As I view the half-dozen vacant homes in my immediate neighborhood, I echo Dale Moana Gilmartin’s insightful letter (“Vacant-home owners should pay top tax rate,” Star- Advertiser, June 7). These vacant homes should be taxed at a much higher rate, not only to alleviate the housing shortage and induce property owners to provide housing, but also to encourage the homeowners of these vacant homes to maintain them properly.

Rather than flooding Honolulu with ill-advised, inappropriately placed “affordable” housing (Kuilei Place) or “affordable” elderly housing (Manoa Banyan Court), why not look into these vacant properties first? I’m sure there would be interested tenants.

Yes, I have spoken to my local City Council member about this untenable situation, to no avail.

Veneeta Acson

Manoa

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