Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I lived in this house on Maui once while saving for our own place. The upstairs is where the owners lived. Always the mom and dad with at least two of their children and their children also. That's six adults and I think six kids upstairs.
Downstairs was divided. We had a two bedroom one bath with two adults and one child. Next to us was a one bed one bath with a young couple and another studio ohana that had been an enclosed patio with another couple in back.
That's twelve adults and seven children in a home built for one family. Oh and the water heaters were only turned on form a couple of hours in the morning and a fews at night.
All the streets in the is area were filled in the same manner. Parking was always a challenge as we all had our own cars. This was many years (12+) ago and I have no idea how it is now but I see no reason it would have changed.
The report also calls out multigenerational families as an immigrant strategy.
Multigenerational homes are very different from single unit homes or single family homes having multiple people/families living in them. This is the case for most Oahu single family residences with multiple families residing in them - the additional people living in these homes are mostly non-blood relatives. Further, 9 out of 10 people that rent a room in their home, an illegal studio in their home or portion of their home to people other than blood relatives will not divulge that they do this in a US Census survey for blatantly obvious reasons (they don't pay GET, TAT if <180 days or state/federal income tax on rental income received).
Why do you think the city is pushing to allow Ohana units to not be restricted to just blood relatives? It has NOTHING to do with helping the little guy find housing... in reality, it equates to higher property taxes (properties with two legal homes are worth a lot more than a property with one legal home), more GET revenue and more state income taxes to collect on rent. It's just a big tax scheme to prop up those govt coffers.
Why do you think the city is pushing to allow Ohana units to not be restricted to just blood relatives? It has NOTHING to do with helping the little guy find housing... in reality, it equates to higher property taxes (properties with two legal homes are worth a lot more than a property with one legal home), more GET revenue and more state income taxes to collect on rent. It's just a big tax scheme to prop up those govt coffers.
In my opinion, Hawaii taxes, especially property taxes, are far to low and should be raised. If my house was in California I'd pay well over $20,000 year. Here, just a fraction of that.
most people have 2 jobs, live in multi generational house with parents and other relatives sharing expenses.
1x!
Also you plan your entertainment, ie: Movies, go out to dinner, maybe once a month or every other month.
You do not take many vacations back to the mainland.
Gas for the car, you try to make all your running around in the same location, at the same time.
Electricity as mentioned, is the biggest payment outside of maybe your Home mortgage or car payment.
Your car, again might be used, as that will be all you can afford.
My car's for example. I usually own my cars for 8 to 10 years has been my average time i keep my cars, before getting a new car. None of this getting a new car every couple of years.
Some examples. I am sure others have there own ways to get by.
Multigenerational homes are very different from single unit homes or single family homes having multiple people/families living in them. This is the case for most Oahu single family residences with multiple families residing in them - the additional people living in these homes are mostly non-blood relatives. Further, 9 out of 10 people that rent a room in their home, an illegal studio in their home or portion of their home to people other than blood relatives will not divulge that they do this in a US Census survey for blatantly obvious reasons (they don't pay GET, TAT if <180 days or state/federal income tax on rental income received).
The U.S. Census is based on facts. Do you have any supporting material your opinion is based on?
HUD says the median income for a single resident is $67,000, are they incorrect also? At that median, more than half the population does quite well.
Hawaii homeownership is at the highest level in its history. Incorrect?
7% of Hawaii households have assets more than $1 million excluding retirement funds and primary home. Incorrect?
I know it is sexy to suggest everyone is poor in Hawaii but factual data says otherwise.
Last edited by whtviper1; 03-14-2015 at 11:55 PM..
What we used to do to save money was honolulu used to be a great place to entertain yourself with very little to no money. Back in the day we could hang out at ala moana shopping center or pearlridge with little or no money because these places were local friendly and the mall or stores always had something going on to entertain someone. I remember the zoo used to be free too. I like to believe it was like this to counter balance the high cost of living nothing comparable to todays cost of living. Besides nature im not positive honolulu is still like this?
We also had alot of other cheap places we could go to also to entertain ourselves.
But even back then one had to be careful of there lifestyle, couldn't live like one was living in beverly hills.
The U.S. Census is based on facts. Do you have any supporting material your opinion is based on?
HUD says the median income for a single resident is $67,000, are they incorrect also? At that median, more than half the population does quite well.
7% of Hawaii households have assets more than $1 million excluding retirement funds and primary home. Incorrect?
I know it is sexy to suggest everyone is poor in Hawaii but factual data says otherwise.
If you honestly believe a government mandated census is, by default, going to equate to fact, I cannot help you.
The median income is nowhere near $67,000 for a single WORKING resident. Do you really think 50% of our entire Oahu population (i.e. ENTIRE work force) is making at LEAST $67,000? You are so far out of touch with reality, it's not even funny.
Yes, 7% of households have assets in excess of $1M. This is barely 1 in 15 people.
Only my little year of experience... I know the Ewa Beach area as well as much of Waipahu (not counting the new developments) is full of people who have been there forever, living in homes that have been in the family for generations and who have a TON of people living there with them. It's like a 3rd world country there.
I met a man who worked at the recycle place. He looked to be approaching 40 yrs old. He's never been off the island. And he wasn't making very much. Another friend was working a meager job but managed to support her daughter in a 2br apt and also help the deadbeat dad pay his bills in another household with his 3 sons. I always wondered how she got by and managed to pay out all that money. I know resident Hawaiians (though they are from other or blended ethnicities) get some government breaks.
I think pooling resources is one way they survive. For any get-together, everyone brings a dish. There are also a lot of roadside vendors set up on weekends. (selling mangoes, lau-lau, pickled stuff, MOCHI *drool*) Speaking of food, two scoops of rice and a scoop of macaroni salad is usually what is expected on a plate of food - with a meat. Lots of Spam lovers there! Lots of fishermen, too.
I remember when I first started working there. I was on a site visit with 3 guys and, to break the silence as we waited to enter, I asked "Are you all from Hawaii?". They looked from one to the other in a quick moment and answered "Yes, but none of us are Hawaiian." They roared with laughter and, at the time, I didn't really get it.
I just got back from another visit as part of my 23 year love affair with Oahu. I've asked cab drivers, local surfers, friends etc. this very question. They've all responded with what has been said: multiple income streams per person, within the same house and "old" money/equity that bought the house years ago. Even after all these years, when I see $650,000ish as a median home value I scratch my head and wonder how a young married couple build a future there. My guess is that average people have a hard time building, paying off house early, investing and saving for retirement as part of the "Price of Paradise". The other thing I notice while in Don Quiote, Ala Moana, Sand Island...these young couples have a lot of kids at a young age. Not sure what the stats say?
All that said, I totally understand why someone who loves it would stay at any cost. There is no other place like it. We joke about relocating there, especially after this winter but it would be a very poor financial decision at the moment.
I've talked with many people who work two jobs and live in a house with other family members. It wasn't long ago I met a younger lady who worked as a teacher full time during the day and also worked retail in Waikiki part time in the evening. On top of that, she still lived in her parents home.
One other thing I've noticed is older people continuing to work later in life. And I've spoken with several who told me they retired from their long-term jobs but then needed to go back to work part time to supplement their retirement income.
If the median salary is $67,000 as whtviper points out, it still means half of the working population is earning less than that. And it's that half that likely are more inclined to shared living and shared household lifestyles to get by collectively as ohana. Add to that people who aren't working at all.
The basic point is those with money do as they choose and those earning less find a way to get by and it's often through collective living experiences. Which may sound uncommon to many mainlanders. But it is not an uncommon thought for many born & raised in Hawaii or from Asia. Even on the mainland I have many Asian friends who all live in some form of multi-family living arrangements.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
