Meet your neighbors impacted by the slide area
The properties listed in the current Honolulu City Council Resolution are highlighted in yellow on the map. These homes and many others have been impacted by the Waiomao-Kuahea slide (red = already demolished, blue = damage). The stories below will introduce you to the neighbors in this community (each marked with a letter on the map).
The Souza Family (property A)
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Earth movement has damaged the foundation and structure of the Souza family home.
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The Glenn Family (property B)
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When they moved into this dream home in 2000, the Glenn family never dreamed they would have to move out over a make-shift foot bridge over a collapsed road.
The Kawahara Family (property C)
The Kawahara family has watched their home separate from its foundation, the stairs becoming essentially in accessible as earth movement continues to damage their home. The rapid progression is obvious in this slide show.
The Iezzi & Barnes Family (property D)
2340 Kuahea St. in Palolo was our home. We moved there in 1997. Our three children were born and raised there. Marks and dates on a wall chart our children’s growth. Family pets are buried on the property. We enjoyed the most amazing avocados, papayas and lemons from the trees surrounding the house. In 2013 we remodeled the lower level, making space for our growing teens, looking forward to a multi-generational home that could accommodate us and our children in the future. For 20 years, until 2017, we lived there without incidence. Then small cracks in the ceiling, walls, and concrete surrounding the house began to appear. Promises to fix the damaged storm drain system in the area never materialized, and by the first few months of 2019, land movement had increased. Widening cracks were noticeable on a daily basis. Between February and May of 2019, our house moved laterally about 10-12 inches, while the ground under the carport dropped about 20 inches. Concerned for our safety and fatigued by the innumerable water breaks (e.g. 15 days without water between Feb. 15 and Mar 16, 2019), we had to leave our home and all the memories contained in it. As difficult as that was, we now see it was the right decision. Our driveway is more than 5 feet above and more than 2 feet away from the carport floor, the house has moved laterally at least 40 inches, and the roof and interior walls are being ripped apart by the land movement. The location of our property is immediately across the street from a broken sewer line not properly maintained (for years) by the city; right next to a sink hole which the city did nothing to address since it was reported in 2016; and abuts the phase one slide mitigation work. For the mitigation efforts to be effective, they must be of a sufficient scope and scale. The actual slide area is clearly far beyond the narrow boundaries currently acknowledged by the city. It is too late to save our home and the memories within—but it is our sincere hope that the city will acknowledge the true scope of problem and the mitigation work necessary to be effective—and get to work in order to save others from enduring painful and unnecessary loss.
The Conant Family (property E)
Ironically, the Conant family home, on the north side of Waiomao Rd, is not included in the City's defined "slide zone" and this side of the street is not part of the current remediation. However, the pictures are worth a thousand words - it's clear that this home has been severely impacted by the slide and the continual water main breaks and street movement associated with it.
The Chivers Family (property F)
The Chiver home when they moved in 2001.
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The Chiver home surrounded by repair work in 2020.
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We are the second owners of this house, having purchased from the original owners who built our house in 1953. Our life in Palolo was quite ideal, friendly neighbors that we could chat with over the fence and across the street. Sharing of mangoes, home baked treats, gardening tips, and a helping hand with chores if needed. We enjoy decorating our yard for Halloween and Christmas for all to enjoy. Unfortunately for our neighborhood, what was once a great place to live has turned into a nightmare of water leaking up from the streets, bumpy roads, sinkholes, broken sewer lines, broken water lines, broken gas lines, heaving sidewalks, houses sliding off foundations, carports heaving up, rock walls tumbling down, and more. We have witnessed 5 homes of neighbors being torn down so far. All due to the negligence of the City to maintain the infrastructure beneath Kuahea St. which has caused a landslide. These neighbors also had to endure the cost and emotional trauma of suing the City in order to get a fair compensation for the loss of their home, some of which still had mortgages to pay on them. Many sought professional consultation and advice to mitigate the damage but nothing could be done that did not exceed the total value of the property. These neighbors and homeowners had to suffer and endure financial hardship and stress while the City dragged their feet and put up obstacles for a swift resolution. There was no courtesy what so ever extended to our neighbors who saw their life savings sliding away. In the end the City lost those suits and paid to purchase the property. Those homes were then demolished, the majority of which had been built at the same time as ours. There are still 5 more homeowners in various stages of suing the City, some who can no longer safely live in their houses. T
While our house itself, up until now, has not experienced any major damage from the land movement we are literally and figuratively on the edge of disaster. There has been damage to our rock walls, walk ways, and yard from over 20 water breaks on either side of our house in the last 4 years alone. Our hearts break for the neighbors who have had to move away.
There is currently much construction work going on to stabilize the hillside, which was started in January of 2020. While this is most welcomed, it is sadly too late to save what had been that ideal neighborhood to live. The annual reports compiled from Geolabs, Inc. revealed the problems beginning more than 10 years ago.
While our house itself, up until now, has not experienced any major damage from the land movement we are literally and figuratively on the edge of disaster. There has been damage to our rock walls, walk ways, and yard from over 20 water breaks on either side of our house in the last 4 years alone. Our hearts break for the neighbors who have had to move away.
There is currently much construction work going on to stabilize the hillside, which was started in January of 2020. While this is most welcomed, it is sadly too late to save what had been that ideal neighborhood to live. The annual reports compiled from Geolabs, Inc. revealed the problems beginning more than 10 years ago.
The Tom Family (property G)
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My name is Philip Tom and along with my wife Maria own and reside at 2324 Waiomao Rd A Since 2016 I’ve noticed movement of my property and Waiomao Road. 2019 to the present
Another large movement is happening in front of my house. Serious enough that I hired engineers and a professional contractor to plan and place tie backs and micro piles at a cost of close to half a million dollars. They are confident that it will save my house and driveway, however my garage will be in danger because Waiomao road is pushing my garage off it’s
foundation and it will fall down.
My foundation experts are confident that tie backs and micro piles can stabilize my garage but they would need to place them into Waiomao rd.
Isnt the city responsible for the retaining walls and Waiomao road fronting my house ? If so are you able to place those tie backs to keep Waiomao road encroaching my property, my house , my garage.? If my garage becomes unusable does city bear any responsibility because the retaining walls and Waiomao road are encroaching into my property.
This has been like a slow cancer since I noticed it in 2016 and very predictable
Is shnaebel done with the slide mitigation? if as so it’s still 3 homes away from me. The mitigation area should be expanded. It seems to be working where it’s been completed
Question what will the city do to save my garage from toppling over due to Waiomao road putting pressure on it.
What more can I do ?
What can city do ?
I am helpless!
Respectfully, Philip and Maria Tom
Another large movement is happening in front of my house. Serious enough that I hired engineers and a professional contractor to plan and place tie backs and micro piles at a cost of close to half a million dollars. They are confident that it will save my house and driveway, however my garage will be in danger because Waiomao road is pushing my garage off it’s
foundation and it will fall down.
My foundation experts are confident that tie backs and micro piles can stabilize my garage but they would need to place them into Waiomao rd.
Isnt the city responsible for the retaining walls and Waiomao road fronting my house ? If so are you able to place those tie backs to keep Waiomao road encroaching my property, my house , my garage.? If my garage becomes unusable does city bear any responsibility because the retaining walls and Waiomao road are encroaching into my property.
This has been like a slow cancer since I noticed it in 2016 and very predictable
Is shnaebel done with the slide mitigation? if as so it’s still 3 homes away from me. The mitigation area should be expanded. It seems to be working where it’s been completed
Question what will the city do to save my garage from toppling over due to Waiomao road putting pressure on it.
What more can I do ?
What can city do ?
I am helpless!
Respectfully, Philip and Maria Tom