Question: A friend said maybe I could get help from the city to keep living on his boat. Is that for real? I’m supposed to be paying him rent but haven’t been able to for a while.
Answer: We don’t know the particulars of your situation, but in general, yes, boat dwellers who are otherwise eligible may qualify for Honolulu’s Rental and Utility Relief Program, according to the program’s website, oneoahu.org/renthelp.
Like any other Oahu renter applying for this program, you would have to meet income and eligibility requirements, which include suffering economic harm from the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the application and supporting documents, you also would have to submit the boat permit number, registration/docking number, slip/berth number, location of slip/berth, name of the vessel and the names of everyone authorized to live on board, according to the website.
As of Tuesday, the pre-screening application form was open, although the website says it could close without notice. Find the form and complete eligibility rules at the website.
Q: My Hawaii state ID card expired a couple of months ago. I have an appointment through AlohaQ, but I’m not sure about one thing. Will this be considered a renewal, even though it’s expired?
A: You can renew a Hawaii state ID for up to 365 days after the expiration date, according to Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services. So, based on your description and assuming that your appointment is soon, yes, you would be in the renewal period. The expiration date on your renewed state ID will be eights years from the expiration date on your expired card, not eight years from your renewal date, according to the department.
If you fail to renew within the 365-day period, you will be processed as a new applicant, it says.
Q: Auwe! The city says it will renew state IDs by mail for people 80 and older, but it rejected my mother’s application and she’s 85!
A: Age is not the only criteria for this service. Renewal by mail of REAL ID-compliant Hawaii state IDs is limited to people 80 and older who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents (a legal status) and who have previously shown in person the documents required to verify their REAL ID status. We get quite a few complaints from kupuna who were denied ID renewal by mail, and it’s usually because their verifying documents were not on file with the DMV.
Q: Will airports be enforcing REAL ID this summer?
A: Yes, they are scheduled to, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “On May 3, 2023, U.S. travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights and access certain federal facilities,” according to its website.
Q: My brother will be spending the winter with us. Can he use his handicapped parking placard from Washington here?
A: Yes. “Pursuant to Hawaii Revised Statutes 291.51-7, disability parking permits that have been issued by authorities of other states and countries may be used for the purpose of parking in reserved accessible parking spaces. All parking fees will apply,” according to the state Disability and Communication Access Board. You can find this and other information on DCAB’s website, health.hawaii.gov/dcab.
Auwe
We have so many feral roosters in Palolo Valley that start crowing well before dawn and just keep going. Something must be done to control them! — Exhausted resident
Mahalo
Big mahalo to the good Samaritan who found my checkbook at the Pearl City Longs on the afternoon of Oct. 13. He made my day, because I had been looking high and low for it. — Grateful reader
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
