Photo: Michael Rybak
A large parcel of land abutting Paia, a portion of which recently burned in a fire, will be cleaned up, fenced, and heavily patrolled by security guards, its owner told a group of Paia residents and others Thursday.
Sam Hirbod, who bought the 339-acre parcel in 2016, attended a small meeting of Paia community members at Heritage Hall, and a second meeting in the mayor’s office, where he discussed the problems that have arisen on his property.
Clean-up efforts hampered by violence
As I wrote in a recent story, after the July 30th fire, the charred land exposed dozens of abandoned cars, trash and illegal tent encampments.
As Hirbod explained at the Paia meeting, efforts to remove cars and prevent trespassing had been ongoing for months before the fire. At one point, a property manager attempted to obtain the vehicle identification numbers of the abandoned cars to facilitate their removal. He was physically assaulted, and his car and tools were stolen.
As Hirbod works to eradicate encampments and abandoned vehicles from the parcel, he has hired a local security service. Run by a retired Maui police officer, security personnel will provide a strong presence around the property, especially before it is fully fenced.
Heritage Hall co-founder and multi-generational Paia resident Audrey Rocha Reed sympathized with Hirbod. “It’s sad, because he bought that fencing in April, and it arrived safely on the island, but the guy who was paid to do it hasn’t done it yet.”
Hirbod told those gathered that the fence would be installed once necessary permits are finalized.
In addition, he is in discussions with local cattle ranchers about grazing rights on the land.
When I reached out to Hirbod for additional details, he replied that he “rarely” gave media interviews.
Hirbod “well-intentioned, committed”
The Paia meeting was attended by about 20 people, including representatives from the mayor’s office, county council member Mike Molina’s office, and the police department.
Attendees I contacted described Hirbod as “well-intentioned,” “committed,” and described the meeting as having gone “well.”
Hirbod told the group that his goal is to create value for Paia “when the time is right and if it is good for the community.” He said he didn’t consider himself an owner, but a “steward.”
“I think Sam wants to do the right thing,” said Mangolani Inn owner David Stein. “Everyone is coming away from meeting with him saying that.”
Paia ‘horrifying’
Stein had been organizing a community meeting before the July 30th fire to address the increasing degradation of Paia Town. “What’s happening here is horrifying,” he said in an interview. “We find needles on the ground in front of our house, people are getting assaulted on the street, and it’s just scary. Nobody lets their kids walk through town anymore.”
As he planned the meeting, Stein reached out to Hirbod, telling him, “The community would like to meet you and get to know what you’re planning to do with the land.” Hirbod accepted.
Fixing the problems currently facing Paia run far beyond cleaning up one piece of property. “This is going to require a community effort,” said one attendee. “We need a Paia community association” that includes residents and merchants.
Stein called the meeting, “Really great. It was eye-opening and I think everyone was really happy to start the ball rolling and get the discussion going and to find common ground.”
A future, larger Paia community meeting already is being planned, he said.
Island-wide problem
The meeting Hirbod attended at the mayor’s office was attended by an array of county officials, including the chiefs of the police and fire departments. Hirbod received assurances during that meeting that his efforts to fix problems on his Paia property would be supported.
During the mayor’s meeting, the island’s current crime problems also were discussed, with concerns that drugs such as fentanyl were on the upswing and becoming more “toxic.”
Stein said Hirbod told him that he had been touring other areas of the island with illegal encampment and crime issues and “that many areas were far worse than Paia. It’s an island-wide thing.”
I’m So grateful the problems in Paia are getting this attention. It’s currently nuts.
How about we also address the issue of displacement of kanaka and housing and mental health issues. Moving people is a temporary fix to a deeper underlying issue.
I deeply appreciate the excellent reporting. Mahalo.
Thank you to Dave Stein of Paia. The state and county first need to overturn Martin vs Boise then they need to match federal funding to build long term facilities to care for the mentally ill homeless folks that have accountability and supervision. The other group of homeless who fell on hard times need jobs and trade schools to learn skills needed to be part of society. Hawaii is expensive and skilled workers are in demand. The government wastes or tax dollars on Ukraine and enriching themselves instead spending our money on the people they are supposed to represent.
It was beautiful seeing patrol tonight.
This is a perfect representation of my voice, thank you for speaking up.
“ Paia ‘horrifying’
Stein had been organizing a community meeting before the July 30th fire to address the increasing degradation of Paia Town. “What’s happening here is horrifying,” he said in an interview. “We find needles on the ground in front of our house, people are getting assaulted on the street, and it’s just scary. Nobody lets their kids walk through town anymore.””
Add value when the time is right? Egads
Just posted. On 8.30 at 7.40 pm.Why does my post state the day and time as 8.31 at 5.37 a.m.? Why? And waiting moderation.
I would like to correct a statement I made. I no longer believe that overturning martin vs Boise would help anything it basically is protecting the eighth amendment rights of everyone. Criminalizing homeless is not the answer. We need the political will to fund and build permanent mental health facilities, permanent housing for the houseless. And trade schools to give people a better chance a being part of society.
The homeless problem is everyone’s responsibility collectively we all need to pressure our state, county representatives and senators to request funding from the federal government to build the permanent mental health care facilities and the permanent alternative shelters for the homeless Americans. If our federal government can give Afghanistan 85 billion dollars of new military hardware and send 40 billion dollars to Ukraine they can certainly give the state of Hawaii 20 billion to start to address the homeless and educational problems we are facing right now.
With Hawaii being a small state with a great climate and setting, it does attract a great place to be homeless. Many are not originally from HI and have no desire to be a contributor to society. They just remain a burden to the system. Possibly copy a state visa similar to what Australia and Canada
require to enter. i.e. sponsor,funding, where your staying, and how long.
If Shatz and Hirino could get some funding from their party who is in total control right now we could start to address to decline of our communities and social structure with crime, homeless citizens, and draft state legislation to send back people to the conus who are here to draw off our limited resources. Our focus should be on our local communities. And not raise taxes on the struggling working class. Why is the working class always to bare the brunt of taxes through inflation. And yes inflation is a tax. We pay for all the money given away by the federal government anyway they should give some away to Hawaii to help with our homeless houseless what ever pronoun you prefer.
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People of Hawaii if you want crime, homelessness, inflation to stop then stop voting for the same democrats that got you here.