Hee joins opponents of Koa Ridge project

State Sen. Clayton Hee, who is fighting D.R. Horton’s planned Ho‘opili housing development on the Ewa Plain before the state Land Use Commission, will contest a second residential project on Oahu.

The LUC approved a petition last week for Hee to participate in the regulatory process considering Castle & Cooke’s $2.2 billion Koa Ridge plan for 5,000 homes on agricultural land in Central Oahu between Mililani and Waipio.

Hee joins the Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter and the Mililani/Waipio/Malemanu Neighborhood Board as participants that can be represented by attorneys and introduce and cross-examine expert witnesses. Hearings on the project are expected to begin next year.

Castle & Cooke won LUC approval for Koa Ridge last year over opposition from the Sierra Club and the neighborhood board, but a state judge voided the decision because one commissioner was deemed ineligible to serve. Castle & Cooke last month filed a new application seeking approval.

Prudential gets new franchiser, keeps name

Prudential real estate brokerage franchises have a new franchiser but will be able to continue using the Prudential name. Newark, N.J.-based Prudential Financial Inc. recently sold its real estate brokerage franchise subsidiary and a real estate relocation service company to Canadian firm Brookfield Asset Management Inc.

Prudential Financial, primarily an insurance company, licensed its name and rock symbol to independently owned real estate brokerage firms, including a few in Hawaii, in return for royalty payments. The relocation service helps buy and sell homes for employees of companies and other organizations.

Fighting Eel expands to Kailua

Locally owned clothing and accessory boutique Fighting Eel has expanded to Kailua. The 1,300-square-foot store is on the Kailua Road side of the soon-to-open Whole Foods Market in Kailua Town Center.

The flagship Fighting Eel store, owned and operated by Lan Chung and Rona Bennett, is on Bethel Street in Chinatown. The duo’s entire clothing line will be carried at both stores, but the accessory selection will vary by location, according to Chung. The partners’ Mini Eel clothing line also will be carried in Kailua along with children’s books and accessories. The new store will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.

Hawaiian Homes agency OKs retrofit funds

The Hawaiian Homes Commission has approved an allocation of $453,059 to the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds to convert 60 electric water heaters to solar water heating systems in homestead communities statewide. Since 2009, CNHA has been administering the Homestead Energy Program, providing grants and loans up to $6,500 for solar water heaters; and low-interest loans up to $15,000 to purchase photovoltaic systems in homestead communities.

To take advantage of the award, families must complete an application and meet 80 percent of the HUD Area Median Income Limit identified broken down by county and household size. For information, call 596-8155, email info@hawaiiancouncil.org, or visit www.hawaiiancouncil.org.

Treasury scolds Chase, BofA on modifications

CHICAGO » The Treasury Department said Wednesday it would withhold loan modification incentive payments from Bank of America Corp. and JPMorgan Chase & Co. for the third consecutive quarter, and took Chase in particular to task for its poor compliance with federal loan modification programs. Chase was found to be the only servicer whose processes tied to helping struggling borrowers still require "substantial improvement," according to the report. As of September, 72 percent of Chase’s trial loan modifications were converted to permanent modifications, compared with 90 percent for the best servicers, the report said.

ON THE MOVE

Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties has promoted Kelly Botelho to administrative manager of its Waikiki office from office administrator. Her experience includes listing specialist for CBP and administrative assistant at Child & Family Guidance Center in Tacoma, Wash.

Hawaii Theatre Center has named Angela Britten as its director of development and will oversee the theater’s fundraising. Britten was development director for Olomana Marketing and director of corporate development and special events at Bishop Museum.

Goodsill Anderson Quinn & Stifel has hired the following attorneys: 

» Travis M. Agustin, who concentrates his practice in the areas of trusts and estates.

» Patrick D. Collins, who focuses on real estate, commercial and intellectual property litigation.

» Scott K.D. Shishido, specializing in personal injury, coverage and bad faith, real estate, construction, professional malpractice and commercial litigation.