A land-management company that holds the contract for the U.S. Air Force and manages leases for nearly 2,500 leases to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam is being accused of predatory lease agreements that, according to one state legislator, are impacting hundreds of civilian households.

What You Need To Know

  • Rep. Sonny Ganadan (Kalihi, Kalihi Kai, Keehi Lagoon and Hickam Village) said numerous constituents have contacted his office complaining of dramatic rent increases — $1,250 per month for most leases — at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam

  • According to Ganadan, 453 leases to civilians who work on base, work for the government or are retired from the U.S. military have been impacted by the increases

  • The rent increases are tied to a recent 12% increase in Base Housing Allowance for service members on Oahul; however, civilian households who do not receive the allowance are left to cover the entire difference themselves

  • The representative said that many households will be forced to find housing off-base or move off the island

In a release directed to Gov. Josh Green, the Hawaii Congressional delegation and the California-based Lendlease, Rep. Sonny Ganadan (Kalihi, Kalihi Kai, Keehi Lagoon and Hickam Village) said numerous constituents have contacted his office complaining of dramatic rent increases — $1,250 per month for most leases — at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

According to Ganadan, 453 leases to civilians who work on base, work for the government or are retired from the U.S. military have been impacted by the increases.

Ganadan said that based on meetings with constituents and Department of Defense members, “it is clear that Lendlease is engaged in the arbitrary practices of a predatory corporate landlord and is exacerbating a housing crisis in Hawaii.”

The representative said that many households will be forced to find housing off-base or move off the island.

The rent increases are tied to a recent 12% increase in Base Housing Allowance for service members on Oahu. However, civilian households who do not receive the allowance are left to cover the entire difference themselves.

“The households at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam are also impacted by the Red Hill water crisis,” Ganadan said. “Several homeowners are plaintiffs in ongoing litigation. With no regard to the housing crisis faced by Hawaii residents, exacerbated by the housing crisis on Maui, or the impact that predatory leasing has on our local community, Lendlease continues to raise rents for local families,” Ganadan said.

Ganadan called on the Air Force, Lendlease and the Congressional delegation to freeze rents at the 2022 rate until the matter can be remedied.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.