Hilo housing costs are highest in nation, research shows

[OpenD]

It's been confirmed, this report was bogus.

One of the Puna locals took issue with this report, followed it up with EPI, and reported the results on a local board... EPI looked into the matter, found that they had screwed up the housing cost calculations, and reported back to him they would be redoing the report.

I just have to say, I told ya so!

[Fredesch]

Originally Posted by OpenD

It's been confirmed, this report was bogus.

One of the Puna locals took issue with this report, followed it up with EPI, and reported the results on a local board... EPI looked into the matter, found that they had screwed up the housing cost calculations, and reported back to him they would be redoing the report.

I just have to say, I told ya so!

No way did the Hilo data make sense. Thanks for chasing this down.

[eureka1]

+1. I was starting to think I'd gone bonkers.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

No way did the Hilo data make sense.

Exactly. It did not pass a common sense sniff test, and then by triangulating the facts with other sources it became obvious that something was very wrong with the report.

Thanks for chasing this down.

Thanks, but the guy I mentioned in Puna did the real work. First, he contacted Tim Sakahara, the "reporter" for Hawaii News Now whose byline is on the story, and presented him with opposing evidence. To his total lack of credit, Tim was defensive and uninterested in following up on the discrepancy. So clearly Tim is not a reporter at all, just a news writer. That's when the Puna guy contacted EPI, and got the response from Elise Gould, Health Policy Research Director for EPI that because of his email the mistake had been found, and the figures would have to be recalculated.

Just think, that could have been a real story for Tim Sakahara, if only he were a real reporter.