The Honolulu City Council is considering a package of bills aimed at combatting illegal game rooms.

What You Need To Know

  • Bill 57 allows the Department of Planning and Permitting to impose fines of up to $1,000 for each day a violation persists and empowers the Department of Corporation Council to take legal action on those who allow game rooms on their properties

  • Bill 58 would promote collaboration between the Honolulu Police Department and the Department of Planning and Permitting by expanding enforcement powers and responsibilities to any officer or inspector who has been designated by a building official and deputized by the chief of police as a special officer for the purposes of enforcement

  • Resolution 23-228 urges city agencies responsible for enforcing building, fire and zoning codes to work with HPD in gathering evidence and serving notices of violation for building code, fire code and land-use ordinance violations for properties that house illegal game rooms.

  • The Makiki Neighborhood Board joined the Downtown-Chinatown and Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Boards in hosting a town hall on Tuesday to discuss the legislation

Bill 57 allows the Department of Planning and Permitting to impose fines of up to $1,000 for each day a violation persists and empowers the Department of Corporation Council to take legal action on those who allow game rooms on their properties.

Bill 58 would promote collaboration between the Honolulu Police Department and the Department of Planning and Permitting by expanding enforcement powers and responsibilities to any officer or inspector who has been designated by a building official and deputized by the chief of police as a special officer for the purposes of enforcement.

Finally, Resolution 23-228 urges city agencies responsible for enforcing building, fire and zoning codes to work with HPD in gathering evidence and serving notices of violation for building code, fire code and land-use ordinance violations for properties that house illegal game rooms.

The measures, introduced by council members Andria Tupola and Tyler Dos Santos Tam, unanimously passed first reading in October and have been referred to the Committee on Zoning.

“This is happening in neighborhoods across the island,” said Makiki Neighborhood Board chair Ian Ross, in a release issued on Tuesday. “I have spoken with neighborhood board chairs and members across the island and I hear so many stories about the problems illegal gaming rooms are causing for residents.

The Makiki Neighborhood Board joined the Downtown-Chinatown and Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Boards in hosting a town hall on Tuesday to discuss the legislation. In attendance were council members Dos Santos Tam and Calvin Say, Honolulu Police Department Narcotics Vice Division Maj. Mike Lambert, Downtown-Chinatown Neighborhood Board chair Ernest Carvalho and Hawaii Kai Neighborhood Board chair Roberta Mayor.

“Game rooms aren’t just illegal, they’re dangerous. They’re hubs for guns, drugs, and crime in our communities,” said Dos Santos-Tam. “These are conversations we absolutely need to have. They move the needle in making our communities safer.”