Hawaii Condominium & Homeowner Association News
- New Federal Case Addresses Related Claims Under Executive Protection Policy (NY) May 16, 2025As the saying goes, we cannot choose the family to whom we are related. But courts across the country regularly grapple with choosing whether multiple lawsuits and other insurance claims are indeed related, including most recently the federal District Court of Hawaii in the case of Great American Insurance Company v. Discovery Harbour Community Association, 2025 U.S. Dist., LEXIS 26654 (D. Haw. Feb. 3, 2025). Read the article…………………………….
- KCA calls for state support on water infrastructure and fire mitigation (HI) May 13, 2025The Kula Community Association (KCA) has formally called on Gov. Josh Green and the State of Hawai?i to take urgent action in advance of what is expected to be another challenging wildfire season in Upcountry Maui. In a letter sent on May 12th, Kula Community Association outlined two critical areas of concern: the need for improved wildfire mitigation on thousands of acres of unmanaged state-owned land, and the installation of vital water infrastructure to bolster firefighting capabilities and community resilience. ...
- Progress Report: Will Reforms Stabilize Hawai?i Condo Insurance Costs? May 8, 2025New bill establishes state insurance and loan programs after years of false starts, allowing the government to serve as the insurer of last resort for condo associations. Read the article…………………………….
- FinCen Issues Interim Final Rule Removing BOI Reporting Requirement for US Companies and Persons April 22, 2025FinCEN has determined that an interim final rule is the appropriate mechanism to exempt domestic reporting companies and United States Persons who are beneficial owners of foreign reporting companies from the BOI reporting requirements pending the receipt of comments and issuance of a final rule. Read the article…………………………….
- Hawaii condo insurance relief on horizon April 6, 2025Relief for many Hawaii condominium owners paying sky-high insurance premiums may be available soon under a state program. Administrators of the state’s dormant Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund are preparing to begin offering hurricane insurance policies in June to one or more types of condo association properties. Read the article…………………………….
- Real Estate Commission to host free virtual ‘Condorama’ education event (HI) April 5, 2025The Hawai‘i Real Estate Commission, in partnership with the Community Associations Institute Hawai?i Chapter, will host “Condorama XIV,” a free virtual educational event on condominium ownership and management. The webinar is scheduled for Saturday, April 19, 2025, from 9 to 11 a.m. Read the article…………………………….
- Insurance relief may come soon for condos in crisis (HI) April 4, 2025For the first time since an insurance crisis hit Hawaii condo owners, there is a timeline for state coverage to provide some relief: this June. In recent years, multiple disasters worldwide have pushed up the cost of insurance, and in Hawaii, aging condos also have maintenance and safety issues that made private insurers reluctant to cover them. In many cases, condo associations have chosen to buy less insurance than they need because the owners can’t afford the increased fees, and ...
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Hawaii Condominium & Homeowner Association Articles
- U.S. Treasury Department Announces Suspension of Enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Against U.S. Citizens and Domestic Reporting CompaniesYesterday, the U. S. Treasury Department issues a press release stating that it will not enforce the BOI Reporting Requirements against U.S. citizens and domestic reporting companies. The press release states, “not only will it not enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory deadlines, but it will further not enforce any penalties or fines against U.S. citizens or domestic reporting companies or their beneficial owners after the forthcoming rule changes ...
- Gov. Green Issues Second Proclamation Relating to Condominium Insurance Stabilization (HI)NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSH GREEN, M.D., Governor of the State of Hawaii, hereby determine and proclaim that an emergency or disaster contemplated by section 127A-14, HRS, has occurred in the State of Hawaii. I hereby authorize and invoke the following emergency provisions, if not already effective by virtue of this Proclamation: Read the article (PDF)…………………………….
- New Hawaii bills aim to ease financial strain for condominium communitiesWhat if your condominium’s insurance premium increased from $400,000 to $3.3 million in one year? That’s what happened to the Peninsula at Hawaii Kai. The Hawaii community, consisting of 630 single and multifamily apartment homes and condominiums, was shocked, to say the least. Read the article…………………………….
- The Inalienable Rights Of Hawaii’s Condominium OwnersAs we look forward to additional years of decision making for legislation, I would like to offer an overview of common sense rights condominium owners can rightfully assert. I hope that you will affix these to your sensibilities relevant to owner efforts to initiate legislation: Read the article…………………………….
- A Proposal To Overhaul Condominium Management (HI)A mid-20th century vignette: A young man stands in tall grass, hands in his pockets, gazing wistfully at an empty diner. Though condominium living, emerging at around that period, is not exactly the cherished tradition that restaurant diner culture was back then, it will go the way of the abandoned diner cars, if the current troubled state of management isn’t replaced. Read the article…………………………..
- From Tragedy Comes Opportunities to Give BackSometimes, a small gesture of kindness and community can mean a lot to those affected by natural disasters. Following the deadly wildfires that tore through the historic town of Lahaina, Hawaii, in early August, many in the community association industry wanted to show their support to Maui homeowners displaced by the fires. The wildfires are considered to be the deadliest in modern U.S. history, according to The Washington Post. Read the article……………………………..
- Pros and Cons of Buying a Condo in HawaiiIf you dream of waking up with a view of the Honolulu skyline from your 42nd floor lanai, or downsizing to a smaller living space to retire in paradise, buying a condo in Hawaii is an investment to consider. List Sotheby’s International Realty, one of the Islands’ premier real estate agencies, has helped many prospective homeowners find the right condominium for their lifestyle. Read the article……………………………….
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514C Lease to Fee Conversions for Condominiums and Cooperative Housing Corporations
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Hawaii Condominium & Homeowner Association Resources
Resources for Condominium Owners & Boards of Directors
Ownership in a condominium is different from other forms of ownership. A condominium is a form of ownership shared with others rather than a particular structure and many types of property can be in a condominium project, such as residential high rises, townhomes, single family homes, warehouses, commercial offices, harbor slips, and farms. This type of ownership comes with unique sets of organization and management, with an association of units owners (AOUO) governing project. The Real Estate Commission and Branch have produced a large number of brochures, guides, flyers, and videos to help condominium unit owners understand their rights and responsibilities. The Real Estate Commission and Branch also maintain a public searchable online database of Developer’s Public Reports and an association contact list.
The Hawaii Real Estate Commission released its new “Hawaii Condo Living Guide” video series to help deliver valuable information to current and prospective condominium owners and boards. The first six educational videos are available online and broken up into a series of short segments for ease of viewing. The commission intends to continue releasing more engaging episodes periodically. View the videos…………………………………
Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (Condominium Section)
Condominium Association Biennial Registration
- General Condominium Information/ Education / Publications
Board of directors guides, other educational publications, Condominium Review Committee’s Program of Work for Fiscal Year 2012, and condominium calendar. - AOUO Contact List
- Condominium Project/Assocation Registration
General information on condominium property regimes, public reports, Condominium Association Information Update form, and 2005-2007 Condominium Association Biennial Reregistration Delegation of Duty to Register form. - Condominium Hotel Operator
List of currently registered condominium hotel operators and condominium hotel operator application. - Developer’s Public Reports/Association Biennial Registration
Online search for developer’s public reports. - Mediation of Condominium Disputes
Informational brochure on the mediation of condominium disputes. - Hawaii Condominium Bulletin
- Condominium Review Committee Agendas and Minutes
The Condominium Review Committee deals with issues relating to condominium education, registration, and the Condominium Education Fund. - 514A, HRS, Recodification/514B, HRS
Recodification plan, Act 164 – Relating to Condominiums, recodification final report, progress reports, drafts, stakeholder comments, and additional resources. - Licensee Search/ Complaints History/ Business Registration
These services allow commerce and consumers to look up information about businesses and individuals regulated by DCCA. Also included are services to register businesses and renew Licenses. - Links to Other Agencies and Organizations
Various federal, state, and local agencies, in addition to condominium association organizations and other resources. - Real Estate Licensing and Education
General licensing information, real estate schools, providers, instructors and courses, and other real estate educational information. - Forms
Condominium, real estate licensing and real estate education related forms.
Community Associations Institute – Hawaii Chapter
Hawaii Condominium & Homeowner Association Blogs