii’s Kilauea Recovery Program. Thank you so very much for taking the time to read and consider this.

18 | Page

Aloha recovery team, I appreciate all your time and effort you have put into coming to a proposal on a buyout plan. However, since public comments have been solicited, I am submitting mine. I am sure you are aware that Vacationland Hawaii Community Association, VHCA, is planning for the future of our return to Kapoho. Many of the owners there want to go back and start over. We know there is a need for a cooling period.. We are all very concerned about the effects of fragmented land buy outs and what it would do to the community. The buyout does not have a long-term plan and needs an impact statement. If the plan is going to happen, the county needs to come up with impact projection on what buying these properties is going to do to the communities once the county owns the properties. I have heard the term "open space" for use of lots, always a catchy and cool term which in reality means empty, unkept lots fragmented in areas like Vacationland which will eventually become overgrown with invasive trees which in turn will then become home for feral animals, feral humans, not to mention a dumping ground for green waste and unwanted appliances, and none of these problems will be addressed by the owners, the county, but will fall on the members of the community. This will also detract from the value of the unbought out lots, which will then decrease the future tax revenue for the county. Would you want this next door to you in your community? Vacationland has potential for very large increase in value and could put a lot of money into the county's coffers. What is the purpose of buying the land of uninsured and putting it out of commission.? If the purpose is to provide relief money for those without housing, then just paying or granting money for the loss of their home should be sufficient. They can retain the land for future development. Buying the land in planned community and putting it out of commission has tremendous negative effects on the recovery of the community. Or, to make it fair for those of us who plan on returning, an opportunity for ALL the land should be bought out or all given an opportunity to sell, not just those who had a house without insurance. Buying houses from those who chose not to have insurance (insurance was available in almost all the inundated area), is simply rewarding those who did not purchase it. My wife and I spent tens of thousands of dollars on insurance for our houses and we will get nothing for the land. The buy out could start with the land, for those who would want it. that would give those who did not have insurance some money to get started with and then, if there is some left, go to those who had no insurance. This would give all of us some of the pie. Just because we had insurance doesn't mean it was easy for us to find housing. The county needs an impact plan. Going forward without a long-term plan is like getting into a car with 1/4 tank of gas, driving down an unknown road without a map and hope for something good to happen when the car runs out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Many members of Vacationland have been working hard and plan on going back. The infrastructure plan for the community is already in existence and needs no planning or county approval since it is already in place. I urge the team to come up with a plan on how the property is going to be kept up without a negative impact on those of us who are planning on going back and rebuilding before devastating our community with a manmade (or another?) disaster. Please reconsider what you are going to do to our community. We went through hurricane Iselle, then the lava flow, and now we have poised in front of us is another disaster, manmade, that will again devastate our community.

19 | Page

Aloha, I lost a home in the 2018 eruption, I was in the process of building, all my permits and inspections are on file with ###############################################. I received no insurance money, no FEMA money, it was a total loss, I was getting ready to start on the sheetrock. I had $140,000 into the structure only, and have the documented receipts. I was wondering how the unfinished permitted homes will be handled during the buyout process. I believe there was several others under construction in Leilani Estates also.

My name is ####################. I have been a resident of Leilani Estates since 1989. My husband ############# and I built our home in 1989, at #################, on the corner of ###################### in Leilani Estates. We built our home using our cash savings and didn’t have it insured. We planned to live there for the rest of our lives. My husband was a disabled veteran, and he passed away in 2007. This property has been my primary residence since 1989. On May 3, 2018, residents were evacuated at midnight, caused by the lava flow. That was devastating to all the residents in Leilani. We did not know where we were going to stay or if we would even have homes to return to. A friend kindly offered me a temporary room in her home. Over the next few weeks, Fissure 8 erupted on Luana Street, just a football field away from my home. That was the most scary thing I’ve ever experienced, with lava shooting 180 feet into the air and throwing rocks a half mile away. I’ve lived in Hawaii all my life, but never dreamed of anything so traumatic in our community. When the County allowed us to go back in to get important items from our homes, the gases were so bad we couldn’t breathe, even with those N95 masks on. We grabbed a few papers, but most everything else was not salvageable. Everything in our home was becoming corroded and reeked of sulfur dioxide. FEMA told me to apply for an SBA loan to repair my home, but I am unable to qualify for a loan for repairs, as I have limited income and would not be able to repay. Repairs would be a waste of money because metals, pipes and wires were still becoming corroded and wood was rotting out. My home has incurred major damages, it is unlivable, and still has smells of sulfur dioxide. Gases and sulfur are still coming out from the hot spots nearby on Luana Street and surrounding streets. Neighbors on Malama Street, who have replaced their metal fixtures, are still experiencing corrosion of the new fixtures. I am currently living out of state, sharing rent with a friend, because I can’t live in my home on ##########. My asthma and other health issues have gotten worse after the exposure, and I cannot tolerate the gases. What am I to do? I am now #############. Rent takes a good part of my monthly income. I would ask that you would give consideration to homes like mine, which are physically impacted by secondary effects, including heat and gases at their property, in the County’s recovery plan. Mahalo for your consideration and for giving us an opportunity to offer comments.

My wife and I have been owners of a house and beach front lot in Vacation Land since 1974. We bought our land and build our house on it then, and have improved it until it was lost in the eruption. To our joy and happiness we have seen Vacation Land grow and improve from a dirt road, no water, no telephone, no TV service and not much else community to what it was at the time of the eruption. Many memories and family milestones are buried in our property.

20 | Page

Yes Vacation Land was and became a thriving community with many new homes and services and people enjoying an idealistic life style at the time of the eruption. Now lost. I have been reading the communications about possible buy outs and etc and would like to offer my comments. 1- Surprisingly many have offered their desire to rebuild and return and even try to revive and rebuilt the community. 2- Many have offered ideas of what to base a buy back on if there is in fact a buy back. 3- And Whether or not properties were insured or not and whether or not this should have a bearing on the buyback. 1- Well my wife and I are way past our 80's in age, so for us and people like us rebuilding and returning is factually out of the question. And I suspect there may be others like us. We have lost everything and if possible would like to get some compensation if any will be available for us and others like us. We are not returning to rebuild. 2- Regarding insurance, we remember very well that after Hurricane Iniki our state made it impossible for us to buy any insurance just because we were a coastal property and fell within the red line drawn by state officials for the whole state.. And this limiting lasted for many many years. And further many home owners could not afford insurance even to this day depending on where your property was located. Or depending on your income. 3- In our opinion any buy out should first depend and be based on the value of the land owned by property owners. Since the land was not insured. So every one would be on equal footing for a buyout based on land owned by each property owner. No matter how the buyout values for the land was/is determined. 4-Then If there is money available for a buyout for the loss of houses, their contents and etc. This could and should be negotiated as a second and separate priority buy out as to whether or not the home owners have been compensated by insurance or not. Because compensation by insurance companies are for the lost of a home and tangle improvements and contents not for the land. This are my thoughts on the matter. And I would like to especially thank Susan Kim for her efforts in this. And to remind all the property owners that there are many agendas and priorities in play with this effort. So I suspect a lot of negotiations and compromises will be necessary if we are to even have a chance of a buy out. Let's all be positive and helpful for a resolution that hopefully can benefit everyone involved.

I would like to request that our home be included in the county buyout program. My home sustained major damages during the eruption event of 2018 and is unlivable. My husband and I purchased an empty lot in Leilani Estates in 1980. We retired the following year. It was becoming more and more difficult to deal with the snow and its hardships so in 1981 we moved to the Big Island to live out our dreams. We built our home with our own hands, renting in Hawaiian Paradise Park until we were able to move in. Over the years, we continued to expand and remodel. We planted gardens and shared our abundant fruits and vegetables with friends and neighbors. We belonged to the VFW. I was a volunteer for the zoo, taking various animals to the schools to introduce them to the children and teach them to respect our animals. I was honored by Governor Waihee for my volunteerism and presented a cut crystal bowl that I cherish to this day. I also served as a docent for the Lyman Museum in Hilo and escorted visitors throughout Hilo, proudly showing off the diverse architectural styles and giving them a history of the town and its buildings. My husband, an electrician by trade, was in great demand among neighbors and friends. He knew welding and was frequently repairing others

21 | Page projects. We built a pond and raised koi. We were so happy in our home in Leilani. We were living on our social security but we had no mortgage on our home so as long as we lived frugally we were okay. My husband died and I eventually married my current husband. We were happily building our lives together when on May 3, 2018 there was an eruption event and we were evacuated from our home. We had no idea that that was the last time we would be living in our home. We had insurance and they told us we would be covered but here we are more than two years since we were evacuated and we are still waiting for payment and closure. Any thing that may have been salvageable has continued to be exposed to S02 and deteriorated. Plumbing, window and door frames, electrical wiring, lighting, water system, furniture and on and on are ruined. Fissure 8 is a short distance down the road and continues to smoke and contaminate the air. We originally moved in with my stepson and his wife. We stayed there several months until we could find an affordable rental that would also allow us to have our pets. It took our insurance company more than a year to start making our rental payments and the policy stated they would pay up to two years rental payments and now we are now responsible again. My husband has dementia that is progressing quickly at this point. I am his sole caregiver. We are going to be moving to another rental, the one we are in has been put up for sale. My husband will once again be confused and agitated with the move. This has been so difficult. It continues to be so difficult. We would like to be considered for the county buy out of our home. We need to find another home and we can’t afford one as we now stand. We just want to be settled again and live out our lives in a home that is ours. No more moving. No more waiting for our insurance company to come through as they promised.

I appreciate all the time and hard work that has been done by the county throughout the eruption and recovery process. The Action Plan has many good aspects but it does not truly address the recovery of the communities particularly in Kapoho. The buyout plan actually works towards eliminating the communities and financially rewarding certain property owners to the detriment of others. There seems to me a misunderstanding that those with insurance were paid for their land when insurance only covered structures and contents. The actual real estate was not involved in insurance claims at all. So if the buyout program is used to compensate certain property owners for the value of their land and homes (permitted or not), it establishes an unfair and perhaps illegal use of federal tax dollars. The concept of duplication of benefits for those with insurance may not be appropriate and can be challenged. The word recovery is used but this plan will create open space throughout the communities that is owned by the county and there is no plan to maintain these properties or help the community recover. The idea that the area will continue to be a hazard is not accurate geologically. We simply have to look at Kona to see the valuable vibrant communities that are built on lava flows. The county could be losing out on the economic value of taxable land in beautiful Kapoho. I fully support the part of the plan that focuses on housing and providing assistance to identify the needs for many of those affected who still do not have permanent housing.

To whom it may concern, I hope this email finds you well. My name is ############ and I owned a home in Vacationland. I would like to thank everyone involved in their efforts to find

22 | Page

an amicable resolution for our community post-disaster. Our community is the sum of it's parts and regardless of the system of distribution to be determined by the government, such must be equal to all community members. There should be no favoritism or penalties regardless of individual circumstances. That being said, it would seem to be that the most fair balanced approach would be an optional buyout allocated to each land owner based on their assessed land value. The remaining funds should be distributed as a percentage allocation towards land improvements, homes. Those that choose to opt out of the buyout would waiver their land value portion, since they will keep their land but still remain eligible for the percentage towards land improvements, homes. In this way, everyone is provided equal potential. This would not solve the checkerboard hurdle for those who choose to remain and rebuild, but at least it would be a choice, and with financial assistance. I appreciate the opportunity to provide feedback and sincerely hope that our community's responses as a whole are used to determine an objective proposal. The current government proposal represents a serious injustice to the community and it would be inappropriate to accept positive feedback recieved solely from those that stand to benefit as if that were a representation of the community itself. Feedback can be a valuable tool for community based ideas but it is no substitute for equality. Each community member may have their independent subjective opinions, may agree or disagree with the final proposal, but it must, in the end be objectively fair and equal to each community member. Mahalo for your consideration.

In 1979, ###################### purchased a neglected property at ################## in Kapoho Vacationland. It was a modest home, but they made improvements, added landscaping, and created their dream get-away. They called it Kapoho Cottage. ############### were also active in the local community, attending church, hosting neighborhood meetings, working on cleanups, planting trees, mowing right of ways, and joining in efforts to improve roads and put in the first waterlines. In 2011, as their health began to decline, oldest son Steve and his wife Sue assumed responsibility for Kapoho Cottage and followed in their footsteps. Grandchildren and other family members also spent more time there every year. In 2016 granddaughter ####### created a professional video promoting the responsible use of the Wai ‘Opae tidepools at Kapoho (https://vimeo.com/219180173/200ef47a85). After 40 years, our family has one of the longest histories of continuous ownership and community involvement in Kapoho Vacationland. #### passed away in 2014, and ###### suffered a stroke in 2018, as the lava covered their dream. The loss of Kapoho Cottage was devastating to our entire family. Our island home was a legacy that four generations have cherished. We lost not only a home full of family memories but, more importantly, a long-standing and heartfelt relationship to a community we all loved. All along, we acted responsibly by paying taxes and association fees and obtaining homeowner’s insurance. We installed a septic system, not because it was required but because it was the right thing to do. Insurance provided partial compensation for the loss of our home and its contents. However, insurance did not cover the fair market value of the real property lost. We soon discovered that even with the insurance proceeds, we could not afford even a vacant lot in a comparable location. Since Kapoho Cottage was a secondary residence with insurance, and since we are not an LMI household, the draft Action Plan appears to offer us nothing. Many of

23 | Page

our neighbors will be in the same boat. We hope the County will consider changing this. Buying out only those properties that were uninsured would be a slap in the face to us and other Kapoho homeowners who had sought out and paid for proper insurance. From a public policy perspective, this sends a message to homeowners in other high-risk areas that they too could forgo insurance and expect the County to compensate them for future losses. In addition, such a selective buyout would leave a patchwork of public and private property in Kapoho. We believe if this plan is implemented without changes, it could predictably lead to hard feelings, years of conflict, and possibly to contentious lawsuits. The solution seems obvious and straightforward: If the intent is to convert Kapoho into public land and avoid future development, the County should offer a fair market value land buyout to every property owner affected by the lava flow of 2018. Once that is accomplished, remaining funds could be used to assist the uninsured and underinsured. Without this, the community will legitimately continue to push for the restoration of the critical infrastructure—roads, water, utilities, etc.—necessary to rebuild our homes and reestablish our community. We encourage the County to continue in dialogue with the VHCA and other stakeholders to find a path toward a sound public policy that doesn’t leave anyone out. ################################

Aloha! I was wondering how do I apply for the payout program? We lost our House May 25th, 2018...on ################.

Dear friends, My name is ###########. Over the past ten years I’ve served our community as a critical care nurse. I worked throughout the Kilauea disaster to assist the elderly and the vulnerable. When Harry Kim was hospitalized at the height of the disaster, I was assigned to be one of the mayor’s primary caregivers. Like many other families, my wife, children and I lost our beautiful home in Kapoho. We lived on nearly 5 acres, which we’d painstakingly developed over the previous eight years. We had just recently paid it off in the months leading up to the disaster. Unfortunately, our efforts to obtain lava insurance coverage had been unsuccessful over several years. As a result, everything we’d worked so hard for just disappeared without compensation. When we received word of the planned buyouts, it brought our family a renewed sense of hope...as I’m sure it did many others. You see, in the wake of the Kilauea disaster, we’ve been struggling for more than two years to get a new start. My wife and I felt we had no choice but to literally work night and day for much of the past twenty four months. We've strived to obtain some sort of down payment for the purchase of vacant land upon which we could eventually rebuild our lives. As I’m sure you can imagine, it is extremely difficult for a family of four to start over in Hawaii from near zero. It is even harder to attempt to relocate to a safer lava zone north of Hilo. An empty, vacant lot - 5 acres like we had previously - north of Hilo starts at $300,000. We didn’t feel like we had much of a choice. We had to relocate our family to a safer area. After such a tragic loss, we could not risk experiencing a similar disaster in the future. After nearly two years of searching and saving, we are still in need of a home for our children. The funds provided from the proposed buyouts, would bring building a home back within our reach, as a family. I understand there is a small, but vocal group who are advocating we divert these buyout funds away from helping families, like us,

24 | Page

suggesting instead we utilize them to restore access to places like the lighthouse or Pohoiki. Please don’t forget about us. Many families are still suffering. Many of us have lost nearly everything with no insurance compensation. These buyout funds will go a long way toward giving families like ours the new start they need. Thank you very much!

Aloha kakou, I have printed and read the Action Plan,I feel grateful for the opportunity to share my public input. 1)I am in favor of restoring the county roads suggested and feel it needs to be clarified what the final decisions are before community can decide whether or not they want to apply for a buyout.If access is granted,I know many would prefer to return to their properties.The money was allocated to restore the said roads on the list,many that assumed this would be done are destrought now,knowing they may not have access to their properties after all. 2)I have communicated with several community members expressing a desire and relief to have a buyout opportunity.Knowing my community has this possible grant is really encouraging.After reading the eligibility factors in regards to utilizing these grants for LMI families as a priority,I question who will be eligible.Many who have lost their homes,primary homes,were middle or upper middle class residents,Will they be denied because of their financial status?Why would it only benefit the lesser in the community,are the nurses and firefighters and nursery owners going to be denied due to their success and hard work?The demographics of Kapoho and Leilani residents does not necessarily match the whole of Puna.These were the true victims that lost their homes,not the rest of Puna.Who are the approximately 100 households specified in the Action Plan?How did the county come up with this figure? 3)Our economic recovery will benefit from HUD Money going towards public infrastructure in our restored community.I hope the County makes this and roads/water restoration a top priority,with the buyout program being second in importance with the money being allocated.Many wish to return to their properties. 4)How will the County be responsible with the buyout properties once they are County owned?Will there be opportunity to utilize these parcels as community reforestation sites or public parks?That would be wonderful,as the properties will be dispersed inside of our restored subdivisions. 5)As there are a lot of questions and concerns the community has voiced,Will the new administration have the opportunity to make ammendments to the Action Plan?Will the new administration have any voice with the recovery efforts after they are in office?6)On a personal note,I am looking forward to returning and rebuilding,but I have heard no news in regards to permitting ,will I be denied a permit to rebuild in Kapoho?We want to return and we look forward to many of our neighbors to return and design an alternative and sustainable community.I thank you all for your patience and hard work in these last two years,I knew this recovery would take years.The families that are still struggling to regain access are getting weary.The lack of access is taking a serious mental toll on many of my friends.Regaining access as soon as possible for all landlocked residents will be a celebration and for those intending to apply for a buyout,the opportunity will be a tremendous blessing. As a founder of Imua Lower Puna,it has been our goal to bring the voice of the community to the decision making table.Mahalo nui for the continued recovery efforts.It is deeply appreciated.#########################################

25 | Page

Hello, my property was effected by the 2018 lava flows and I was just wanting to get some information on the steps if any to be considered for part of the recovery. This was going to be my retirement property and house but now it just one big lava rock. Bummer. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Sir/Madam -- Please find below my comments in response to the CDGB-DR Initial Action Plan, Draft for Public Comment published 20-July-2020. The VHBP (Section.4.4.1, Voluntary Housing Buyout Program) outlines prioritization of VHBP applicants first prioritizing Low-to-Moderate- Income (LMI) households over non-LMI applicants, then prioritizing primary residences over secondary residences over undeveloped residential parcels. The Initial Action Plan (Section.5.4, Disaster Resistant Housing for All Income Groups) also outlines priority for each housing program be given to applicants in vulnerable populations, particularly households that include children, the elderly, or people with disabilities. Will these prioritization criteria include immediate family members of the property (title) holder? and/or will the application process provide for special consideration of exceptional situations of the particular applicant? I am the property (title) holder of an owner-occupied property that was completely inundated by lava in the Kapoho Beach Lots subdivision. The property was the primary residence of my retired elderly parents, both of whom are 80+ years of age. Both my parents were born and raised in Hawaii (my mother in Pahoa) and then retired back to the Puna area. Given my parents' retired employment status and as such limited fixed retirement income, the property was purchased under my name in order to aid in securing the necessary mortgage financing needed to purchase the property. In addition to losing their primary residence, my parents lost most all of their personal belongings along with the destroyed property when they were forced to evacuate hampered by the challenges of their elderly ages. I believe my destroyed property which was owner-occupied by my parents should be classified and prioritized as primary residence. Also I believe my retired elderly parents who were the displaced residents should be the household determining LMI qualifications and prioritized accordingly. Thank you for your consideration.

To Whom It May Concern: When planning was done in the 1960s for the tsunami inundated areas in Hilo, there was a vision that resulted in a greenbelt along the shoreline, setting back redevelopment, and centralizing County and State and private structures. A vision has not been articulated for the areas impacted by and adjacent to the Lower East Rift Zone eruption of 2018. There are also alternatives to a buy-back program, such as using the $80 some million and leveraging it through an RFP with developers who would build affordable housing outside lava zones 1 and2 in the area East of Pahoa. There are many subdivisions with vacant lots, and a new subdivision is not needed. There has not been consideration of alternatives to a buy-out program, and no cost-benefit analysis of alternatives. Until other alternatives are considered and analyzed, we are moving blindly towards squandering $80 million that the County and Puna will never see again. I am proposing that the action plan get another extension for submittal at the earliest the end of April 2021. The reasons are: 1) COVID, 2) the upcoming change of County

26 | Page

Administration at Noon of the first Monday of December2020, 3) community input, and 4) the action plan preceding the other plans that would determine the recovery plan for the area. The use of Development Plan goals and objectives to guide the outcome of the recovery planning is flawed and inappropriate, as Development Plan goals and objectives are NOT recovery plan goals and objectives.

The County has one opportunity to get the recovery planning right, and in my opinion the planning process and the dribbling out of work products is contrary to the principals of sound planning.

If the action plan is submitted as drafted, it will squander the leveraging of $80 million of CDBG funds on a patchwork of lots that would undermine the desire and efforts of others to rebuild. In my humble opinion, the planning for the recovery from the 2018 LERZ eruption is becoming a second and longer-term disaster.

Aloha, I have waited to submit my comments hoping for additional information to be released but nothing has been. As Vacationland Hawaii Community Association (VHCA) President, I am extremely concerned about how the buyouts will affect our community. There will possibly be a patchwork of bought out properties with no plan on how those properties will be maintained. The County becomes a member of our Association, according to our bylaws that membership cannot be terminated. All members are responsible for any assessments that are deemed necessary for the subdivision, mainly road and right of way upkeep. What is the County’s plan for that? It would seem prudent to consolidate the bought out properties and to relocate individuals who might be the only one left on a particular road. That would allow for fewer roads to be restored, hence less cost. I would think HUD would see the value in that. Has that idea been discussed? On a personal note, my husband and I are not interested in a buyout. We still have about an acre of land left and we also bought our neighbors remaining ohana to have a home to return to. Even if we were interested, we would not benefit from the buyout. The little money we might get in addition to our insurance would not give us enough to purchase a replacement home. Our best option is to return. Getting access is another huge issue, one of the problems being the new black sand beach at Cape Kumukahi. I understand the need for management but the state has completely let us down. Puna lost at least 3 coastal areas to enjoy. After the housing needs are met I would like to see the remaining monies be used for a managed beach park at Cape Kumukahi, the need for coastal access is huge. The planning for this coastal area has been ignored and it is keeping 3 families from returning home. My husband and I have been walking/biking to our property almost daily for 17 months now, what have you been doing for the past 17 months? Our access could have happened as soon as the FEMA money was approved, but as of right now we have no idea when we can move home. This is not acceptable. Puna needs their community back, people are willing to return. We need the County to listen and take action on our needs, not just checking off a box for comments.

27 | Page

i am a person that lost my house and would like to be updated on any information that is available to me.

Hello, My two acres of land is near Green Mountain, a half mile mauka from 4 corners, and is completely covered by the lava flow. We lost two lovely little houses and a gloriously beautiful piece of paradise in the flow, like many others. My concern going forward is what to do with the land now. Its going to be a long time before its really useful as a home site. We figure our grandkids may get to see it reforested some day. But it would be helpful would be if the administration would allow us to put a small cabin or even a trailer on it and use it as a vacation spot. We dont need utilities as we were off grid before, but we would like to have an easy permitting process and also easy access to a sewage dumping facility for black water. Also, if there were low cost trees and native plants available, we would definitely appreciate being able to replant and reforest without costing a fortune in plants. I know our local government does this for farmers with a certain number of free trees per year. This would at least make the land usable for vacations instead of just sitting empty and begin to return some of the lost beauty of lower Puna. Like many others we are heart broken that we've lost our piece of paradise to the lava, but over time, and with much patience, we would like to start the process of creating a livable location again. We would appreciate any help you can give us to do that.

To The Recovery Task Force Team, Mainstreet Pahoa was founded in February of 1993 with the mission to: “The purpose of the corporation shall be improving the business climate, encouraging business growth, and promoting the common business of the Pahoa Community. In addition, to serve as the connection point for citizens, non-profits and government entities” MPA has served the Pahoa and lower Puna communities for over 27 years. This year we have over 30 Pahoa businesses as members and stand alone as the largest business organization and longest lasting nonprofit business organization n Puna. MPA has helped Pahoa and Puna through a multitude of disaster going back as far as the destruction of Kalapana and Kaimu. Not only did MPA help to facilitate the upgrades at Pohoiki and the surrounding parking areas but they also spearheaded the selection and acquisition of Ahala’nui Park, also known as Hot Ponds. MPA held public meetings throughout the whole process including design, landscaping, and water quality monitoring. They also managed the Park itself for a short time until the County administration changed and County took on the management. More recreantly they also helped to facilitate the expansion of Pohoiki Park and the new parking areas. MPA also has been a strong advocate for the establishment of other Parks in lower Puna and in the environmental stewardship of our roads and of course Pahoa Town itself. Again in partnership with Harry Kim and the County of Hawaii MPA was able to identify a parcel for the Pahoa Public Swimming Pool and helped in the negotiations for the purchase of the pool site and later on in the acquisition of the entire Pahoa Park Complex. It was MPA that helped to facilitate the Skate Park and all the other components of our amazing Pahoa Park. MPA has always worked hard to advocate for Puna schools and has partnered with various organizations to donate directly to our local schools, promote school events, and has run a very successful scholarship program for

28 | Page local high school students going on to higher education for many years. We continue to grow our scholarship programs and to partner with local schools to help our students and even older adult students with the multiple partnerships in continuing educational programs of workforce development and training classes for local businesses. MPA also has advocated on behalf of the community for better health care and was instrumental in bringing the first substance abuse clinic to Pahoa, which happened to also be the first on the Big Island of Hawaii. Part of a Healthy community is how we deal with those folks who are homeless or are suffering alcohol, substance abuse, and or mental health issues. Many folks may not know that MPA also helped the Pahoa Family Health center get established by securing the present site with little or extremely low rent for the first several years. Again when the Puna Medical Center was trying to get established MPA partnered with local community and helped facilitate its formation through advocacy and devoted significant organizational support. Even now we are actively advocating for expanded services here in lower Puna. More recently MPA hosted the first and second Kokua Pahoa Benefit Concert and Block Party. These events utilized multiple stages, with dozens of bands from throughout the state and allowed local craftsmen the opportunity to sell their wares right here in Pahoa. These were the major fundraisers for our organization and allowed us to help so many other organizations and the community as a whole. Some of the things we were able to do with the funds generated were donate to local schools, food programs, and of course the founding of the Pahoa Lava Zone Museum. The PLZM is a partnership between the Volcano National Park, MPA, and Kaleo’s Restaurant and opened to the public on Dec 1st of 2018. It was formed as a way to educate both visitors and locals about the 2014 and 18 eruptions, drive tourism into the heart of Pahoa Town, and to develop a way to help visitors have a meaningful environmental and culturally educational experience. It helps to accent the positive aspects of tourism and mitigate the negative impacts primarily by explaining where visitors can go and where they should not go. We started as an all-volunteer organization with dozens of docents and a donated space and have had over 10000 visitors. We hosted student and senior groups from here on the Island and all over the world as well. More recently the PLZM got its own 501 C 3 status and has begun a vigorous fund raising program to further its mission as well as the MPAs mission. Grants to revamp the museum and help mitigate Covid impacts are already underway. The PLZM was also able to act as a pass through organization for Recovery funds to help folks who were impacted by the Lava in 2018. MPA is grateful to the Recovery Team for providing any and all assistance to Pahoa and lower Puna. Moving forward we hope MPA can continue to help mitigate the impacts of the eruption and now with Covid 19 situation. Recently MPA has partnered with the International Economic Development Council an amazing nonprofit volunteer organization that is a worldwide leader in economic recovery for disaster impacted areas. Together we will be launching a series of business training classes and continue marketing the town, its businesses, and the amazing vistas created by the 2018 eruption. They have agreed to provide us with Technical assistance to develop a strategic plan and economic development vision for MPA and the PLZM as well as business plans for MPA and the PLZM. They also have agreed to provide research assistance on a wide range of recovery topics such as resource development, virtual engagement opportunities, etc. Our goal this year is to revitalize the old town and embrace the new developments that we feel will bring folks into our beautiful, eclectic, amazing little town. Moving forward we have some grave concerns regarding some of the recovery decisions

29 | Page

being made for Puna. Of particular concern is the county's decision regarding road restoration, or lack thereof. The connectivity of Puna and access to farms and homes via roadways are imperative to our recovery. In addition the buyout program and the public review period having been "expedited" also is worrisome. We feel that it may be time to seriously consider an extension to the review period. Primarily it seems like the work done by I.S.D and the Geological Hazard Study should be made public before any more long term decisions are made. We can't make informed recommendations without all of the information. These issues are going to have a direct impact on Pahoa town and lower Puna's recovery and long term economic prospects. I would urge that the recovery task force consider convening an economic committee immediately or in the very near future to address these issues directly with our organization. We have been told that when the time comes we would have a seat at the recovery "table". That time has come and yet we still are not being included in the process. If you folks are looking for community input, as you say you are it strikes us as problematic not utilizing Mainstreet Pahoa as we are the longest existing business and community organization in Pahoa. We have a lot to add to the conversation and are ready to participate. So again we ask that the public review period be extended until all the relevant documents are made public. We ask that the roads be rebuilt in their entirety. We ask that the Boat ramp at Pohoiki be fully restored. We ask for a comprehensive plan regarding all recovery efforts be made public and the public be given ample time to review it before any long range decisions are made on our behalf.

Aloha, On 26 May 2018, I lost my home and my community business. We were a successful tax- paying ecotourist community for 14 years on Hinalo Street until it was destroyed in the Kilauea eruption, I have some comments on the Buyback Program. Buyout Deduction Formula. My experience with the Neighborhood Place of Puna is instructive on the difference between the government appearing to help and then over time, not actually helping. In NPP's program for lava refugees like myself, I went through a lengthy application for help to return or housing assistance as I was forced to leave Hawaii after losing my home and business in the eruption. After more than a year of completing NPP applications and paperwork with three different advisors, I was told that I didn't qualify for help based on the fact that I received FEMA money. They knew this from the very beginning of my process with them yet waited till the end. It was an extremely frustrating experience. I'm concerned something similar will happen with the Buyout. The program will give the appearance of helping but actual funds being reduced dramatically in fine print and deductions. FEMA and insurance will be deducted. Prices are to be based on 2017 tax values. The Buyout prioritizes low and mid-income persons which is good. Ironically, it would actually disqualify most low and mid-income people from receiving the full payout. This is because most of us have already received either FEMA or insurance. The only way we could qualify for the cap of $230,000 is if we had very expensive properties after deductions. Meaning, after FEMA or insurance, there was more than $230,000 left. My prediction is that very few lower to middle-income people will get the maximum cap buyout of $230,000 under the government's current formula. I am in the category of low to middle income. Though I owned nearly 4 acres with a legal, permitted house and barn, my 2017 tax

30 | Page

value is calculated at $149,000 which is only $19,000 more than what I paid for it in 2004! When I bought the property it was an illegal junkyard which is why I got it at a cheaper price. However, 14 years of property improvements, including removing 18 junked vehicles, building additional structures, and creating a taxpaying agricultural and ecotourist community count for zero in the government's calculations. Based on the current formula I would get just over $100,000 which would not be enough to rebuild. This is what I'm afraid of. The appearance of helping which then gets lost in the fine print. Non-Profit Grant. I would like to rebuild which is why I have also applied through a fiscal sponsor for a recovery grant to help to rebuild a smaller version of our model of community, ecofeminist, and agricultural tourism that made us an example of low impact, sustainable development in the lower Puna area. Hinalo Street. If I were to accept the Buyout, priority and higher funds should be given to those whose access is being deliberately cut out. Hinalo street is not going to be rebuilt even though it was announced by the government on April 21. 2020 that funding for it had been approved. When such deliberate decisions are being made, a higher price should be paid to property owners who cannot use the original County road as their access point despite promises and paying taxes for years. Instead, I will have to access my property through a private road. Contiguous properties to create a natural memorial park. There is the pertinent question of patchwork buyouts. This was a very powerful event in our lives and community. While my first priority is to rebuild, I would be open to market rates being paid to contiguous properties in Lava zones 1 and 2, with Fissure 8 as a central feature. Then the whole area declared a memorial park. It would bring a new tourist attraction to the area which would be good for Puna. Importantly, it would pay homage to a powerful natural event which had such a huge impact on the lives of so many in Lower Puna Thank you for allowing this opportunity to comment on this program.

Aloha, my name is ########### and I have lived in Puna since 1989. I am requesting for the funds that were allocated to state to be used for opening roads in Puna affected by lava flow. Pohoiki Road is next on the priority roads to be open. This needs to open. I don’t see or have heard of any reason for the delay. There has been a bulldozer sitting there for months. The farms and homes that are still cut off have suffered enough. This community needs access to Pohoiki that doesn’t take over an hour to get there. Pohoiki needs a boat access for our local fishermen. Also getting to Pohoiki takes you through small intimate communities that aren’t used to the traffic (which these roads are not made for). Please use these funds for the community and use these funds. People will move back when there are roads and are moving back. Mahalo ##################################

First, I do want to again acknowledge that for the purposes of spending the HUD monies, this is a well put together draft plan, again only for HUD purposes. Does this draft Action Plan align with what Community has been clearly voicing as the number one unmet need? No, instead still, no comprehensive plan, no management plan for bought out properties, an overwhelming number of comments from community on the "inequity" of the proposal and lack of incorporation / response / action on what community seemingly has been begging for the past

31 | Page

two years. This is another example of where folks in Hilo seem to be proposing and making decisions for communities they do not live, work or frequent. Community was suppose to be at the top of the org chart. People are hoping a Mayoral change will flip the switch; I think the Douglas, Ashley, Matt + community can change things up in the next 30-90 days. 1. If this Action Plan is going to go through as is (which I hope it won't, but I fear, no signficiant changes will be made), prioritize property owners with primary homes that will NOT get their County Road restored. Perhaps make it a 3-pronged prioritization (e.g. LMI, no County Road Restoration, then primary, secondary, vacant). While no one in community has advocated for this, I also believe that differentiating between Lava Zone 1 & 2 is needed. Many are proposing County buy out "land-only" given land was uninsured and that is what is being bought out. In theory, I do believe this plan is theoretically more equitable given the number of people that chose not to get insurance (vrs. claim they could not). However, I assume the $83M does not cover the expected number of buyouts if land were to be bought out with 2017 Land Values. 2. If this Action Plan will make significant changes to the draft, based on community feedback, I hope the biggest change would be to allocate funds to infrastructure (e.g. Lighthouse Boat Management) and Economic Development (e.g. financial assistance for businesses that were damaged/destroyed and startingup again). I understand these are other "programs" that County will then have to manage. Make it a public-private partnership. I am aware that Kapono Red Road / Leila has submitted a Kilauea Recovery Grant Application. This pool of $20M unrestricted Kilauea Recovery Grant monies is obviously much less than the very restrictive ~$83M HUD monies. By allocating the most restrictive monies to appropriate infrastructure and economic development projects allows County to leverage all funding sources. I've already asked many questions and concerns about the overall Recovery thus far. I think this draft Action Plan was poorly communicate to the Task Force - there was no opportunity to discuss anything else and for such a large spend we may have spent less than 2 hours on this collectively? What do you guys need community to do to change things up? This clearly is not working. We just had the same conversation we've been having for two years at the last Task Force meeting. You all are on this full-time, doing tons of work yet till missing the mark in community's eyes. Great job on getting tons of money - we need to make some more decisions collectively on our road to recovery. Mahalo nui,

Forgive me for being a bit tardy with submitting my comments. I expect they can still be accepted. Please advise if otherwise. I am #############, Lower Puna homesteaded resident and current HI taxpayer on 7 other properties (3 houses and 4 lots) all located along the coastal "red road” part of the Golden Triangle of connectivity. I am heavily invested in Puna and this is where I chose to create my life. I am required to sign County waivers accepting all risks involved with ‘Big island life’ ; risks including but not limited to lava zone dangers/insurance difficulty and coqui frog nuisance each and every time properties exchange hands. I drive on County roads and live in County permitted areas; pay my taxes on time and fully expect to be able to continue to enjoy where I live. Which means I need to have roads. Don’t ask me about buyouts until I have information to base a decision on. To date, our community has NOT been given enough information to consider ourselves ‘informed’. My VHCA home was a long term rental with a 3 year lease. Despite multiple trips to Disaster Recovery FEMA sites during the

32 | Page

flow (evacuation was very, very costly) not once have I ever been contacted by the County, NPP or any other ‘disaster related’ organization. I lost my house, my planned on income for my retirement. My tenant lost his heart, his library and his garden. These losses are irreplaceable and priceless. To be asked to accept a buyout proposal of any sort until it is equitable for all the families, individuals, farmers and others who suffered very personal losses and until we are given full disclosure on studies and data is preposterous. The community has spoken-we want roads back and infrastructure . Lower Puna is not going away because we love it here and we are allowed to live here w/o exception. The line between ‘sins of omissions’ and downright lies is wearing very thin and the community deserves better than it is being given . Request extension for public input…………….the County has no issues extending deadlines. Please work with us and extend our deadline. My family is from New Orleans. Buyouts killed entire neighborhoods and huge swaths of land are now unusable, untended and unrepaired. It is quite an eyesore. I also own land in Dennis MA on Cape Cod. Because of receiving insurance payout through Lloyds, I was put on The List and subsequently was denied renewal on my MA policy, thus I had to scramble to replace my lost insurance coverage on said MA house and now pay much higher premiums on all 6 homes that I own and insure. Where is that accounted for in this plan? The plan is not equitable by any stretch.

Hola - Without a solid plan for Road Recovery and Connectivity it is imposible to make a realistic decision. You are putting the cart before the horse! How can someone decide where or not they want a buy-out without the County prsenting a solid plan for Road Recovery and Connectivity in Lower Puna? Most people want to go back to their property and more is being done (or not done) to impede that rather than making it happen. Nothing is being done to address economic recovery either. People do not want a patch-work of empty / idle County land next to their home or farm. It appears no one is listening to what the public is saying.

I am writing in support of the Buyout Program for residents that were impacted by the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Three of our family homes were destroyed in the eruption with a total loss to all. I believe that Buyout Program will help those who were most affected to get back on their feet and feel they can step away from their loss in lower Puna and start over. One recommendation I do have in regard to the Buyout Program is to address those residents who accepted SBA disaster loans in order to buy a new home after the eruption. It is my understanding that in order to accept the SBA loan the deed to their property that was lost in the eruption was used taken collateral until the SBA loan is repaid in full. One of my family members is concerned he has to sell his current home that the SBA loan is on in order to qualify for the Buyout Program. My recommendation for such applicants would be to first apply any Buyout award money as a credit to the SBA disaster loan before any cash out. This way those who did take an SBA loan out of the immediate need for housing would still qualify for the Buyout Program and would at the same time reduce their debt owed to SBA. I also would like to strongly recommend that the County of Hawaii take a stance on prohibiting any future development (i.e. rebuilding of homes, roads and boat ramps) in the immediate area of the 2018 Kilauea eruption. The power and presence of Pelehonuamea was felt by all during the

33 | Page

eruption. We need to respect her domain as she continues to build the slopes of Kilauea which extend 60 km off of Kumukahi. As we all know, there have been numerous eruptions in the recent past (geologically speaking) and these eruptions will continue to happen as Kilauea grows. Please leave this area as sacred ground perhaps designated as conservation land. Let their be public access to the shoreline off of Kumukahi and Pohoiki for the locals to enjoy the rugged coastline, but please do not develop it any further! We owe it to Pelehonuamea, respect the 'aina, aloha 'aina. Thank you for your time and for all of your hard work in helping those who lost so much in lower Puna! Your support is appreciated.

Aloha, Please find my comments below in regards to the Draft Initial CDBG-DR Action Plan. I am in support of the buyout of property owners who were impacted by the 2018 eruption, whether it be a total loss of property, property that has been deemed inhabitable due to ongoing gas emissions or elevated heat or property that is no longer accessible. I also hope that a buyout eligibility consideration will be given to property owners who secured SBA loans to purchase new properties after the eruption. Many property owners needed to take immediate action to relocate and secure housing with the assistance of an SBA loan after the eruption and did not know if a buyout would come to fruition. Hence, they should not be penalized for their actions by being deemed ineligible for this program. As history and science has shown, development on the the rift zone and in Lava Zone 1 and 2 on Hawai’i Island should be strongly discouraged and I would hope that funds from this buyout program could be restricted from reinvesting in these immediate areas, so not to repeat this heartbreaking and economically devastating scenario again.

Following are suggestions for the use of Federal Relief Fund:Resurrect all residential subdivisions covered by the lava flow not within Zone 1 of the Volcanic Hazard Zones by a system of improvement districts. Recovery of these subdivisions will increase the real property tax coffers in the future. Designate Zone 1 of the Volcanic Hazard area as Open in the County Zone map and acquire all private lands below Hwy 137 within this zone. As this area covers the Kilauea rift line it could be turned over to the federal government as an extension of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Set aside some of the Relief fund in an improvement revolving fund in the County's Capital Improvement Program. The revolving fund can be used to to create improvement districts within existing subdivisions of upper Puna. Thus providing funding to upgrade residential subdivisions as alternate sites for evacuees to relocate. Some funding can be used for a comprehensive development plan for the Puna district and adjoining Hilo, Kau areas which are affected by Puna's development. The plan should include detailed infrastructural plan for traffic circulation, water system, park development, flood control, possible lava barriers to protect built-up areas and other facilities including proper access to the shoreline. Suggested Relief Funding Amounts Improvement Revolving Fund - 10 million dollars. To cover construction cost under Improvement districts as prioritized by the County for the recovery of house lots in Hawaiian Beaches or Vacationland and/or other subdivisions that require improvements. Land Acquisition of inundated house lots in Zone 1 Volcanic Hazard area - part of the 50 million dollars already allocated for that purpose. Develop Infrastructure Plan

34 | Page

for Puna - $200.000. I appreciate your kind invitation for public input and is available to answer any questions you may have.

Dear Recovery Team, It was early on after the eruption that it was noted that the road to recovery begins with the actual roads. Without our roads we can't recover because we now spend an inordinate amount of time driving all round Puna when we used to be able to drive straight through! 1. We need Highway 137 to be restored ALL THE WAY to Pohoiki from Highway 132. That is the fastest way from Pahoa for first responders. Stop funneling them through 50 miles of one lane roads. It is our lifeline, you know it. 2. WE NEED A BOAT RAMP NOW - PUNA HAD A THIRD OF THE FISH CAUGHT, YET OUR FISHERMEN CAN'T EVEN GET IN THE WATER OVER HERE FOR TWO YEARS ALREADY. Why is the County and State dawdling? Waiting for everyone to die off??? You all act like you want to help the fishermen but you haven't done anything for Pohoiki recovery since the Mackenzie road in December 2018 already! 3. We are told you are only going to open Leilani Avenue to the first block, which is not restoring it to prior length. We need to drive from Leilani to Pohoiki Road, THAT IS THE EMERGENCY EXIT FOR LEILANI, right now they only have 1 road (Malama doesn't go all the way through) 4. Finish all the other roads and the boat ramp before you spend any money making the road over the Mackenzie flows, that road is fine the way it is. 5. No more money spent studying problems - spend the money fixing the problems. MAHALO IN ADVANCE FOR RESTORING OUR PUBLIC ACCESS AND EMERGENCY ROADS NOW RATHER THAN NEXT YEAR OR THREE...

Dear Recovery Team, I owned an insured secondary residence on Kapoho Beach Road that I purchased late 2017 that was destroyed by the 2018 lava flow. Thank you for your work on the buyout plan. My feedback: Because land is not insurable and all affected had land, It would be more equitable to prioritize buying out everyone’s land (or at least LMI owners if that a requirement). If LMIs must be paid out first, then after their land is purchased the remaining monies could be used to offer buyouts for the land of non-LMI owners. Besides being more equitable, this would better serve a hazard mitigation goal. The current approach appears to reward those who did not purchase insurance which seems to set a bad precedent. If the current plan remains in place, the buyout program needs to consider how to value properties purchased after the 2017 assessment. I know of several homes including my own that were purchased after the 2017 assessment, that were then reassessed as a result with a letter from the county stating the new value for tax purposes. In these cases, the value for the purposes of the buyout should reflect the updated 2018 assessment. Thank you for listening.

Again I ask how many existing houses in vacationland are there or potential homes In not inundated lots? How many could be buyable and rebuilt ? One reference that said “because of green lake lava would be unlikely “ to inundate vacationland is not correct . It is beach lots situated right across from green lake was most inundated . Like civil defense paid for only leilani . This seems to effect buyout of Leilani cheaper lots than farm lots and beach lots or vacationland . I don’t agree that having lost $500,000 retirement funds which wiped us out

35 | Page

financially ; should be excluded . Our two acres and ohana house should be equally represented . I don’t agree With exchanging any of our hard earned paid homes be bought out for low income housing . I repeat . : We paid exorbitant rates for Lloyd’s insurance which paid out nothing ; lost our retirement. Now being paid zero buyout by county .Need attorney

This recovery plan,and especially the "buyout" portion,can go a long way towards helping those of limited means who have lost their homes. With the financial "leg-up" it provides,they can begin to rebuild their lives with a new start.

Mahalo for your hard work in coming up with the draft action plan for housing needs for disaster victims of the 2018 Kilauea eruption. Our family suffered great loss when the lava covered approx. 19 of the 21 acres of our property on ############. Our beautiful 2 story home, all our farm equipment and producing field of Noni and diverse field of fruit trees were lost. All that was left are approx. 2 acres of forest. We had purchased the farm outright and made improvements using all our retirement funds and savings and were left with nothing. After several months at the shelter and working with FEMA and then with the SBA, we were able to qualify for a disaster mortgage to purchase a home in Hawaiian Beaches subdivision. We are on fixed retirement incomes and find our new financial obligations difficult every month. A family member has been contemplating bulldozing the remaining 2 acres at the farm to start re- developing. We enthusiastically agree with the plan that you have worked out and look forward to the application process for county buy-out of lands in the area. As an affected family we would appreciate updates and information on a timely basis.

We owned 3 lots consolidated we have no intention of participating in a buy out. Recovery according to Webster is; returning to a normal state of health, mind or strength. The Action or process of regaining possession or control of something last or stolen. I see absolutely nothing that leads to Recovery, no future, no return nothing to put back what was lost. I am speaking of our residence of 20 yrs.in Kapoho Vacationland. I had the pleasure to get to know those before us and many you have heard from. In the last 2 yrs all we have asked for is Roads. We have met with you several times and you still are not listening " We Want To Go Home " Yes there is 80ft of Lava..now our Lava because we still own the land. Weather we were insured or not is not the point. It is ours to do as we see fit. There are many that want a buy out and I wish them well but not us. I do not want to see a hop scotch neighborhood of miss handled or over grown dielectric properties

I am happy to hear of the buyout program that will be offered soon. I have 11 acres with 2 structures down #############################, Pahoa. Approximately 8 acres were covered in lava during the eruption. The structures still stand, but access to property has been totally cut off. This was also agricultural land that we were farming before land was covered. This was my and my families' primary residence and business. I still hold a mortgage on the property that will be nice to pay off when the buyout happens. We also fit into the low income

36 | Page category. I have heard these criteria will give priority for the buyout. I am ready to begin application process asap. It will be very beneficial to move on from this natural disaster. I have a few questions...1 - When will applications be available to apply for buyout? 2 - How does one prove primary residence? Low income? I appreciate any info you can give at this time. And I look forward to some closure on this whole event once the buyout happens. Thank you for you time.

37 | Page