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Did you know April 22^nd is Earth Day?  Traditionally, people commemorate the day by planting a tree, cleaning up our beaches, or going on nature walks, just to name a few.  However, due to COVID-19, outdoor events have been cancelled, but you can still find a Digital Earth Day event online.

The stay-at-home order has created an economic and financial burden on all of us.  Let’s hope we’ve “flattened the curve” so our lives can return to some normalcy once again.  If there is anything else positive that will arise from this ordeal is that the Earth will have had a chance to heal.  All over the world, the air is less polluted, rivers are clearer, and marine life is recovering.  Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970.  What an unexpected and auspicious 50^th anniversary gift to Mother Earth.

We can help the environment year-round by using our car less, conserving water, installing energy-efficient light bulbs, and participating in our recycling program.  In the lower-level parking garage, there are four green bins for residents to deposit their recyclables.  Here is what we can and cannot place in each bin:

PLASTIC – NO CAPS:  Look for the #1 or #2 in a triangle embossed on containers.  Rinse, remove and discard lids and tops.  No food containers.

ALUMINUM & CANS:  Rinse aluminum cans.  If possible, crush cans to make more room in the bin.  Do not include scrap metal.

GLASS – NO CAPS:  Includes containers for beverages, wine, spirits, and food.  Rinse, remove and discard lids and tops.  Do not include dishes and drinking glasses.

For the above recyclables, it’s okay to mix and match if one bin is full.

NEWSPAPER – NO CARDBOARD:  This bin is only for newspaper, paper bags, and white office paper.  No hardcover/paperback books, phone books, cardboard boxes, magazines, glossy inserts, envelopes, tape, sticky labels, and rubber bands.  Staples are okay.

Do not mix the other recyclables in the newspaper bin.

Please only fill the bin with loose items that have been rinsed and dried.  If you carry down your recyclables in a plastic trash bag, do not throw the plastic trash bag itself into the bin.  Rather, empty the contents into the bin and then reuse the plastic bag.  You can also save paper bags to carry down your recyclables, then after emptying its contents, toss the paper bag into the newspaper bin.

Carts are emptied the first Thursday of every month.  Therefore, the best time to empty your recyclables is the weekend that follows it.  If you find all the bins are full, hold on to your recyclables or take them to the nearest recycling center.

So, this weekend, buy yourself a recycling basket to store your cans and bottles.  Then, print the following documents and tape it to the basket to educate everyone in your household how to recycle.

PLASTIC RECYCLING INFO
TOTER RECYCLING GUIDELINES

Do it for Mother Earth and future generations will thank us!

Yes, we know that you are probably tired of hearing and reading about COVID-19 on television and online. Yet, we feel it’s important to share information that is specific to the owners and residents of Oahu Surf II.

• We’re lucky to be living in Waikiki.  We have convenience stores like ABC and Food Pantry very close by within walking distance.  Just remember to stay 6 feet away from the person in front of you when at the checkout lane.
• Both elevators rest on the bottom floor when not in use. Therefore, we recommend taking the other elevator to avoid standing close to others. Use your elbow or least-used finger knuckle to press elevator buttons and not your fingertips, if possible.
• Door knobs are being wiped down daily with disinfectant, but it’s still a good idea to carry personal hand wipes or sanitizer with you at all times. When those little bottles run out, don’t toss ‘um. Instead, it’s much cheaper to just refill it. Also, don’t forget to wipe down your building key with an alcohol-based sanitizer since viruses can live on hard surfaces for hours.
• Please, please, please abide by trash chute rules so everyone may use it without having to take the elevator down to dispose trash. You’ve seen the rules posted in the elevators more often lately because it’s become quite a problem. We do not want to shut it down for improper use.  Consider the safety and health of your RM who has to unclog and clean it daily, sometimes multiple times a day.
• Governor Ige has issued Orders to stay at home until the end of April.  Therefore, it is recommended by the Association that guests also stay at home.  If guests come over to help our kupuna living in the building, they should wear a face mask and practice social distancing.
• The rooftop pool will remain open for the time being.  If you are sick with even a mild cold, do not occupy the pool area.  Keep a comfortable distance away from others, and try to avoid bringing over guests while the statewide Orders are in effect.
• Finally, if you notice anyone taking the paper towels, toilet paper, and other high-demand supplies from the rooftop restrooms, please report it to the RM. These items are there for the convenience of all residents that use the pool.

If you feel you have the symptoms of coronavirus like a high fever and dry cough, do not overwhelm the 911 emergency system unless you have extreme difficulty breathing. Instead, call 211 to find out where the nearest drive-thru COVID-19 screening site is located, and then make an appointment to get tested.

For the latest news about the impact coronavirus has on us, the Hawaii State Dept of Health has setup a website at hawaiicovid19.com. If you have any other tips for residents, please use the comment section below to share your helpful advice with others.

Stay healthy!

This is the final part of a 3-part blog about handling water damage in your apartment. In this article, we go over liability and what the Association’s insurance policy covers.

If an upstairs unit’s washing machine, refrigerator, shower, toilet, etc. fails and causes water damage to the neighbor downstairs, who pays for the damage? If this happens, both owners should report the incident to their respective HO6 companies. If there is building damage, the association will report the incident to the master policy. The owner of the upstairs unit will be assessed the first $5,000 of water extraction bills and building damage (not including upgrades). The upstairs owner should have loss assessment coverage for this. The association’s policy will pay for damage in excess of the deductible for the unit as built. Each owner’s respective HO6 policy will pay for their client’s upgrades, contents, and loss of use.¹

Other policy conditions to keep in mind:²

• The Association does NOT pay the deductible to the homeowner unless the cause of the damage is determined to have originated from a common element of the building, in which case the Board will review each claim on a case by case basis and consider reimbursement to the homeowner for the deductible amount on his/her individual policy.
• The Association is NOT an insurer of unit owners. The Association is NOT responsible for uninsured damage to a unit simply because the problem originated in, on or from the common elements. Instead, the Association is only liable for the deductible amount if negligence on its part, as determined by competent legal authority (i.e. court), caused the problem. Therefore, the Association is NOT liable for damage caused to an apartment by a common element, such as an overflow from the building’s drain line, pipe leaking, etc.

Remember, there is no liability associated with a property claim. The restoration company simply asks the following questions:

1. Did the claim happen during the term of the policy?
2. Is it a covered peril?
3. Is the claim above the Association’s deductible?

If all the above are true, the Association does provide coverage.

Of course, the best way to reduce the number of insurance claims for water damage is to take a proactive approach. You should consult with your plumber on performing periodic inspections and replacements of things like toilet wax rings, shower pans, and water hoses and pipes within your unit.

We hope this 3-part blog has been useful and informative. If you have further questions, contact the Board or attend one of our monthly meetings.

^1. All Owners Should have Proper HO6 Coverage (Insurance Associates)
^2. Claim Policy (Insurance Associates)

This is part 2 of a 3-part blog about handling water damage in your apartment. In this article, we’ll go over the building’s insurance policy and the type of insurance policy you need and what it should cover.

As an owner of a condominium unit, you are also a member of your condo association. As you probably are aware, the association carries insurance on the basic structures and property as originally built. The master policy does not cover your contents, improvements made by you or a previous owner, or your personal liability. Condo unit owners need to protect their own contents and personal liability.¹

The master policy insures:

• Only the interest of the Corporation
• Covers the buildings and items as originally conveyed by the developer
• Built–in appliances and cabinets
• Walls that make up the interior of the dwelling
• Electrical and plumbing fixtures
• Ceiling and flooring

Remember:  All of the above items are covered as originally built.

Subject to the Association deductible, the building is covered for perils like fire, lightning, windstorm, vehicle damage, water overflow, smoke damage etc. Water overflow claims are covered for damage to the building but not your personal property or improvements made to your unit by you or a previous owner. Therefore, you cannot rely on just the master policy.

If you have fire or hurricane damage, the master policy will take care of items as originally built. Your homeowner’s policy, however, will take care of your household goods, improvements, the Association’s deductible, and covers the expense for you to live elsewhere while your unit is rebuilt. The policy you are looking to purchase is commonly referred to as an HO6.

A Homeowners Policy (HO6) insures:

• Your personal contents or household goods
• Your improvements to the dwelling made by you or a former owner
• The cost to live elsewhere while your unit is being repaired
• Loss Assessment
• Personal Liability

An HO6 insurance policy is required by all condo owners and necessary to fully protect you and your unit.  Oahu Surf Two House Rule II.A.2 (effective 11/1/2017) states:

“All owners are required to maintain a minimum homeowners’ insurance policy in such liability amounts and types of coverage as established by the Board. Owners and/or their insurance agents may contact the Management Company for the minimum insurance requirements.
Owners who fail to obtain insurance in accordance with this requirement will be assessed the premium cost of insurance obtained by the Association as necessary to bring their unit into compliance.”

You should consult with your insurance agent about how much coverage to purchase. You should also inquire about Loss of Use Coverage, which is provided by HO6 policies, and can cover your hotel bill or loss of rental income if your unit can’t be used due to a covered loss. Don’t forget to provide your insurance agent with a copy of the Association’s master insurance policy. You should have received a Summary of Insurance that accompanied the Notice of Annual Meeting of the AOAO of Oahu Surf II.

Owners and residents must be aware of the following important policy concerning damage and insurance claims at our project:²

• The Association’s insurance: (1) covers the building, common elements, and items included in an apartment as originally built (e.g. carpet, appliances, cabinets, fixtures, etc.); (2) does NOT cover an occupant’s furniture, other personal property, or upgrades to the apartment under any circumstances. Therefore, owners and occupants should obtain an HO6 insurance policy to cover furniture, other personal property and any upgrades to their units, as well as their personal liability.
• The Association’s insurance policy has a $5,000 deductible for flood insurance which is the responsibility of the owner from whose unit the water damage originated. Owners/occupants should obtain coverage for that deductible through their own HO6 insurance policy.
• The Managing Agent is the only party authorized by the Board to submit a claim to the insurance company to determine potential coverage. If the total amount of expected damage is less than the deductible amount, a claim will not be filed since no money would be available. Filing such claims could adversely affect the Association’s insurability.

Next week we’ll go over liability and who should pay for damages.

^1. Insuring Hawaii (Insurance Associates)
^2. Claim Policy (Insurance Associates)

Your Board is concerned over the increased frequency of water claims. So, we put together a 3-part blog article that we hope will answer your questions if you are ever in a situation where water has somehow entered your apartment potentially causing damage.

1. FIND THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK
The first step is to stop the cause of the claim. If water is on the floor, look under sinks for leaks, check the bathtubs, look for a busted pipe behind the fridge, etc. Call a plumber immediately if you can’t turn off the water. Explain the extent of water damage in your condo and the need to make repairs as quickly as possible. If you notice water coming from the ceiling or down the walls and the Resident Manager isn’t available, knock on your upstairs neighbor’s door. The upstairs neighbor might not know there’s a problem, so reach out.

2. CALL THE RESIDENT MANAGER
If the neighbor can’t stop the leak, alert the RM right away. The RM will check for damage to units above, below and on the side of your unit to determine who else might be affected.

3. TAKE CARE OF CLEANUP ASAP
Even minor damage needs to be addressed quickly to discourage mold and mildew growth. Take care of water damage cleanup as soon as possible. To assist you, the RM has a list of licensed restoration contractors/extractors that do cleanup and dry out your unit, many of whom have previously worked on the building. Most mitigation companies will wait to get their money until the claim is settled.

4. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE AGENT
Don’t assume the owners of the upstairs condo or the Association will reimburse you for water damages. Call your insurance agent, and start the claims process. The RM will submit an incident report to the Board and Account Executive.

5. REVIEW THE AOAO’S MASTER POLICY
Contact the Account Executive and request two copies of their master insurance policy. Forward one to your insurance agent so that he or she can determine its coverage and any Association liability.

Next week we’ll discuss the type of insurance policy you should have.

Ordering online is so convenient that even the USPS has been working on Sundays to keep up with the deliveries.  With more people ordering online, our parcel lockers fill up quickly. Our parcel lockers are located near the mauka stairwell in the lower level parking deck. To clear all those lockers before the morning, it is important to check your mailbox every day. If you won’t be able to check your mailbox for more than a couple of days, we recommend placing your mail on hold. You can easily do this up to 30 days in advance by filling out an online form at https://holdmail.usps.com/holdmail. If you’ll be away for several weeks, we recommended picking up your mail at the post office when you return instead of having it delivered to you all at once.

The mail carriers may sometimes make the mistake of placing the wrong key in your mailbox. If you find a package in the locker that doesn’t belong to you, I’m sure the real recipient would be appreciative if you could leave it in front of their door. If it’s not clear which apartment the package is for or it’s for another building, leave it in the locker but let the Resident Manager know.  The RM may be reached from the call box next to the entry gate.

We only have six parcel lockers, and when those fill up, packages cannot be delivered. If you are picking up your packages at the post office more frequently, your Board of Directors would like to hear from you. If we have enough responses, we’ll purchase more parcel lockers.

Mahalo for your cooperation!

Throughout the Thanksgiving and holiday season, let’s all try to do our part in keeping our trash chute clean and clear.

• All trash sent through the chute must be bagged in ten gallon or smaller trash bags and securely sealed.
• If you notice your bag dripping, please double bag it.
• If your bag doesn’t easily fit through the trash chute door, then don’t try to force it.  Instead, carry the trash bag down to the dumpster along with loose items.
• Do not put boxes of any kind in the chute.  It could get lodged inside the chute and become an inconvenience to all residents.
• Boxes should be broken down before throwing it in the dumpster behind the building.
• Do not throw loose cans, bottles and any glass down the chute.
• The trash chute may not be used before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m.

Mahalo for your cooperation!

Oahu Surf II will re-key the building and will need to swap out your old keys for new keys.

The Resident Manager will be in the lobby during the following hours for your KEY EXCHANGE:

Tuesday, November 19
Noon – 2 PM
4 PM – 7 PM

If you require more keys, the standard operating procedures will be followed ($100 deposit per extra key – checks made payable to Hawaiiana Mgmt.)

This will be a key-for-key exchange.  If you are unable to pick up your new keys in the lobby during these hours or have any questions, call or email the Resident Manager in advance to schedule your exchange.

Mahalo for your cooperation!

Beginning 6/3/2019 and continuing to at least 1/31/2020, the city is running a pilot program for bulky item collection in our district.  You will no longer be able to leave your bulky items curbside in front of the building without an appointment.  In fact, it will be illegal to do so!  Information about the pilot program can be found on their website at:

http://www.opala.org/solid_waste/Honolulu_Bulky_Pilot.html

Because we live in a multi-unit residential building, they recommend making arrangements with the Resident Manager.  However, because our building doesn’t have many apartments, residents may call the Refuse Service directly at 768-3200 or make an appointment online at the website above.  You can make an appointment up to three months in advance.  Since there is a limit of 20 bulky items that can be collected per month per building address, they recommend planning well in advance to schedule a pickup especially if you have a lot of bulky items to dispose.

When scheduling your pickup, be prepared to have a complete list of items you’ll be disposing.  If you need to add more items later, you’ll have to cancel your pickup and re-enter it again possibly forfeiting your original collection date.  Prior to your collection date, do not store your bulky items in common areas including your own parking stall.  On the day of your scheduled pickup, have your bulky items curbside before 6 a.m., but no earlier than the evening before the collection date.  Pickup access should not be blocked by objects or vehicles. Do not block sidewalks, driveways or roadways.

Let’s try to make this pilot program a success.  Otherwise, the city may start charging for bulky item collection!  Now that’s no trash talk.

Water damage in condos is a commonly reported claim according to insurance companies. Many times, the culprit is something you use every day. If you have a refrigerator with an ice maker or water dispenser, check the tubing on the back to see if it’s leaking. A small leak left unnoticed can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your apartment and the units below you.

Avoid using plastic tubing. Plastic will eventually deteriorate and spring a leak. The average life span is 5-10 years but may spring a leak sooner if improperly installed or is pinched. Copper tubing is usually used because it’s durable and won’t leave a bad taste in your water or ice, but it can kink easily on bends or at the fitting when moving the refrigerator. The best type of tubing to use is 1/4” braided stainless steel. It’s strong, durable, won’t kink, and the water or ice won’t leave a funny taste in your mouth. Just make sure to leave plenty of extra line so you can pull the refrigerator out to clean or inspect the back periodically.

Of course, it’s always better to be proactive than reactive. To minimize water damage resulting from a broken pipe in your condo, invest in several water alarm leak detectors. This device will emit loud beeps when it comes in contact with water.  Place them on the floor next to your washer, under the sink, or behind the refrigerator. If you have WiFi in your apartment, you can get one that notifies you via email. You can find these at Amazon or other online retailers by searching for “wifi water detector”.

If you plan to be off-island for more than a couple of days, and no one else but you has a key to your apartment, it’s advisable to turn off water supply lines to the washing machine, toilets, and sinks in the kitchen and bathrooms.  Receiving an email alert will do you no good if no one can enter your apartment to check on the situation.

Finally, check your HO-6 insurance policy and be sure you know what it says about water damage caused by plumbing failures. This way you can be prepared to remedy situations if you notice water leaks originating in your apartment or coming from the unit above you.

Be Akamai.  Stay Dry.