A survey has been sent in the mail and online to Pahoa property owners to help determine the future of the historic village.
Responses will inform the Pahoa Village Master Plan, an 18-month process to address infrastructure, environmental management, transit and community engagement.
“We’re really excited to get everybody’s opinion on what they would like to see happen with Pahoa,” said Jen Myers, disaster recovery specialist for Kilauea Eruption Recovery, which sent out the survey. “The people are really what’s going to drive this and help us understand how we want to move forward.”
Property owners have until Sept. 30 to submit responses, and a meeting will follow, with no official date set.
“That might change based on how we’re getting feedback from folks, but at this point, that’s our strategy,” Myers said. “We haven’t been getting a ton of responses so far.”
A similar survey will be sent out specifically to business owners, then community members at later dates. Additional meetings also will be held.
“We know that people other than property owners really want to connect with us right now,” Myers said. “But we just ask for their patience for their phase to come up so we can get all the information at the right times for various groups of people.”
The master plan was initially delayed because of the 2018 Kilauea eruption, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the county is moving ahead this year with the process.
“This is the third try, actually, that the county is making to start this process,” said County Councilwoman Ashley Kierkiewicz, who represents the district. “We finally feel like we’re in a position to take the next step.”
Kierkiewicz noted more responses are needed to understand what issues should be addressed in the master plan.
“There are over 340 property owners or landowners within what’s considered the downtown Pahoa area,” Kierkiewicz said, adding she hopes for a 50% response rate. “We have to work with landowners who really hold the key. It doesn’t make sense to move forward with a master plan without knowing how involved and how invested property owners are.”
The question of investment stems from recent concerns about property insurance. Kierkiewicz noted the current provider for Lava Zones 1 and 2, Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Co., will be leaving the Hawaii market. Some fear that will force businesses to close or move out of Pahoa.
“Because Universal has pulled out of the Hawaii market and starting Sept. 1, they’re not going to be insuring anyone. The insurer of last resort is HPIA, Hawaii Property Insurance Association, and they do not insure commercial,” Kierkiewicz said. “Because of this insurance situation, we don’t know what folks are planning to do, if they’re going to hold onto their assets, if they’re going to sell.”
Upcoming property owner meetings are intended to help the county and owners get a better understanding of the situation.
“These meetings are really meant to bring folks together to understand these are the cards our community has been dealt — what are you looking to do?” Kierkiewicz said. “This is what we have, this is what the county can do, what opportunities do you see as a landowner? What constraints are you facing as a landowner? What are some things that would incentivize you to make investments in your property?”
Needs being discussed among the business community range from a lack of parking to infrastructure.
“There’s a multitude of things that need to be addressed,” said Amedeo Markoff, president of Mainstreet Pahoa, a nonprofit association that seeks to enhance the economic vitality of the town. “Lack of parking, especially concerning commercial spaces, lack of proper sewage infrastructure, which is preventing the town from expanding, a built environment addressing security and accessibility — they’re all crucial things that need to be addressed.”
Markoff also stressed the importance of accessing the Pohoiki Boat Ramp and the Vacationland and Kapoho Beach Lots subdivisions in lower Puna that were impacted by the 2018 eruption.
“It was cataclysmic for the economy in Pahoa” Markoff said of the boat ramp and subdivisions. “Folks would travel through Pahoa, shop at the stores, eat at the restaurants, not even just vacationers and residents, but all of the folks that provided services like electricians and plumbers. Those folks are no longer going through town at the same volume.”
A link to the survey, which asks for input on improvements, financing, infrastructure and other concepts can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/45hf4vyt.
“Those pieces of infrastructure need to be redone, and five years later, we are still waiting for a lot of them,” Markoff said. “I’m glad they’re doing this component, but it is a component, it’s one part of a much broader effort for recovery.”
Email Grant Phillips at gphillips@hawaiitribune-herald.com