KCC student sued over criticism of Waikiki housing

A student housing firm is suing a Kapiolani Community College student for publishing Facebook blog posts critical of how its apartment buildings are managed.

Hawaii Student Housing, which operates The Ohia and The Hana student housing buildings in Waikiki, is seeking injunctive relief from Dylan Hunt, a 25-year-old KCC student who said he has lived in both complexes.

Hunt wrote on his Facebook page in July that the Ohia and Hana have problems such "black mold," cockroaches, hidden fees and slow Internet speeds.

Hawaii Student Housing contends that Hunt "maliciously or negligently" made "false and defamatory statements" about its business, according to the lawsuit, which was filed July 29.

The lawsuit says the company demanded that Hunt amend the information and that Hunt refused to do so. Company officials did not return calls from the Star-Advertiser for comment.

Hunt said the company never tried to contact him before serving him a demand letter and the court papers.

"The fact that they’re suing me for writing a Facebook blog about my personal experiences and opinions, they’re just bullying me to silence me," Hunt said. "What they’re doing is trying to silence me with threats of intimidation and bring me to court without actual plans of winning."

Hunt said he plans to countersue the company.