Massive Kalihi home under construction draws flurry of complaints ― and new city scrutiny

Neighbors said the project will clog up an already crowded cul-de-sac and will change the character of their working-class neighborhood.
Published: Dec. 21, 2022 at 6:03 PM HST|Updated: Dec. 21, 2022 at 6:28 PM HST
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The city says it plans to issue notices of violations to the owners of a massive home in Kalihi that includes eight bedrooms, four kitchens and two wet bars.

The city Department of Planning and Permitting said one of its inspector conducted a site visit at the home on Kamehameha IV Road on Monday and found that the owner had installed air conditioners that weren’t part of the approved permits.

“He found a discrepancy between the approved plans and the work that was being done,” the department said, in an email.

Neighbors said the project will clog up an already crowded cul-de-sac and will change the character of their working-class neighborhood.

They also fear the property could be converted into a multi-family housing or an illegal vacation rental, which the developers deny.

“It kind of makes everything congested and parking scarce. It puts people on the edge,” said Reggie Maldonado, who has lived in Kalihi for five decades.

“I just hope we can put a stop to this because you see it all over the place.”

The home is owned by a company ― Myderhauton LLC ― that’s linked to contracting firm Fu Long Construction Inc., which has built several monster homes in town.

But the builders say everything is being built to code and that the house has a smaller footprint than the structure they demolished to make way for the project.

They added that the home won’t take away street parking because the property has plenty of on-site parking spaces for occupants.

“It’s not a monster home. ... We are not doing anything illegal on the property,” said Mr. Pan, an employee of Fu Long Construction who didn’t want his first name used.

“We can never make everybody happy.”

Under the construction permit, the home is supposed to be owner occupied. But based on the property records, there’s a lot of questions as to whether that’s the case, said City Councilmember Tyler Dos Santos-Tam.

Myderhauton is not an individual but is a limited liability corporation with four officers who don’t appear to be related. One of the company’s officers ― Fu Xian He ― heads Fu Long Construction.

“This individual who’s claiming to be an owner-builder has a contractor license himself. And so it raises questions about whether this is a personal project or a business,” said Dos Santos-Tam.

Pan said once the home is completed, it will be occupied by its owner.