A letter from the owner of Union Plaza posted on Saturday night said residents had until Tuesday to get out.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Residents at an apartment building in Honolulu are reeling after being told they have to leave in a matter of days.
Many are confused and don’t know where to go.
The notice was taped on the walls of the Union Plaza apartment building in Downtown.
For tenant Nicholas Baio, the abrupt notice was “shocking” and threw him into a state of “panic, crisis.”
“This was just stapled, or taped. I had no, I didn’t even know I was going to bed I’ve been exhausted,” Baio said.
The letter from the building owner was posted on Saturday night, Baio said, and informed residents they would have to leave by Tuesday at 5 p.m., and that they will not be allowed back in after that.
According to the announcement, the evictions are happening because of needed repairs for a broken front door, pest infestations, electrical hazards, air condition failures, elevator malfunctions, and water leaks.
The owner also mentioned tenant violations, such as illicit drug sales, assault, theft, smoking, and property damage, and that 12 rule-breakers are being evicted.
But other tenants argue the mass eviction notice was too sudden.
“Everybody’s scared to see the notice. They don’t know what’s going on. But I think a lot of people should do a little bit of research and understand that this is illegal, they can’t do it this way,” a tenant, who did not want to be identified in this story, said.
But after the notice was posted, the owner clarified that most of the tenants can stay, and he is worried about the ones who can’t use the stairs while elevator repairs are underway.
He also said most of the building is empty and that there are squatters who haven’t paid rent all year.
Some confused residents have been in touch with the owner.
The anonymous tenant said, “He’s just prepping everybody as far as like, yeah, saying that everybody should have received the letter, please follow the letter.”
The letter does note that rent is not due on Oct. 1, and rent for the month will be prorated to account for the repair period.
The owner declined an on-camera interview, but he told Hawaii News Now that the work should take three to seven days, and residents can return after that.
He also has plans to fully renovate the building and convert it into student housing, and that residents were given a nine-month notice so they can plan to relocate.
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