Affordable housing
Affordable housing in Hawaii is important. People born and raised here should be able to settle and raise a family here if they desire.
Sadly, because of Hawaii’s beauty, great weather and Aloha Spirit, almost everybody wants to live here — or at least own a “vacation home” so they can visit whenever they want.
This has created a major housing problem with a lot of haves and have-nots.
The idea of affordable housing “credits” for developers is adding to the problem and allowing some to profit at the expense of all.
The credit program is obviously not working and needs to be discontinued.
Developers must include and build affordable housing in order to have their plans accepted by the Planning Department. Credits for affordable housing cannot be passed on to other developers, or we are all likely to witness more fraudulent practices.
We need affordable housing, not skullduggery.
V. Faqua
Ocean View
Nonprofits need help
I recently read a letter to the editor expressing dissatisfaction with the food provided to our kupuna by Meals On Wheels. I think we can all agree that we want to make sure that our kupuna are given the respect they deserve, and we provide for those in need.
I am familiar with Meals On Wheels. They are a well-respected organization nationally, and I personally have found that they provide a valuable service that needs to be supported.
I was disheartened to read that the food being provided by Meals On Wheels was sometimes inedible. We, as a community, cannot accept this.
What was even more disheartening was the unwillingness of our kupuna to complain about the inedible meals that they were provided. This fact makes me believe that there are limited resources available for our kupuna in need to turn to for assistance. This is a far more serious problem that our entire community must address.
Perhaps Meals On Wheels is underfunded, short-staffed or are dealing with any number of other problems that nonprofit organizations must face. Perhaps they just have too much on their plate.
As a kupuna myself, I feel fortunate not to have to rely on the services of Meals On Wheels, but I may have to someday. Someday we all might very well need the services that are provided for by services like Meals On Wheels.
The community needs to assist organizations like Meals On Wheels while also seeking out other sources to help them in their good work. Our kupuna cannot feel like they are being forgotten.
Joel VanLuven
Keaau
Inflation and oil
I can almost hear President Joe Biden declaring, “I’m going to spend whatever trillions of dollars it takes to stop inflation in its tracks. We don’t have the money, but I’m going to borrow from China and print as many paper dollars as needed to take down that inflation monster! That’s a promise!”
If Donald Trump found himself in the same inflation situation, he might have made the mistake of haughtily denying it at first (“fake news”), but after that he probably would have started passing out millions of MOCA hats (make oil cheap again).
And then instead of the Inflation Reduction Act (which was a misleading misnomer), he would have the Oil Cost Reduction Act, or OCRA, (which would pass instantly because of the catchy acronym).
But then Trump would have said, “Student loan forgiveness? No way! Dad paid for mine!”
Leighton Loo
Mililani, Oahu