City offers to settle Palolo homeowners' suits over damaging erosion
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HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The city has offered to settle lawsuits by Palolo residents, whose homes have been damaged by erosion.
Homeowners said the city is offering to pay the amount tax assessors say their properties on Kuahea Street and Waiomao Road are worth.
One homeowner said the city is considering bulldozing the properties to make a buffer zone from further erosion.
"They've been suffering for years. They're hardly able to get into their house. They can't get into their driveway. The road was really bad for a while," said City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi.
Homeowners said the city is liable because broken city water pipes under Kuahea Street have accelerated the erosion problem.
They said the water saturates the ground, shifting the land.
The city declined comment, citing the pending litigation.
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