**This Post is about HPP and HPPOA Dysfunction** (renamed to spare the uninterested)

[Patricia]

Interesting fact...

The first Kumu Hula the "Mailbox Beautification Committee" contacted, regarding the blessing, suggested the "lawsuit should be resolved prior to remove any negativity."

[Patricia]

"First, I’d get on the same page. According to June, 2024 “The Conch” the official newsletter of HPP, the US Postal Service has put up 2 million in “hardware” (mail boxes) and 500K in cash for related installation. Further, HPPOA has put up a little over 500K in cash costs.
So – A little over 3 million IN TOTAL. USPS at 2.5 million, HPPOA at 500K."


Aloha HiloJulie,

It is interesting that the Mailbox numbers reported in the Conch are different than what we, as Owners, have been told over the past 2 years at meetings or in "Mailbox Updates."

From the beginning, some on our board would throw out the phrase "over a million dollars in mailboxes." This is documented in a May 2023 Mailbox Update and minutes from a June 2023 board meeting.The phrase "over two million in boxes" is a recent development. But what isn't recent is that there are no more boxes now, than what was first delivered. So, did those mailboxes, sitting in the yard, just double in value?

Owners were also told that the estimate costs for preparing the MB sites were $500K. But the board was going to budget $600K to "cover any additional cost." Eventually, $650K was budgeted. However, who knows exactly how much has been spent, or how much more has been budgeted? As the MB cost is no longer discussed at meetings and tracking HPPOA expenses is difficult (I know, I was on the Finance Committee).

The Conch was supposed to be a Newsletter that INFORMED Owners. In fact, the Conch was/is a requirement and court ordered. Unfortunately, the Conch has turned into a device for HPPOA board propaganda- nothing hard-hitting, or "negative" allowed. Ask most HPP Owners about the lawsuits that HPPOA is involved in (there are more than just the one) and they will either be surprised or aware of very little- HPPOA wants it this way. Ask most HPP Owners about the history of HPPOA and what, exactly HPPOA is and those Owners will assume that HPPOA is an HOA not a voluntary community association that is supposed to act as an administrator for road maintenance- HPPOA wants it this way.

As I have said before, mailboxes are just the tip of the iceberg. I was on the Land Use Committee, which was involved in the mailbox project. And there is "so much more" that HPPOA wants to do. But not only do they want to do so much more on restricted land, they want to do it with road fee money.

The mailbox "park" volunteers? Just wait. Eventually HPPOA will find a way to fund them, using what they will call, non-road fee money. And, as HPPOA has done in the past, they will siphon off "a percentage" of road fees, throw them into a non-road account, let them sit there, and/or invest them, so that they can use the accumulated amounts to fund their expensive (hundreds of thousands of dollars) of non-road projects. Meanwhile, the bond which did not cover the paving of all the roads, has not been paid off (close, but they could have done it sooner) and less road will get paved (they were doing 2 miles a year, now only 1).

I know HPP has an issue with mail service. HPP has other issues too. But Owners cannot get on the same page and help to "fix" these issues when HPPOA keeps information from them, bullies them with legal "opinion" paid for with Owner money, and denies owners their rights to participate in decisions that HPPOA has unrightfully given themselves authority to make.

Currently, there is no way to know, for sure, how much money has been spent on the mailbox project. Because HPPOA is not going to share all of the figures- period. They are only going to spin, as in the Conch, what looks good for them.

[Patricia]

   

Aloha all,

I have been scrolling through the past couple of decades of Punaweb. Very cool to read- a lot of documented history. I am definitely a fan.

It is an eye-opener how much has not changed- the needs HPP and other substandard subdivision face, the arrogance and bylaw violations of various boards over the years. 

There ARE choices. 

There is always a right way and a wrong way. But for some reason, HPPOA keeps choosing wrongly and instead of taking the time, planning and following law, HPPOA continues to repeat its bad behaviors, rush any process through, bully their members and HPP Owners, and manage to get themselves sued in the process. 

History just keeps repeating itself...
The attached is from 2017

[kalakoa]

There ARE choices.

Choices have consequences. Cheap land, low taxes, dysfunctional government, inadequate roads, no mail delivery, limited healthcare options. You get what you pay for. Living in Hawaii taught me these things.

[Patricia]

There ARE choices.

Choices have consequences. Cheap land, low taxes, dysfunctional government, inadequate roads, no mail delivery, limited healthcare options. You get what you pay for. Living in Hawaii taught me these things.

------------

Well said. Too bad some on the board can't figure it out.

[Patricia]

The HPPOA board submitted their "Witness" list, for the lawsuit, to the Court. DM me if interested and I will share the PDF with you. I do not want to toss it up here, because contact info and addresses of the witnesses are listed (even though it is public info).

Please pass it on to those you think may be interested.

Mahalo

[HiloJulie]

There ARE choices.

Yes, there are. And we choose to live here. And as Rob says, "warts and all."

That being said, the outcome of these associations, be them in HPP, HA, FA, et al, are more or less doomed to always be in a state of sheer chaos and confusion driven by egos and at time nefarious peoples when only a small, less than 10% minority of owners participate.

I am quite sure things would be much different in each of these subdivisions with even a 35 to 40% participation rate - and even more different if higher. 

I think if the County ever saw these subdivisions come together instead of the consistent back biting and fighting of each other - things might even be much more different for all.

Heck, even I am shaking my head at the entire Hawaiian Acres Community Center that burned down in February 2023. But it's like the old saying about banging your head against the wall. It feels great when you stop!

Continue on!

[Patricia]

Aloha HiloJulie,

Yes, I believe Rob said it best, "Divide and ignore."

The thing is? I have written to all of the Hawaii County reps. I have contacted the State reps too. And NONE of them are interested. They prefer to draft ambiguous law and literally ignore the history of Puna subdivisions. instead, trying to apply condominium and "planned community" laws to associations that are NOTHING like what are found on Oahu and Maui.

What IS the answer?

I for one, am not willing to roll over and pay a voluntary association, that caters to a clique of "members," to make decisions for me when I never consented to allow them to do so. Especially when I do not have CC&RS, attached to my deed, that state that I must.

[Obie]

You could move somewhere to your liking wherever the hell that is !

[Patricia]

Aloha Mr. O,

My moving might solve your and some on the HPPOA's "problem." But it will not resolve almost seven decades of dysfunction.

You have been on this forum (first posting) since 2013. What, exactly have you "accomplished" in 11 years?

Time to stop "whining" and fighting about the dysfunction and FIX it.