RAM GAD POD

The REALTORS Association of Maui Government Affairs Director Podcast - Hosted by Jason Economou.

Episodes

Wednesday Sep 11, 2019

This episode is just a quick update with some of my usual rambling. I encourage you to listen to the episode, but here are some of the main points if you don't get a chance: 
Cost Of Government Commission Meeting: Thursday, September 12th, 10:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. in the Mayor’s Conference Room on the 9th floor of the County Building at 200 South High Street in Wailuku.
Maui MPO: The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization is having a Technical Advisory Committee Meeting on Monday, September 16th at 2:00 p.m., in the planning conference room at 250 South High Street. Agenda items include election of Chair and Vice Chair and discussions of the Hele Mai Maui 2040 Long Range Transportation Plan.
Kihei Community Association: Next community meeting is September 17, 2019, from 6:30-8:00 at Saint Theresa Church at 25 West Lipoa Street.
Wailuku Improvements: Phase 1A of the Wailuku Civic Complex project is set to begin in September. Updates on Wailuku construction, along with mitigation efforts that will be implemented during construction, can be found at www.WailukuLive.com. The County will be hosting its next meeting on changes to the Commercial Mixed-use Zoning district of the Wailuku Redevelopment Area Zoning and Development Code on September 27th: 250 S. High Street – Kalana O Maui Building, Planning Conference Room, 1 pm. (Maui Redevelopment Agency Meeting)
NFIP: Without Congressional action, the National Flood Insurance Program will expire at midnight on Monday, September 30th. NAR is working to secure long term reauthorization. To assist REALTORS, NAR has created a FAQ Sheet to address some common concerns.
Toxic Substance Control Act Reminder: Two real estate companies recently settled cases with the U.S. EPA for violating the TSCA by failing to provide proper lead-bases paint disclosures to buyers and renters of homes built before 1978 on Maui and the Big Island. The Disclosure Rule requires sellers and lessors of pre-1978 homes to provide prospective buyers and tenants with a federal brochure about lead-based paint, any information known about lead-based paint in the home, and a warning statement about the potential dangers of lead-based paint.
Mayor Victorino and the RAM GAD: Recently I had the pleasure of appearing on Mayor Victorino’s show on Akaku to discuss the Lahaina injection well issue. After the GET Committee’s vote on Friday to settle the case, Mayor Victorino has asked me to join him on KAOI radio this Thursday at 7 a.m. for further discussion. I will try and upload our conversation as a bonus RAM GAD POD episode this week.
RAM GAD POD: This week’s interview is with Michelle Del Rosario, REALTOR and Executive Assistant to Council Chair Kelly King.

Thursday Sep 05, 2019

This episode is a good one for all my REALTORS out there. Michele McLean is both knowledgeable and a great communicator, so this was an easy interview for me. In this episode we dig into Michele's past, learn about her commitment to service, and we also get to know more about the Planning Department and how it works. My personal highlights were going over some of the issues she gets the most inquiries about (e.g., "Ohana Bill") and learning how community plans are developed. 

Wednesday Sep 04, 2019

Hello Friends,
This episode is just a quick update from me and the usual rambling. If you don't feel like listening to the whole thing, here are the main points:
Wailuku Improvements: Phase 1A of the Wailuku Civic Complex project is set to begin in September. Updates on Wailuku construction, along with mitigation efforts that will be implemented during construction, can be found at www.WailukuLive.com. The County will be hosting several workshops and meetings on changes to the Commercial Mixed-use Zoning district of the Wailuku Redevelopment Are Zoning and Development Code on the following dates:
September 13th: 250 S. High Street – Kalana O Maui Building, Planning Conference Room, 1 pm. (Maui Redevelopment Agency Special Meeting)
September 27th: 250 S. High Street – Kalana O Maui Building, Planning Conference Room, 1 pm. (Maui Redevelopment Agency Meeting)

Kihei Community Association: Next community meeting is September 17, 2019, from 6:30-8:00 at Saint Theresa Church at 25 West Lipoa Street
West Maui Community Plan: The next West Maui Community Plan Advisory Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday, September 3 and Thursday, September 5 at Keopuolani Hall at Waiola Church. The meeting will begin at 5:30 and will focus on policies and actions related to Section 2, Goal 2.1 of the Draft West maui Community Plan. Go to WeAreMaui.org for more information.
Sea Level Rise & Overtourism: Economist Paul Brewbaker will be speaking on Wednesday, September 4, from 5:30 – 7:00 pm at the Sphere at the Maui Ocean Center. “In this presentation, we explore some of the economic implications of overtourism for Hawaii, and relate economic policy responses to those which confront sea level rise attendant to global climate change.”
RAM Stuff: Membership Gala this Friday. Pay your dues! RPAC is awesome!
RAM GAD POD:  The podcast is now available on Anchor, Google Podcast, Spotify, Breaker, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, and Apple Podcasts. This week’s interview is with Michele McLean, Director of the County of Maui Department of Planning. 

Thursday Aug 29, 2019

This episode is an interview with David Belew, Chief Staff Executive for the REALTORS Association of Maui. It is hard for me to talk about this interview without sounding like I'm sucking-up to my boss, so I'll try not to talk it up too much. Nevertheless, this one is a really pleasant listen because David is a really pleasant person. The highlight of this interview for me were learning about David's hatred of free time, his thoughts on working for REALTORS, and his love of board games. I hope you all enjoy this conversation as much as I did. 
Mahalo!

Tuesday Aug 27, 2019

Hello Friends,
Time for another GAD update, plus a nice little chat about the Lahaina Injection Well Case. I'm actually kind of proud of this one, so I encourage you to listen. Nevertheless, if you are only here for the update portion, here are the key points:
Wailuku Improvements: Phase 1A of the Wailuku Civic Complex project is set to begin in September. Updates on Wailuku construction, along with mitigation efforts that will be implemented during construction, can be found at www.WailukuLive.com. The County will be hosting several workshops and meetings on changes to the Commercial Mixed-use Zoning district of the Wailuku Redevelopment Are Zoning and Development Code on the following dates:
August 27th: 200 S. High Street, 9th Floor, Mayor’s Conference Room, 3:30 – 4:30 pm. (Zoning Amendments Workshop)
September 13th: 250 S. High Street – Kalana O Maui Building, Planning Conference Room, 1 pm. (Maui Redevelopment Agency Special Meeting)
September 27th: 250 S. High Street – Kalana O Maui Building, Planning Conference Room, 1 pm. (Maui Redevelopment Agency Meeting)

West Maui Community Plan: Community Plan Advisory Committee meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 28th at the Lahaina Civic Center’s Social Hall at 5:30 pm. The meeting will focus on policies and actions related to Section 2, Goal 2.2 of the Draft West Maui Community Plan: A Complete, Balanced and Connected Transportation Network. Visit www.wearemaui.org for more information.
Maui MPO: The Maui Metropolitan Planning Organization will have a Policy Board Meeting on Friday, August 30th, at 9 a.m., in the Kala Pakui Planning Conference Room located at 250 S. High Street. The agenda and more information can be found at www.MauiMPO.org 
Affordable Rental Housing: Hale Mahaolu will be accepting applications for Kahului Lani Phase 1, a beautiful 82 unit low income rental housing complex for seniors aged 55 and above located at 65 School Street, Kahului. Applications available for pick up at the Hale Mahaolu Central Office from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, from August 12th through August 30th. Applicants must be 55 or older, and target move in date is February 1st, 2020.
First-Time Home Buyers Program: County of Maui is now accepting applications for its First-Time Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Completed applications and credit pre-approval letters must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 30th, 2019.  Lottery drawing is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, September 7th, 2019.  For more info, search online or call Jessica Crouse at 270-1741.
RAM Stuff: The Membership Gala is Friday, September 6th, at the Four Seasons from 10 am to 2 pm. Members should RSVP by September 3rd.  Membership dues are due by September 30th. 
RAM GAD POD: This week’s interview is with the one and only David Belew… The podcast is now available on Anchor, Google Podcast, Spotify, Breaker, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, I think we are on the Apple Podcast app as well. Or, you can Google us now!

Thursday Aug 22, 2019

Hello Friends,
I walked out of this interview wanting Lori Tsuhako to be my best friend, and I think it comes through in the recording. Lori is a kind and thoughtful person, and I loved every minute of this interview. In this episode we got to learn a bit about Lori's professional experience, what it was like for her growing up on Maui, and some of the big differences she has noticed in recent years. We also touched on some of the issues that make affordable housing on Maui a complex problem to solve. This interview was recorded prior to her presentation regarding the County's Strategic Plan on Housing, so we don't get into that here, but I am planning a follow-up interview where we can dig deeper into that. For now, give this episode a listen and get to know Lori Tsuhako and the Department of Housing and Human Concerns a little better. 
Mahalo,
Jason

Tuesday Aug 20, 2019

Hello Friends,
This episode is a brief update, a book recommendation, and some rambling about the Lahaina injection well case all rolled into one. If you don't have the time or inclination to give it a listen, my book recommendation was Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, and the updates are mostly as follows:
 West Maui Community Plan: The Community Plan Advisory Committee has two meetings going on this week. The first meeting is on Tuesday, August 20th, at the Lahaina Intermediate School Cafeteria, and the second meeting is Thursday, August 22nd, at Lahaina Civic Center’s Social Hall. Both meetings will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will focus on Section 2, and Goals 2.1 and 2.2 of the Draft West Maui Community Plan. For more information, and for video recordings of past meetings, check out WeAreMaui.org. 
Baldwin Beach: The Department of Parks and Recreation is holding an open house to present the Baldwin Beach Park Master Plan on Thursday, August 22, from 4:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Paia Community Center.
 Affordable Rental Housing: Hale Mahaolu will be accepting applications for Kahului Lani Phase 1, a beautiful 82 unit low income rental housing complex for seniors aged 55 and above located at 65 School Street, Kahului. Applications available for pick up at the Hale Mahaolu Central Office from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, from August 12th through August 30th. Applicants must be 55 or older, and target move in date is February 1st, 2020. 
 First-Time Home Buyers Program: County of Maui is now accepting applications for its First-Time Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Completed applications and credit pre-approval letters must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 30th, 2019.  Lottery drawing is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, September 7th, 2019.  For more info, search online or call Jessica Crouse at 270-1741. 
HUD Released FHA Condo Rules: On August 14th, 2019, HUD released long-awaited final FHA condo rules. The new rules contain several elements that will enable more buyers to be able to use FHA-insured financing to purchase a condo. Highlights include: The return of single unit approval, also known as spot loans, for units in non-FHA approved properties; Increased certification period from two to three years, plus a six month grace period to submit re-certification materials;  Increased acceptable commercial space to 35% of total area; and Reduced requirements for owner-occupancy percentage exceptions. 
REALTOR Action Day: Volunteers needed on Saturday, September 14th! REALTORS across Hawaii will be working on projects to support our schools. If you are interested in helping, you can contact Erin Clapper at (808)330-8338, or email erinc@bettermauivip.com. Participants can paint encouraging sayings at Lahaina Intermediate, Paint at Maui High School, paint or garden at Pomaika’i Elementary, or relocating the garden at Waihe’e Elementary.  
RAM GAD POD: Tell your friends about the RAM GAD POD! It is now available on Anchor, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Breaker, and Pocket Casts. This Thursday I’ll be uploading a really lovely interview with Lori Tsuhako, the Director of Maui County’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns.  

Thursday Aug 15, 2019

Aloha Friends,
This episode is an interview I recorded with Sandy Baz, Managing Director for the County of Maui, on July 22, 2019. This interview was a lot smoother than the pilot episode, and Sandy was a fascinating guest. Some of the highlights for me were learning about Sandy's youth, his somewhat non-traditional career path, and his deeply spiritual connection to public service. One of the low points was when I disclosed my not so secret goal of going to clown college someday. I really enjoyed recording this one, so I sincerely hope you enjoy listening to it. 
Mahalo,
Jason

Wednesday Aug 14, 2019

Hello Friends,
This isn't really a RAM GAD POD episode, but I'm going to call it that anyway. This is actually audio from my appearance on Don Couch's show on 1110 AM that was recorded earlier today. Don Couch is a great host and it was fun being on his show. It may be worth noting that this was recorded at 7 a.m. and I did not have nearly enough coffee before hand, so I do sound a little tired. Nevertheless, I thought my 5 listeners might be interested in hearing it, so here you go!
Mahalo,
Jason

Tuesday Aug 13, 2019

Hello Friends,
This episode is just a quick update and me rambling about a laser tag party I went to last night. If you don't get a chance to listen, here is what you should know:
First-Time Home Buyers Program: The County of Maui is now accepting applications for its First-Time Home Buyer Down Payment Assistance Program. Completed applications and credit pre-approval letters must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, August 30th, 2019. Lottery drawing is scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, September 7th, 2019. For more information, search online or call Jessica Crouse at (808) 270-1741.
Wailuku Town Improvements: The Department of Management is hosting a community meeting on the Wailuku Town Improvements from 6-7:15 p.m. on Monday, August 19th, at Iao Theater.
Baldwin Beach: The Department of Parks and Recreation is holding an open house to present the Baldwin Beach Park Master Plan on Thursday, August 22, from 4:30-7:00 p.m. at the Paia Community Center. 
Affordable Rental Housing: Hale Mahaolu will be accepting applications for Kahului Lani Phase 1, a beautiful 82 unit low income rental housing complex for seniors aged 55 and above located at 65 School Street, Kahului. Applications are available for pick up at the Hale Mahaolu Central Office from 9:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, from August 12th through 30th. Applicants must be 55 or older, and target move in date is February 1st, 2020.
RAM Member Dues Renewal Time is Almost Here!: RAM's membership year runs October through September. Dues will be posted to all member accounts on August 15th and the deadline to pay is September 30th. Remember, dues are billed electronically, so you will not receive a bill in the mail. Watch your inbox for payment reminders, and feel free to log into your Member Portal beginning August 15th to pay. 
RAM GAD POD: Bonus episode is getting posted today with audio from my radio appearance on Don Couch's show this morning. On Thursday I will be posting my interview with Sandy Baz, Managing Director for the County of Maui. It is a great episode and well worth listening to. 

Jason Economou

Podcast Powered By Podbean

Version: 20230822