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A lawsuit alleges three seafood-related businesses — Mahal Kita Seafood Inc., Tom’s Seafood Co. Inc. and LNV Seafood Inc. — were allegedly forced out of Chinatown by landlord Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART). Siblings Kim Nguyen and Vyna Nga Nguyen are seeking more than $2 million on claims that they had no choice but to shut down their companies in 2018 after supposed property neglect and rail construction operations led to a decrease in customers.
According to the complaint, HART purchased the property in 2013, substantially raised rents and failed to fix plumbing and flooding issues before ultimately evicting the Nguyens in 2014.
HART declined to comment on the case.