Welcome to Waikiki Banyan’s Web pages, authorized by the Board of Directors of the Association of Apartment Owners of Waikiki Banyan, Inc. The information available through these pages is intended for Waikiki Banyan apartment owners and their legally authorized representatives.
Banyan News in Brief
Paradise Helicopters
picking up a pump
Tower 2 Heat Pumps. Paradise Helicopters hoisted our new heat pumps to the rooftop in about 20 minutes. From our vantage point, the project went flawlessly. Preparation took much longer, as the FAA had to inspect and sign off on the plan, Continental Mechanical had to set up the new heat pumps for hoisting, and prep the old equipment for removal. Honolulu Police controlled street access during the lift, while Banyan staff did an exemplary job in controlling our building to the demanding FAA specs. Mahalo to everyone involved in making this phase of the heat pump project go smoothly and professionally, and a special thank you to Banyan residents for your patience.
The final phase of the project is the installation and plumbing and electrical hookups for the new equipment. Once that is accomplished, the new pumps will be brought online.
Garage and Parking. Our parking garage is very big and often busy with both cars and pedestrians. For everyone’s safety, it is important that drivers observe our 5mph speed limit in the garage, and pay close attention to their driving; pedestrians, especially small children, are often unpredictable.
For everyone’s safety, we task Security with enforcing the speed limit and other rules. If someone is observed driving recklessly, that person will be prohibited from parking at Waikiki Banyan: we take safety seriously. Security also enforces our parking rules and has the authority to tow cars when removal is justified.
You can help keep our garage safe by reminding your tenants or agents to drive safely and obey the rules.
building the Big Toy
Rec Deck. The Big Toy is back in service. We finally received all the missing parts from Little TikesTM and Maintenance has finished assembling the playground on the rec deck. We prepared the surface and posts with several layers of elastomeric and epoxy to protect the new poles from corrosion. While it took months to get all the replacement parts from the manufacturer, to their credit Little TikesTM honored the warranty on their product.
We are also doing some minor maintenance work on the pool and spa, necessitating a one-day pool closure. We plan on more extensive work later this year or next year.
corroded drain line
Drain Line Repair. This project is ongoing and we expect it to continue through the year. So far we are staying ahead of major leaks from our 30-plus year old drain lines, but our replacement schedule is being dictated by minor leaks. We appreciate your patience through this long-term project, especially when we must invade your apartment to gain access to the drain lines.
Tower 2 Heat Pumps. Hoisting has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 16, starting at 9:00am. Weather permitting, Paradise Helicopters will lift the new equipment to the rooftop and the contractor, Continental Mechanical, will do the installation. At a minimum we’ll have to keep the rec deck closed and clear of people, and occupants of the 5th, 6th and 38th floors of Tower 2 will have to stay out of their rooms during the hoisting. Banyan staff and Honolulu Police Department officers will be on hand to ensure the operation is conducted safely.
Landscaping. Our grounds and gardens are slowly taking shape as we move away from the uncontrolled jungle look and towards a more cared-for design. Removing uninvited trees and shrubs has opened up the gardens, revealed some beautiful but hitherto obscured plants, and will allow us to develop more appealing vistas around the building. We plan to add more native species that are already well-adapted to conditions in Waikiki.
Another aspect of our landscaping is the rec deck. Over the years many of the plants we’ve installed, while creating a relaxing ambience, have grown too big for their planters. We will be removing various trees that are simply not suitable for the rec deck, including some full-size coconut palms. After we have cleared some trees we will look into ways we can modify or replace the existing concrete block planters.
Paid Parking Rate Change. At its last meeting the Board of Directors voted to increase daily and weekly parking rates.
Effective May 1, 2012, our 24-hour parking rate will be $12 and the 7-day rate will be $72. Both types of parking allow unlimited in and out privileges.
Swimming Pool Temperature. Our swimming pool is heated by two dedicated heat pumps located on the fifth floor of the garage. The pool heat pumps, installed in 2000, are regulated by thermostat and are only turned off when Maintenance services the pool filters. Following the recommendations of the manufacturer we maintain the thermostat range between 81°F and 84°F. We measure water temperature at the pool rather than at the heat pumps, and have found that the actual temperature fluctuates a few degrees above or below that range, depending primarily on weather conditions.
Several other factors affect the pool’s water temperature: location and construction, size, water level, and usage. The pool is on the sixth floor recreation deck and receives morning sun. From about 2pm the pool is in the shadow cast by Tower 1. Built of concrete and suspended from the rec deck, the pool is exposed to the winds and ambient air temperature on the fifth floor of the garage. These factors mean the pool loses heat more rapidly than a comparable in-ground pool.
At 36,000 gallons, our pool is relatively small so water temperature fluctuates more than that of a larger pool. As with any outdoor pool, our pool loses water constantly to evaporation. As this happens, unheated water is added which, if the added volume is high, can reduce the pool’s temperature until the heat pumps catch up. On days when there are many people in the pool, the water temperature will tend to increase; conversely, few people in the pool will have little effect on temperature.
Owner’s Poll: Directors’ Travel Expenses. Some owners have asked for information about the specifics of the Board’s current reimbursement procedures.
After owners approved the 2001 proposal to allow reimbursement of Directors’ travel expenses, the Board adopted both a procedure for a director to seek reimbursement and limits on that reimbursement.
Travel expense is to be reimbursed based on a single round trip at the lowest-cost air fare available at the time of travel.
In addition to travel expense, the Board authorized reimbursement of living expenses to a maximum of $100 per day for a maximum of three days. Any reimbursement sought by a director must be approved by at least two Board officers before being paid.
Owner’s Poll. In 2001 Waikiki Banyan owners approved a proposal to allow reimbursement of Directors’ travel expenses and a limited per diem payment to attend Board meetings. The rationale was to facilitate attendance at Board meetings by Directors who were off-island, and to encourage non-resident owners to serve on the Board.
On Board direction a poll is now being mailed to all owners on a proposal to rescind the 2001 action.
A “yes” vote is a vote to rescind the 2001 action, meaning that there would be no reimbursement for Directors’ travel expenses to attend Board meetings. A “no” vote is a vote to keep the 2001 action in place, thereby allowing reimbursement of Directors’ travel expenses.
You may mail, fax or email your completed poll to our Admin Office. A vote of more than 50% of all owners is required to approve the proposal.
Building Exterior Repair. The contract with Raymond’s Painting has been signed and the contractor is preparing for the job. We will let you know when we have a schedule of work to be performed.
Tower 2 Heat Pumps. The contractor has forwarded a letter from his hoisting subcontractor, explaining that our recent bad weather has led to the state contracting all available helicopters for work both on O‘ahu and the neighbor islands. To date, we do not have a schedule for helicopter availability and heat pump installation.
Rec Deck Playground. The final shipment of parts was expected to arrive on O‘ahu this week. When we get the parts Maintenance will schedule the playground reassembly to take place as soon as possible.
Landscaping. Our grounds and gardens are an important part of Waikiki Banyan. For the past several weeks our Maintenance Department has been working to clear overgrown areas and to locate plants in places where they will thrive instead of struggle to survive. We are also looking to incorporate more native Hawaiian plants in our landscaping.
Over the years we have seen some large, agressive “volunteers” crowding out plants that were installed as part of the original landscape design. We intend to remove the interlopers and trim the original trees to be both healthier and visually more appealing.
Annual Meeting. Mahalo to all owners who attended, in person or by proxy, our Annual Meeting on February 24. With our diverse ownership population, it’s always a challenge getting a quorum together, even with two mailouts.
Congratulations to re-elected Directors Mike McGuire and Shraga Dachner, and welcome to newly elected Director Kini Olegario.
Tower 2 Heat Pumps. The contractor has reported problems with his original hoisting subcontractor and has engaged a different company to hoist the pumps to the Tower 2 roof top. He expects to do the installation starting either March 16 or March 23, depending on a final schedule from the subcontractor.
Rec Deck Playground. The final shipment of parts was expected to arrive on O‘ahu this week. When we get the parts Maintenance will schedule the playground reassembly to take place as soon as possible.
Elevator Arrows. The behavior of the elevator arrows has been a source of irritation and confusion for residents since our elevators were modernized.
The new system included an Early Car Announcement (ECA) feature that, when a call button was pushed, showed which car was expected to respond to a call. Unfortunately, it worked too well and the indicator often changed from one car to another as the system responded to changes in the elevators to provide the quickest response possible. Fortunately, the solution turned out to be simple; we had the ECA feature disabled. The indicator arrows will now light up when a car actually arrives on a floor, so there will be no more irritation as a result of arrows switching from one car to another. At the same time, the system will continue to work to give us the quickest and most efficient elevator response possible.
Building Plumbing. Banyan Maintenance started preventive replacement work on the building drain lines last week. Our inspection revealed serious corrosion in the drain lines of two adjacent stacks of units and rather than wait to replace the pipes, we decided to do the work as soon as possible.
This is a preview of the work we will be doing over the next several months, as Maintenance tries to find and replace corroded drain lines before they fail.
The inspection phase of the work involves cutting access holes in our hallways and in some units. The replacement phase requires chipping concrete in order to replace the corroded sections that run through a concrete flooring slab. During the replacement phase, we will have to shut off water to the affected stacks. Security will deliver notices to affected units as the work proceeds.
After the replacement is complete, Maintenance will seal and repaint the access holes they had to cut.
We know this work is a nuisance and we appreciate your understanding of its necessity. Through this preventive maintenance program we hope to prevent drain line failures and consequent catastrophic water leaks. Mahalo for your patience.
Lease Rent Catch-up. We recently sent a letter to owners about an additional catch-up payment that was due from owners who had not purchased the leased fee interest from Lili‘uokalani Trust. This letter was confusing and we apologize for the lack of clarity.
If you purchased the fee interest from Lili‘uokalani trust, then the letter does not apply to you and you can ignore it. If you did not buy the fee interest, then you will have to make the additional catch-up payment to Hawaiiana Management.
If you are not sure if the catch-up payment applies to you, contact the Admin office and we can tell you if your unit is affected.
Tower 2 Heat Pumps. The new heat pumps for Tower 2 have shipped from Washington state and are expected to arrive next week. The contractor will provide an installation schedule after he receives the equipment.
We appreciate the patience of Tower 2 residents who have had to put up with lukewarm water during high-demand periods.
2012 Budget: Maintenance Fee Increase. Our 2012 budget reflects an unprecedented increase in utility costs, led by the rising cost of electricity. Together with the major projects we must complete, this has left us no choice but to increase maintenance fees from $305 to $325 a month, effective February 1, 2012. Your Board understands that nobody likes increasing maintenance fees, but sometimes there is no choice.
We have been working to reduce electrical use in the common elements, but the Association does not control electrical use in your apartments. We know that some owners, especially those in residence, pay close attention to their electrical use. We also know that many short-term tenants do not think about curbing their energy use. It may help to remind your agents and tenants that we will all benefit from their energy conservation.
Annual Meeting Proxy Mailout. We expect to mail proxies on January 20, 2012. WHen you receive it, please take the time to complete the proxy form, sign and return it to us no later than 4:30 pm, February 22, 2012. In accord with HRS §514B-123(f), you may mail the proxy, fax it or scan and send it as an email attachment, provided that the entire document is sent. You may return the proxy to our Admin office or directly to Hawaiiana Management.
With an ownership as diverse and widespread as ours, it is important that we get enough proxies to make up a quorum and hold the meeting. Please return your completed proxy even if you plan to attend the meeting; your attendance in person will supercede the proxy, and if you can’t make it, your proxy will count towards a quorum.
Rec Deck Playground Repair. The rec deck playground is a popular amenity that has, unfortunately, been out of service for several months. Corrosion rendered the unit unsafe. To its credit, the manufacturer, Little Tikes® agreed to honor its warranty and replace the corroded parts. We received the replacement parts at the end of October and our Maintenance staff set about disassembling the unit.
In the process of taking down the playground, Maintenance found more corroded parts. As soon as we receive the replacement parts we will reassemble the playground. We regret the delay but we are happy that Little Tikes® is backing up their product.
Building Plumbing. Waikiki Banyan was built in 1979, using what were then high-quality components. Entering its fourth decade, the building is in remarkably good condition, but some systems are showing their age. In particular, our plumbing is deteriorating, especially the cast iron drain lines.
The drain pipes, from our storm drains that start on the rooftop, to your individual apartment drains, experience two types of insults: the buildup of contaminants, from rain water to effluent, and corrosion from the inside. Maintenance has recently replaced Tower 1’s 5" and 6" drain lines on the 5th floor, and will soon replace 2" and 3" lines. At the same time, we are finding more drain lines failing and causing leaks.
We are trying to get ahead of the inevitable failure of our drain lines by surveying the system and replacing drain pipes on a regular preventive maintenance schedule. There will still be isolated failures that we’ll have to address as they occur, but we hope to replace weak pipe before it fails.
Building Exterior Repair. On the recommendation of Matt Scarton, our engineering consultant from Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, the Board has selected Raymond’s Painting to do the exterior concrete repair, window sealing and building painting project. We are in the process of working out the details of the contract and should get started on the project before the end of the year.
We will need to decide on a color or colors for the building, and we plan to do several test patches for owners to look at. Here are some sample concepts. We welcome your feedback.
Structural Elements. Recently an owner contracted with a plumber to replace a non-standard plastic toilet drain with a cast iron one that meets our building standards. In the process of doing the work, the plumber discovered that whoever installed the plastic drain also cored through the concrete slab and removed sections of both rebar and pre-stressed cable. The plumber stopped work and reported his findings to us. We are in the process of arranging an assessment of the damage to determine if the pre-stressed cable must be repaired.
This situation reveals several problems:
- the most obvious problem is the use of plastic drain line where our standards call for cast iron;
- a hole was cut through the slab and left open, thereby allowing a path for fire to travel from floor to floor;
- reinforcing bar and pre-stressed cable were cut, compromising the structural integrity of the slab to an unknown extent.
The current owners of the unit did not have this work done, but they are, unfortunately, responsible for the condition of the slab. Repair will be costly and time-consuming, especially if a structural engineer determines that the cable must be repaired and re-tensioned. If you have any plumbing work done in your unit, please make sure your contractor uses the appropriate replacement parts and takes care not to damage our structural elements. If you’re in doubt about a project, please come to the Admin Office and talk to us.
APEC. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders Meeting is scheduled for Honolulu from November 7 to 13. The Cooperation is an association of 21 economies from the Asia-Pacific region, with the general goal of promoting growth and prosperity throughout the region.
We can expect increased traffic in Waikiki during the Leaders Meeting week, and some disruption on occasion as HPD and the Secret Service work together to provide security.
You can learn more about APEC by reading this brochure prepared by the University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization
Heat Pumps. We have ordered new heat pumps for Tower 2 and they are now being manufactured. Once they are built, the new pumps will be shipped to Hawaii and installed on the Tower 2 rooftop, replacing our current heat pumps.
Our heat pumps have functioned about twice as long as their expected lifespan, thanks to the efforts of our Honeywell maintenance tech, Doug Stewart. We hope to have the new pumps installed and operating by the time demand for hot water rises, usually around October.
Garage Storage Lockers. Since storage space in the apartments is limited, our storage lockers are in great demand, with waiting lists of about 6 to 7 years for both the large lockers in the garage and the smaller lockers in the laundry rooms. This situation prompted an owner, himself on a waiting list, to suggest we increase the annual rental fee. The board concurred and voted to increase the garage locker fee from $120 to $150 a year, effective January 2012.
Association General Manager Brian Molmen has been with Waikiki Banyan since August, 1988. After nearly 23 years of dedicated and exceptional service to the Association, Brian has decided to retire to Kailua and pursue his ultra-running, photography, ceramics and any other non-work-related activities that catch his fancy.
Brian joined Waikiki Banyan after Realty Pacific, the property management firm with which he was associated, was purchased by Chaney Brooks. During his tenure as General Manager, Waikiki Banyan earned a reputation as being one of the best-managed buildings in the state. We saw problems solved, like rooftop leaks caused by material failures in the original construction, and many major improvements completed, such as the sprinkler system installation, lobby renovation and elevator modernization.
Brian’s long-time friend and associate, Wayne Babineau, will take over as General Manager and Garrett Choy will move up to Manager so you should experience no major disruptions in the operation of the building.
Lease Rent Reminder. The Board has accepted the revised lease rent set by the sublease lessor, Becker Properties, for the period of December 1, 2010 through November 30, 2020. You should have received a letter with your June statement detailing the new lease rent payments that will be due starting July 1.
If you purchased the fee interest offered by the landowners, then your new lease rent will be for the sandwich fee, $21.92 including HGET. If you did not purchase the lease fee interest, then your new lease rent will be $168.06 including HGET. You will see this amount on your July statement; your June statement shows the old amount and that is what you should pay.
If you did not purchase the fee, you will also owe a “catch-up” payment of $619.01. If you purchased the fee, then you will have a credit due of $55.37.
If you have set up automatic payments or you use the Surepay system and you owe the “catch-up” payment, that payment together with the increased lease rent payment will be included in your July statement. This allows you some time to make sure that your account has sufficient funds to cover the payments that will be due in July.
Lease Rent. The Board has accepted the revised lease rent set by the sublease lessor, Becker Properties, for the period of December 1, 2010 through November 30, 2020. You will receive a letter with your June statement detailing the new lease rent payments that will be due starting July 1.
If you purchased the fee interest offered by the landowners, then your new lease rent will be for the sandwich fee, $21.92 including HGET. If you did not purchase the lease fee interest, then your new lease rent will be $168.06 including HGET. You will see this amount on your July statement; your June statement shows the old amount and that is what you should pay.
If you did not purchase the fee, you will also owe a “catch-up” payment of $619.01. If you purchased the fee, then you will have a credit due of $55.37.
If you have set up automatic payments or you use the Surepay system and you owe the “catch-up” payment, that payment together with the increased lease rent payment will be included in your July statement. This allows you some time to make sure that your account has sufficient funds to cover the payments that will be due in July.
Swimming Pool & Spa. Swimming pool maintenance is complete for this year. We expect the spas will be open on Saturday, May 28. We appreciate your patience while our Maintenance Department completes this necessary work.
Pool Closures. Further research into the circumstances that led to several pool closures over the past few weeks has revealed that the foreign substances found on the pool’s surface were most likely accumulations of oily residue from sunscreen that was blown into a corner of the pool. There is a shower at the pool to allow swimmers to remove at least some of their sunscreen before they enter the pool. Of course, you should re-apply your sunscreen after swimming.
Rec Deck Activity. Our House Rules prohibit “loud or offensive conduct” anywhere on property, including the recreation deck. “Horseplay” in and around the pool is expressly prohibited. Security monitors the rec deck, among other parts of the building, through a combination of regular patrols and our CCTV system. If you witness noisy or disruptive behavior, including diving or jumping into the pool, please notify Security as soon as possible. You can use the pay phones in the 6th floor Tower 1 elevator landing, which have a direct line to Security.
Swimming Pool & Spa. The swimming pool will be closed from Monday, May 16 to Saturday, May 21, for maintenance. The spas will be closed from Monday, May 16, to Saturday, May 28. We appreciate your patience while we perform this necessary maintenance.
Pool Closures. Recently we have had a series of pool closures caused by some person or persons vomiting in the pool. While we don’t know who has been responsible for all the incidents, Security did identify the most recent violator as a 10 year old boy who had been swallowing the pool’s salt water. Since the boy and his parent were not on property lawfully, Security issued trespass warnings and removed them from property.
Our Maintenance staff has been quick to respond to these incidents to ensure the pool is restored to sanitary conditions before we reopen it. This usually takes under an hour.
If you have children, please be aware that the pool is treated to keep it safe, and ingesting salt water in any quantity can lead to nausea.
Access to Apartments. From time to time Association staff must enter units in the course of building operations or responding to emergencies. This is why our House Rules, Article III, Section 5, requires you to leave a copy of your unit key with us. If we do not have a key and an emergency situation demands immediate entry into your unit, then we will have to force the door. In a situation like that, you would then be liable for the cost of replacement of your expensive fire-rated entry door.
In the process of normal building operations, we may need to enter your unit to effect repairs to building elements like drain lines or pressure regulator valves. We will try and work with you or your agent to minimize inconvenience, but the needs of the building must take priority.
The Association’s authority to access your unit is spelled out in Hawai‘i Revised Statues 514B, [§514B-137] Upkeep of condominium.
[§514B-137] Upkeep of condominium. (a) Except to the extent provided by the declaration or bylaws, the association is responsible for the operation of the property, and each unit owner is responsible for maintenance, repair, and replacement of the owner’s unit. Each unit owner shall afford to the association and the other unit owners, and to employees, independent contractors, or agents of the association or other unit owners, during reasonable hours, access through the owner’s unit reasonably necessary for those purposes. Unless entry is made pursuant to subsection (b), if damage is inflicted on the common elements or on any unit through which access is taken, the unit owner responsible for the damage, or the association, if it is responsible, is liable for the prompt repair thereof; provided that the association shall not be responsible to pay the costs of removing or replacing any finished surfaces or other barriers that impede its ability to maintain and repair the common elements.
(b) The association shall have the irrevocable right, to be exercised by the board, to have access to each unit at any time as may be necessary for making emergency repairs to prevent damage to the common elements or to another unit or units.
Earthquake/Tsunami. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to our neighbors in Japan who continue to suffer the effects of the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the consequent loss of life and continuing nuclear problems.
Waikiki Banyan is located within a tsunami evacuation zone. The building’s reinforced concrete structure allows vertical evacuation rather than evacuation from Waikiki. Since residential floors start on the sixth floor, occupants of Waikiki Banyan can simply return to their rooms until the all clear has been received. Since Security and other Banyan personnel will be busy responding to the situation, you can help by not calling us for information. Instead, use your radio, television of the internet to stay informed.
Security has a set of procedures governing their response. For a tsunami generated by a distant event, we will have several hours to respond. Security will use our in-house emergency broadcast system to keep you informed. As the tsunami approaches, we will move the elevators to the sixth floor and shut down building generators and mechanical equipment such as heat pumps, water pumps and elevators. You should plan on shutting down any sensitive electronic equipment you have until after the all clear.
After the all clear is received and assuming no major damage to Waikiki and Honolulu, we should be able to bring building power and machinery back on line.
Security has been unusually busy lately with people who insist on coming on property unlawfully. During the month of March Security issued trespass warnings to 19 people, 14 of whom were using our inviting recreation deck facilities. While we cannot make assumptions based on appearance, we can track people who come on property and head straight for the rec deck; that constitutes suspicious behavior.
Security has also had to respond to an inordinate number of fire alarms caused by people overcooking food and then opening their unit entry doors to vent the resulting smoke. Every time this happens an alarm is triggered and both Waikiki Banyan and Honolulu Fire Department personnel respond in force. Please ensure your tenants understand that they must not open the apartment’s entry door to vent smoke; they can vent smoke by opening the unit’s lanai doors.
The Association’s Annual Meeting was held on February 18. Congratulations to newly elected Board members Norman Duncan, Lou Palmer and Karl Springman.
Board officers for 2011 are:
President: Dick Eide
Vice-President: Shraga Dachner
Treasurer: Kenji Iwasa
Secretary: Karl Springman
Lease Rent. We are still trying to discover what the new lease rent will be; the landowners and developer seem content to do nothing to fulfill the conditions of the master lease in a timely manner. We strongly suggest that, if you have not purchased the fee or the sandwich lease, you set aside money to cover the anticipated increase, as it will be retroactive to December 1, 2010. As soon as we know what the new lease rent will be, we will let you know.
Hot Water. A few weeks ago one of our heat pump condensers in Tower 2 started to leak. Unfortunately, the only fix would be to replace the condenser at a cost of nearly $30,000. Since we planned to replace the heat pumps this year, the board decided to forego a stop gap solution and move ahead with replacement.
Fortunately, our system provides sufficient capacity to keep up with normal demand with one pump operating. During peak usage times like early morning and late evening, however, the water will be lukewarm. We are moving as fast as possible to replace the pumps with new technology, but we expect the replacement will take several months to complete. Meantime, we appreciate your patience.
Consent Form: Mahalo. Owners have approved the proposed actions that allow us to use State law to take action against chronically delinquent owners who continue to derive income from their apartments while they refuse to pay their maintenance fees.
Ground Lease. We have been unable to get any response from the landowners or developer about a new lease rent. If you purchased the fee interest in your apartment when it was offered by the landowners, then you do not have to pay the major portion of the lease rent. If you also purchased the sandwich lease position when it was offered, then you are not liable for any part of the lease rent; any increases will not affect you.
We still do not know what the new lease rent will be; we expect that it will be higher than the current lease rent. If you have not purchased the fee or the sandwich lease, you would be prudent to set aside money to cover the anticipated increase, as it will be retroactive to December 1. As soon as we know what the new lease rent will be, we will let you know.
Bulky item pickup has been limited by the temporary closure of the Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill, caused by our recent heavy rains and consequent flooding of the landfill. The city is picking up metal items and items that can be delivered to recycling companies. According to a recent news release, the city will not pick up items such as carpets, chairs, sofas, mattresses, box springs, toilets and home renovation debris. Please do not put such items out for collection until further notice from the city.
Pest Control. The Association contracts with Diversified Exterminators to conduct a building-wide preventive pest control program. The program is not designed to treat infestations.
Recently some owners have reported bed bugs. Unfortunately, due to our large numbers of visitors, these pests appear from time to time and can spread quickly if left unchecked. If you find bedbugs in your unit, we suggest you contact Diversified at 808-841-5855 or another pest control company to schedule a thorough treatment: quick response can prevent infestation.
Reminder. If you have not yet completed and returned the consent form that we recently mailed to you, please take a moment to do so now. We need your consent in order to use state law to pursue chronically delinquent owners who continue to derive income from their apartments while they refuse to pay their maintenance fees. We urge you to vote in favor of the proposals.
As the November Newsletter explains, your Board has approved a maintenance fee increase to $305 a month. The increase will go into effect next year. No one is happy with the necessity to increase maintenance fees, but careful analysis of economic indicators, recent and historical expense trends, and the legal requirement that we maintain a fully-funded reserve have mandated this increase.
Our ground lease moves into the first of its two negotiable phases as of December 1, 2010. To date, neither the landowners nor the developer have made known the results of any appraisals they may have had done or negotiations they may have held.
Bear in mind that if you purchased the fee interest in your apartment when it was offered by the landowners, then you do not have to pay the major portion of the lease rent. If you also purchased the sandwich lease position when it was offered, then you are not liable for any part of the lease rent; any increases will not affect you.
At this stage we do not know what the new lease rent will be; we expect that it will be higher than the current lease rent. If you have not purchased the fee or the sandwich lease, it would be prudent for you to set aside money to cover the anticipated increase, as it will be retroactive to December 1. As soon as we know what the new lease rent will be, we will let you know.
In the interests of safety, Security is diligently enforcing the stop signs at the garage entrance/exit. Please make sure your agents and tenants know that we expect all vehicles to come to a complete stop both entering and leaving the garage. Security will counsel drivers who do not stop, and we will ban vehicles whose drivers refuse to heed Security’s counseling and repeatedly roll on through the intersection without stopping.
We are mailing to owners two proposed actions to take advantage of State law. The proposed actions have been approved by your board of directors and now need the approval of a majority of owners. The proposals are designed to allow the Association to take action against chronically delinquent owners who continue to derive rental income from their units while refusing to pay their maintenance fees.
The first proposal will let the Association legally collect rent from tenants of such delinquent owners. The second proposal will allow the Association to terminate common utilities and services, paid for by your maintenance fees, to delinquent units.
Please review both proposals, then fill out and return the Written Consent form. Your Board urges you to vote in favor of the proposals.
Thanksgiving Potluck. We’ve scheduled our annual owner-employee Thanksgiving potluck for Wednesday, November 24, from 4 pm to 6 pm on the recreation deck; all owners are invited to come and enjoy good food and good company. The Banyan will supply a menu of local delights and we encourage owners to bring their favorite dishes to share.
Our garage has 5 floors, 10 levels and 1,100 stalls. Given the vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the garage, it is crucial that we all pay attention to safety, both as drivers and as pedestrians. Security enforces the 5 mph vehicle speed limit rigorously in the interests of safety.
Safety is our major concern throughout the garage and especially at the ground level entrance and exit as this area sees the most traffic. We have numerous stop signs posted around the area. Please be prepared to stop as you approach the booth, both entering and leaving the garage, obey our speed limit, use your headlights while driving in the garage, and watch out for pedestrians, especially children, at all times.
Our emergency fire alarm and sprinkler system is large and complex. Among other components, it includes an emergency generator and water pump, water pipes and sprinkler heads throughout the building, smoke detectors, manual pull stations, speakers and strobe lights.
As part of the system, each apartment has sprinkler heads, strobe lights and a speaker that is hard-wired into the unit’s electrical lines. Recently, someone decided to disconnect the speaker in their apartment. This involved removing the speaker and physically disconnecting the wires.
As a consequence, all of the speakers on that unit’s floor were cut out of the system, the system reported trouble and we had to call in experts who, together with our Maintenance Department, tracked the problem to the unit with the disconnected speaker. We reconnected the speaker and the system was restored to full functioning. The responsible unit’s owner will be billed for the time required to troubleshoot the fire system.
Please ensure that your agents and tenants understand that they must not tamper with any part of the emergency fire system, whether in your unit or in the common areas. The system is there for your protection and tampering with it can compromise its effectiveness.
Tower 2 trash compactor. Work is continuing in the Tower 2 compactor room. Our Maintenance staff is almost finished with the re-building of the room to allow easier upkeep after the new compactor is installed.
While the project is underway, our Housekeeping staff is working about 6 hours a day picking up rubbish from the trash rooms. Mahalo to all Tower 2 residents for your patience during this project.
Rooftop recoating is complete. American Coating did the job with minimum disruption and will be back to apply another coat of elastomeric in five years.
The term Transient Crime Families (TCF) describes groups of related individuals who travel the country and support themselves by committing various crimes against members of the communities they visit. Over the years our staff have come to recognize many of the individuals and groups who seem to like staying at Waikiki Banyan. When members of a Transient Crime Family show up at Waikiki Banyan, Security immediately starts monitoring their activity and we try to inform owners or agents from whom they may be renting of the potential consequences of having a TCF as tenants.
Typically, TCF members will present themselves as respectable members of the community. They will offer cash or money orders for rent payment and will generally not offer a credit card or bank account for credit verification. Often they will give the excuse that they are recent arrivals just getting themselves established. They will play on your trust or sympathy and will probably act like good tenants for a while.
At some point the numbers of people in your unit will increase, their rental payments will stop and the excuses will begin. They will string out their occupancy as long as possible without paying rent, and will busy themselves stealing anything valuable from your apartment and then trashing it before they disappear.
Your only real protection is to try and avoid renting to a TCF. You can insist on credit and reference checks of all potential tenants and demand payment by check. You can use the State’s resources at eCrim Hawai‘i to check if your tenants have a criminal history in the state, but since, by definition, a TCF moves from state to state, you may not find a local record. You or your agent should make routine inspections of your unit, giving the proper 24-hour legal notice of course. Even prudent owners may be stung by well-organized and experienced professional criminals, but taking precautions can minimize your risk.
If you are directly involved in renting your unit, you are probably familiar with Hawaii Revised Statutes Section 521, the Landlord-Tenant Code. The Landlord-Tenant Handbook, available in PDF format, summarizes and highlights the important parts of the law.
Major Projects. Maintenance is in the process of rebuilding and renovating the Tower 2 compactor room, preparing the space for the new compactor that will be arriving in a few weeks.
Our staff is tearing up the existing badly-worn concrete floor and will relocate the existing under-floor drain.
During their planning for the project, Maintenance discovered that the 8" main drain line from Tower 2 to the city sewer system was cracked; they have since replaced that drain line. Despite our notices advising residents not to put water down any Tower 2 drain lines, especially toilets, while the work was in progress, quite a few residents continued to flush toilets and use their drains. This naturally made an already tough job much harder and longer than it had to be.
As the building and its systems age, there will be more work that, inevitably, will cause inconvenience to many of our residents. When we ask residents not to use drains or some other building system, there is a good reason for us doing so. As owners and agents, you can help by ensuring that your tenants pay attention to the notices we post and comply with our requests.
American Coating plans to start recoating our rooftops in a few weeks. Their work and our staff’s conscientious upkeep of the rooftop coating has kept us from experiencing the major water leaks that were common before we had the rooftops coated with a waterproof elastomeric covering. With continued maintenance, the rooftops should remain leak free for the next twenty years.
Building painting and spall repair is on track to get started this year. Spalling is inevitable in a building like the Banyan in a climate like Hawai‘i’s; aggressive preventive maintenance is crucial in letting us stay ahead of the problem. Keeping Waikiki Banyan looking good is part of the equation, but our primary concern is the structural integrity of our building.
Water shutoffs to allow unit repairs or upgrades have become almost routine. We normally schedule a non-emergency shutoff for Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, as those are the days when we have a full maintenance staff on duty.
We can’t just shut off water to a single unit: depending on the unit, anywhere from 10 to 40 units must be shut off in order to shut off the water for one unit. We post notices in the elevators and deliver notices to the units that will be affected.
We allow a 4-hour window, from 10 am to 2 pm, for work to be done; this is usually more than sufficient. When we know that a plumber is on property and ready to work, then we will initiate the shutoff. We restore water when the plumber notifies us that work is done.
If you need to have plumbing work done in your unit that will require a water shutoff, then you or your plumber should contact our Admin Office for scheduling. You should be aware that we will need to schedule a shutoff 2 to 3 weeks in advance.
We recommend that you review the minimum plumbing standards our building requires, and provide this information to your plumber. You can download and print a PDF version of this information.
