The Honolulu City Council advanced two measures meant to crack down on illegal gaming rooms around Oahu.

The council voted unanimously Wednesday to pass on first readings Bill 57 and 58, which are meant to aid law enforcement efforts to close the 100 gambling parlors that Honolulu Police Department says operate somewhere on the island each day.

Police admit that only about 20 of those establishments — which draw illegal drugs, prostitution as well as gun-related violence — are shuttered each year. And they add many of those shuttered gaming rooms restart at the same locations, but under new operators.

The intent of both bills — introduced by Council members Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Andria Tupola and modeled after similar efforts in Portland, Ore. — is to coordinate HPD enforcement powers with other city agencies such as the Department of Planning and Permitting and Corporation Counsel to target the landlords of properties used to house gambling parlors.

Notably, Bill 57 would give DPP and Corporation Counsel greater ability to go after landlords of properties used for gambling establishments that “promote such unsafe conditions” and “threaten the health, safety, and welfare of the public by creating unsafe public nuisances.”

That bill, if adopted, allows DPP to impose $1,000 in fines per day, and up to $150,000 in total on landlords. It also allows the Corporation Counsel to take legal action against any landlord allowing game rooms on their property.

As drafted, Bill 58 would allow HPD officers, if designated by DPP, to impose penalties for building code, fire code and land use violations. In addition, the draft measure would allow demolition of a building or structure that is “erected, constructed, enlarged, altered, improved, or converted without the necessary permit.”

Prior to the vote, many from the public spoke for and against the measures.

Among them, Kaimana Olayan, co-president of God Forgives Bad Boys & Bad Girls, said his group advocated for Bill 57’s intent to end gaming rooms, as they destroy communities.

“The reason why we support the bill is because once upon a time in my old life I’d partake, and I’m not proud of it, of game rooms,” said Olayan, who claimed to be a former incarcerated gang member who now works with law enforcement to protect the community. “So, I know the chaos and the destruction; I know about the sex trafficking, the crime and the violence in game rooms.”

Patty Kahanamoku-­Teruya, a former chair of Nanakuli-Maili Neighborhood Board, said she also supported Bills 57 and 58 to end game rooms.

“Just the fact that they’re allowed to exist provides some sense that they are allowed,” she said. “These game rooms, their operators and the landowners that allow them to exist have declared war on our home, our children and our way of life. The owners who permit this must be held accountable because they are selling out our community, stripping away our safety and destroying the very fabric of our neighborhoods for money.”

But others, like Oahu resident Choon James, found both measures to be examples of government overreach.

“I’m very concerned that we have to make sure that we’re setting up legislation within the confines of the U.S. Constitution and civil rights,” she said. “And I know that there are a lot of problems, but I’m always leery of big government and especially that we are going out to get people.”

Agreeing with other public testifiers, James said the city should coordinate its efforts with the state and federal governments “to get rid of a lot of bad apples and bad actors in our community.”

During questions of HPD over implementation of these measures, some, like City Council Chair Tommy Waters, remained skeptical on whether the bills would actually close game rooms.

“I’m not sure it’s going to work,” said Waters, adding many landlords will just accumulate fines unless greater police enforcement is involved. “Why can’t we send somebody in there who’s undercover? — go play the game and boom, catch the guy right there.”

Waters said he’d rather see gaming room properties be held in court-ordered forfeitures. “Because I don’t think DPP fining them $1,000 is going to work, unless we collect on that money.”

In response, Police Maj. Roland Turner said landlords do care about fines — especially large ones that will change their future behaviors with regard to allowing gaming rooms on their properties.

“So the point is to make them care enough for them to decide ‘I’m going to take this interest in who’s doing stuff in this property that I own, even if I own 20 properties,’ and they’re going to shut it down on their own, we’ve seen it work,” Turner said.

RPZ’s roll forward

On separate legislation, the Council voted 7-2, with Council members Calvin Say and Val Okimoto in dissent, to adopt Bill 20, allowing a permanent expansion to the use of the city’s restricted on-street parking zone program in Kalihi Valley, and potentially other spots around the island.

The bill, introduced by Council members Tyler Dos Santos-Tam and Radiant Cordero, transitions three temporary restricted parking zone, or RPZ, pilot programs begun in 2017 by the city Department of Transportation Services, which cover three zones — the Wilson Tract, the Kula Kolea and the Aoao/Kono Street neighborhoods in Kalihi Valley.

As adopted, Bill 20 is intended to reduce parking congestion, noise, crime and other quality-of-life concerns via paid parking permits.

To that end, the bill introduces a fee structure with fixed, annual permit fees.

To gain a permit for the first car would cost $125; a second car would be charged two times the base fee rate, or $250; a third car three times that rate, or $375; and a fourth car four times the rate, or $500. Any car after the fourth vehicle would be charged five times the base fee rate, or $625.

Similarly, the RPZ program will have visitor and single-­day permits at $10 each.

Under the bill, a restricted parking zone on a public street would be reserved “for the exclusive use of those vehicles displaying a valid RPZ permit or other identification issued by the director as part of the RPZ program.” Parking on the street would be reserved during certain posted hours for permitted vehicles.

An approved ordinance would allow the DTS director to oversee the program, and set and collect annual permit fees, while residents could, based on the city’s yet-to-be determined criteria, potentially lobby for future RPZ’s in their own neighborhoods.

But some on the Council, like Okimoto and Say, felt the new RPZ program would not solve traffic issues on Oahu’s roadways. Instead, Okimoto said it would force local taxpayers to subsidize a city program benefiting only a few neighborhoods, while Say said the measure will privatize publicly owned roads.

“That road or that curbing belongs to everyone,” Say said. “You’re privatizing something that is for the general public at large.”

At the meeting, DTS Director Roger Morton agreed only a few locations on the island would likely be eligible for an RPZ. He added those neighborhoods would need to show an “outside influence” to allow for an RPZ’s creation.

Following the Council’s vote, Bill 20 awaits the mayor’s signature, who has until Oct. 14 to sign the measure into law.