Inspector, do you think this rail project will have an impact on the real estate market?

Inspector, do you think this rail project will have an impact on the real estate market?

Before I answer I have to give a little disclaimer. Anything I say here is only my opinion and not the opinion of any one else including Kona Ka'u Realty and their owners and employees. Also, I cannot predict the future so I have no way of knowing what the value of the real estate market and/or individual properties are going to be in the future. With that said, anything I say here is strictly only my opinion. And BTW, I am still limited by the rules of my real estate license to what I can and cannot say.

My opinion of the entire rail project is that any where there is a station there will more than likely be new and/or additional housing and commercial properties built. We already see Ho'opili Station where the station is in the middle of a farm field and Ho'opili housing project is being built. Estimated 12k new homes and 18k more cars getting on the H1 during rush hour. These numbers includes the estimated ridership riding the rail. There is new construction being planned and/or built around the Kroc center. The West Oahu Campus was built including a station across the street. A new very large outdoor mall opened recently right down the street at Kapolei Parkway and Kualakai (Old North-South Road). And more stores and restaurants are still being built. These are the facts and estimate as the rail progresses. And still there is a housing shortage here on Oahu. As long as there is a shortage there will be pressure on prices to increase. It doesn't mean that will happen, it is just how the market usually works. With that said, I just read that the economy in Hawaii is slowing down quickly. What does that mean? It means if housing equals or exceeds demand then pressure on housing prices will more than likely go down. Those who are building housing will slow or stop construction if the economy slows significantly. We have seen this in the past. Commercial will be put on hold but eventually they will complete their construction. Historically, this is what has happened in the past.

My opinion: The rail was built exclusively to line the pockets of the politicians (now retired/moved on) and help out their friends and family who are investing in housing and commercial construction along the rail near the stations. It will never be known which came first, the stations or the planned development. But I think it is quite obvious. Of course we have already caught the lies of the real reason the rail was ramrodded down our throats including the political corruption surrounding the decision to get the rail started without taking bids. Our justice department decided not to prosecute those caught. There is so much more I want to say but can't. 

More like I understand if we don't have any rail or form of quick transport we will only get more and more cars till we end up like LA traffic.  With time ridership will grow and we can add more stops.  Look I've been to places that have subways and rail and it works great.  Especially japan it was so convenient if something like that was here I would probably not even drive.   Both of your visions is in the present, from your talk you don't give a shit about 20 years from now.  Its all about muh taxes and muh money right now.  As we grow we need to expand on modes of transportation.  Unless both of you are all for building another highway or limiting the amount of cars people can own, or where people can live. 

More like I understand if we don't have any rail or form of quick transport we will only get more and more cars till we end up like LA traffic. 

sounds like you are NOT saying "Believe what you want to believe if someone says something you don't agree doesn't mean they are wrong."
oh, wait, you are not saying we are wrong, just that we don't understand it because we are not omimpotent

More like I understand if we don't have any rail or form of quick transport we will only get more and more cars till we end up like LA traffic.  With time ridership will grow and we can add more stops.  Look I've been to places that have subways and rail and it works great.  Especially japan it was so convenient if something like that was here I would probably not even drive.   Both of your visions is in the present, from your talk you don't give a shit about 20 years from now.  Its all about muh taxes and muh money right now.  As we grow we need to expand on modes of transportation.  Unless both of you are all for building another highway or limiting the amount of cars people can own, or where people can live.

I really don't get why you lie so much? My position about the rail and traffic congestion relief is all over this forum. And it is nothing l'ike what you said here. Your accusations here are completely unfounded and completely not true. But yet you lie and try and tell me how I feel and what I think? My post above references future tax burdens and the hurt that is going to be put on everyone in the future. I never said anything about now and only now. Are you really that much of a moron that you can't see that a tax that is intiated now hurts EVERYONE FAR INTO THE FUTURE? What kind of idiot would say what you just said?

I intend to live here until I die. Hopefully that will be at least another 20 years. I will be a retiree in 3 years hopefully. And in 3 years I will be on a fixed income. Any tax increases won't hurt me today while I am still working, but will hurt me when I am on a fixed income. It may even be that the taxes initiated now may force me to extend my having to work a few more years before I can afford to retire. I won't know until they make up their minds what the tax increases are going to be. And you tell me I am not looking towards the future? It is your view of now that is showing through here. It is YOU that can only see in the NOW. Why else would you say that a tax that is forever only hurts everyone now? You said that, I didn't.

My vision of what and how we should do to relieve the traffic congestion in the future is very different and much better than what we are doing now. And it is well documented all throughout this thread and forum. I have talked in detail throughout this thread and forum about how much I support rail transport. Just not the version of the rail that was forced upon us. I have talked in great detail about better alternatives such as double decking the H1 like that was done in LA that works much better than rail and cost much less. And you tell me I have no vision about how to relieve traffic congestion in the future? You sir are nothing but a moron.

I have also gone on record here in this forum (not this thread) that rail works really well in highly congested LARGE cities. But not in small congested cities like Honolulu where busses work much better and not in spread out situations such as what we have here on Oahu. And in cities where they have similar situations to Honolulu and Oahu, their rail does not work well either. Why can't we learn from their mistakes instead of forcing a naive vision upon the taxpayers here that we all know won't work as designed before it is even built? Why force heavy rail upon us when light rail will work as good and costs much less? Who is the moron who supports our current rail system that does not service those who need it most (like in Waianae, Mililani, Kanehoe and Kailua), supports stops where no housing even exists (like in a farm field), ends at the mall but does not continue on to UH Manoa so students will benefit, and supports the use of raised guiderails across farm fields where bringing rails to the ground are so much less expensive, and supporting the rail to go through tsunami zones so in case of tsunami it can be damaged or destroyed, and supporting heavy rail when light rail is a cheaper and smarter choice? You sir are that moron.

I suggest you read about someones positions before you lie about what they stand for in front of everyone here. Because if anyone here thought you have any type of knowledge, you just showed them what the village idiot looks like. And it is you.

n/m.....not worth it. 

More like I understand if we don't have any rail or form of quick transport we will only get more and more cars till we end up like LA traffic.  With time ridership will grow and we can add more stops.  Look I've been to places that have subways and rail and it works great.  Especially japan it was so convenient if something like that was here I would probably not even drive.   Both of your visions is in the present, from your talk you don't give a shit about 20 years from now.  Its all about muh taxes and muh money right now.  As we grow we need to expand on modes of transportation.  Unless both of you are all for building another highway or limiting the amount of cars people can own, or where people can live.

Quick form of transport?  What is your definition of "quick?"

The estimates by HART say it'll take 53 minutes by rail to go from Kapolei to Downtown Honolulu. 

The Bus takes about 52 minutes or more in rush hour traffic for the same distance, depending on conditions.  As a benefit, The Bus can also take you to destinations OTHER THAN where the train stations are built. 

In non-rush-hour conditions, The Bus takes 32 minutes.  So, if you use the train ONLY for commuting twice a day, you're on par with The Bus.  If you also use it for night time or mid-day trips and on weekends, you're averaging much QUICKER than the train.

Facts are pesky little things, huh?

With time ridership will grow and we can add more stops.

so now you are a rail designer at heart?

so now you are a rail designer at heart?

Look I've been to places that have subways and rail and it works great.

and the rest of us unknowing people have sadly never been to any of these places that you have honored with your presence

I really don't get why you lie so much? My position about the rail and traffic congestion relief is all over this forum. And it is nothing l'ike what you said here. Your accusations here are completely unfounded and completely not true. But yet you lie and try and tell me how I feel and what I think? My post above references future tax burdens and the hurt that is going to be put on everyone in the future. I never said anything about now and only now. Are you really that much of a moron that you can't see that a tax that is intiated now hurts EVERYONE FAR INTO THE FUTURE? What kind of idiot would say what you just said?

I intend to live here until I die. Hopefully that will be at least another 20 years. I will be a retiree in 3 years hopefully. And in 3 years I will be on a fixed income. Any tax increases won't hurt me today while I am still working, but will hurt me when I am on a fixed income. It may even be that the taxes initiated now may force me to extend my having to work a few more years before I can afford to retire. I won't know until they make up their minds what the tax increases are going to be. And you tell me I am not looking towards the future? It is your view of now that is showing through here. It is YOU that can only see in the NOW. Why else would you say that a tax that is forever only hurts everyone now? You said that, I didn't.

My vision of what and how we should do to relieve the traffic congestion in the future is very different and much better than what we are doing now. And it is well documented all throughout this thread and forum. I have talked in detail throughout this thread and forum about how much I support rail transport. Just not the version of the rail that was forced upon us. I have talked in great detail about better alternatives such as double decking the H1 like that was done in LA that works much better than rail and cost much less. And you tell me I have no vision about how to relieve traffic congestion in the future? You sir are nothing but a moron.

I have also gone on record here in this forum (not this thread) that rail works really well in highly congested LARGE cities. But not in small congested cities like Honolulu where busses work much better and not in spread out situations such as what we have here on Oahu. And in cities where they have similar situations to Honolulu and Oahu, their rail does not work well either. Why can't we learn from their mistakes instead of forcing a naive vision upon the taxpayers here that we all know won't work as designed before it is even built? Why force heavy rail upon us when light rail will work as good and costs much less? Who is the moron who supports our current rail system that does not service those who need it most (like in Waianae, Mililani, Kanehoe and Kailua), supports stops where no housing even exists (like in a farm field), ends at the mall but does not continue on to UH Manoa so students will benefit, and supports the use of raised guiderails across farm fields where bringing rails to the ground are so much less expensive, and supporting the rail to go through tsunami zones so in case of tsunami it can be damaged or destroyed, and supporting heavy rail when light rail is a cheaper and smarter choice? You sir are that moron.

I suggest you read about someones positions before you lie about what they stand for in front of everyone here. Because if anyone here thought you have any type of knowledge, you just showed them what the village idiot looks like. And it is you.

But, other than that, you agree with him? 

But, other than that, you agree with him? 

Yeah, other than that, I totally agree with him. 

I should have quoted Howard Stern's father yelling at Howard: "Don't be stupid you moron!". 

so now you are a rail designer at  heart  HART?

Fixed it.

I really don't get why you lie so much? My position about the rail and traffic congestion relief is all over this forum. And it is nothing l'ike what you said here. Your accusations here are completely unfounded and completely not true. But yet you lie and try and tell me how I feel and what I think? My post above references future tax burdens and the hurt that is going to be put on everyone in the future. I never said anything about now and only now. Are you really that much of a moron that you can't see that a tax that is intiated now hurts EVERYONE FAR INTO THE FUTURE? What kind of idiot would say what you just said?

I intend to live here until I die. Hopefully that will be at least another 20 years. I will be a retiree in 3 years hopefully. And in 3 years I will be on a fixed income. Any tax increases won't hurt me today while I am still working, but will hurt me when I am on a fixed income. It may even be that the taxes initiated now may force me to extend my having to work a few more years before I can afford to retire. I won't know until they make up their minds what the tax increases are going to be. And you tell me I am not looking towards the future? It is your view of now that is showing through here. It is YOU that can only see in the NOW. Why else would you say that a tax that is forever only hurts everyone now? You said that, I didn't.

My vision of what and how we should do to relieve the traffic congestion in the future is very different and much better than what we are doing now. And it is well documented all throughout this thread and forum. I have talked in detail throughout this thread and forum about how much I support rail transport. Just not the version of the rail that was forced upon us. I have talked in great detail about better alternatives such as double decking the H1 like that was done in LA that works much better than rail and cost much less. And you tell me I have no vision about how to relieve traffic congestion in the future? You sir are nothing but a moron.

I have also gone on record here in this forum (not this thread) that rail works really well in highly congested LARGE cities. But not in small congested cities like Honolulu where busses work much better and not in spread out situations such as what we have here on Oahu. And in cities where they have similar situations to Honolulu and Oahu, their rail does not work well either. Why can't we learn from their mistakes instead of forcing a naive vision upon the taxpayers here that we all know won't work as designed before it is even built? Why force heavy rail upon us when light rail will work as good and costs much less? Who is the moron who supports our current rail system that does not service those who need it most (like in Waianae, Mililani, Kanehoe and Kailua), supports stops where no housing even exists (like in a farm field), ends at the mall but does not continue on to UH Manoa so students will benefit, and supports the use of raised guiderails across farm fields where bringing rails to the ground are so much less expensive, and supporting the rail to go through tsunami zones so in case of tsunami it can be damaged or destroyed, and supporting heavy rail when light rail is a cheaper and smarter choice? You sir are that moron.

I suggest you read about someones positions before you lie about what they stand for in front of everyone here. Because if anyone here thought you have any type of knowledge, you just showed them what the village idiot looks like. And it is you.

I wasn't singling you out solely..... I was talking about the general consensus of this thread.   I do agree with you that HART is fucked up and should be fixed but in the end I still support the rail. Sure it could be better, but it could be worse.  We got what we got.

I wasn't singling you out solely..... I was talking about the general consensus of this thread.   I do agree with you that HART is fucked up and should be fixed but in the end I still support the rail. Sure it could be better, but it could be worse.  We got what we got.

This rail boondoggle is the nation's largest infrastructure fiasco in US history.

It's already the WORST project ever.  That's based on the projected cost from over a year ago. 

Saying "it could be worse" makes me ask "how much more worse can it get?"  So, yes, I guess it is getting worse ... and worse ... and worse .....

http://www.hawaiifreepress.com/ArticlesMain/tabid/56/ID/16766/Honolulu-Rail-Project-Cost-Approaching-One-Half-of-Boston-Big-Dig.aspx

Honolulu Rail Project Cost Approaching One Half of Boston’s Big Dig!
by Dr Panos Prevedouros, PhD, FixOahu, January 21, 2016

Many people can recall Boston’s Big Dig, the nation’s largest infrastructure fiasco with a final price tag of about $15 billion. Surprisingly,
Honolulu is building a rail system that’s expected to cost at least one-half the cost of the Big Dig! On a per-capita basis, this will be
the nation’s largest infrastructure fiasco.

Despite the preponderance of evidence that Honolulu’s rail will do little to mitigate chronic traffic congestion on the island of Oahu, the
project garnered marginal (50.6%) public support on a 2008 referendum. Despite a couple major lawsuits, it completed the Federal Full
Funding Grant Agreement process in 2012.

I may have mentioned this before so forgive me if I'm repeating myself. It will cost $10B to finish the rail to Ala Moana, another $2B to Kapolei, and another $3B to Waianae. If the rail was built 20 years from now, it would cost $100B. In another 10 years, the rail will be full, the buses will be full, and the highways will be full. In another 20 years, there will be housing communities from Ewa Villages to Mililani. In other words, we're effed.

I WAS for the rail, but always with the caveat "if it was done right".  I lived in Seattle when they were going through the proposal and development phase for their rail.  I moved before it got started, but it is my understanding that it's doing well.  However, that's because downtown Seattle has a pretty linear arrangement with two popular recreation type areas north and south of the city.  Then there's UW and other "areas of interest" that are pretty much linear.  That's NOT how Hawaii is layed out. 

Then there are those that seem to fall back on how rail is successful elsewhere, like BART and the L.  Look at the way those cities are arranged and logistics on how people get around.  In Chicago, there are many areas where people just don't drive, so the train is convenient.  You also have to have existing infrastructure to get people to the stations, like local buses, park and rides, etc.  I didn't see good plans for those. 

And you can't look at mass transit in places like Japan, China, etc and ask why can't it work here. . . are you kidding me?  Totally different context.  Yes, Hawaii may eventually end up like those cities, but they are worlds apart.

That's all without all of the political, corruption, etc BS that went on. 

Yes, as the path gets past the airport, environmental and archaeological issues with be much more than what has already been completed. 

Don't know what it is about rod busters but they seem to be the ones who are doing non conforming work more often than some other trades.

It's funny how some subs will argue til the cows come home but as soon as you say you are writing the non conformance in your report it gets fixed almost immediately. Not sure why that happens? [/sarcasm]

Next time we have dinner I will tell you what I am currently doing and the lies that keep on coming.....

The worst I've dealt with are actually electricians and mechanical (HVAC guys).  They typically come in after I've done my observation and they move stuff when they are explicitly told not to do.  Later, they'll go and cut holes in my shearwall and then ask if they could.  :facepalm:  Then there are the guys that drill right where the markers for PT strands are and are surprised when they hear the bang of the tendon popping.  :double facepalm:

Flapp, the guy is a selfish, self centered little brat. He only cares about how it effects himself and doesn't care how the higher taxes and looming debt will hurt the poor, the retirees and less fortunate that live here and are just trying to get by. His post was all about him. Hell, all of his posts have been all about himself. I am sure he already has a plan in place to move to the mainland somewhere in case his own financial situation turns to shit. It is people like Omni that voted for this debacle and continue to support it even when faced with the potential financial ruin for the C&C, state and those who are living here. The bad part here is when the truth/reality finally comes out many years from now, he is not smart enough to put two and two together to realize he had a hand in it. And if he is that smart, he won't care. JMHO

I would add my 0.01 (not worth 0.02), but then we'd be accused of picking on him. . .

...but in the end I still support the rail. Sure it could be better, but it could be worse.  We got what we got.

If it could be better, why not do SOMETHING about it? Like protest and support defunding and tearing it down until we get a rail (or an even better solution) that is better and cheaper than what we have now? Why settle for mediocracy? Stand up to the government and make your voice heard. We deserve better! Don't just give up and say "We got what we got." That is being a milquetoast.

milquetoast:
noun, ( sometimes initial capital letter)
1. a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated

And since you said it could be worse, please explain how it could be worse?