LESS PARKING MEANS LESS DRUGS, OFFICIALS SAY

8 Chinatown Spaces May Be Removed As an Anti-Narcotics Measure

Deputy city prosecutors normally charged with shutting down drug
houses are concentrating on a stretch of Pauahi Street in Chinatown
known for drug dealing, and are proposing a simple solution to get
rid of the problem - remove eight metered parking spaces and put up
"no stopping" signs.

The plan is designed to make it easier for police to spot illegal
activity on the sidewalk across from Maunakea Marketplace and make
drive-by drug deals a lot harder. The city prosecutor's office is
trying to get community support for the proposal before taking it to
the city Transportation Department for action, especially since it
involves sacrificing precious on-street parking in a busy urban area
for something that may not necessarily drive away crime altogether.

"It wouldn't be a magic bullet, but it would be another tool," said
Cecelia Chang, deputy city prosecutor.

And Chang said if it works, it could be exported to other spots where
drug dealing and prostitution are rampant.

The plan falls in line with a number of relatively inexpensive
measures the city has taken to address crime in Chinatown. In May,
the city removed three trellises over several tables on Kukui and
River Streets, where many had long complained of flagrant daytime
drug deals and gambling. Removing the trellises was meant to make it
uncomfortable to sit in the area for long, and residents say the
project appears to have worked.

City crews have also improved lighting on streets in Chinatown and
repainted parking garages for safety.

Chang said she believes this is the first time the city prosecutor's
office has suggested taking out parking spots to address a crime
issue. It's also rare for the prosecutor's office to to try to stop
an on-street drug dealing issue. Usually, Chang and others in the
city prosecutor's Community Prosecution program concentrate on
shutting down drug houses.

But Chang said they are focusing on the Pauahi Street area because of
lots of complaints from residents and workers.

"We are looking at whether a parking regulation ... can be used in a
crime prevention manner," she said.

Chang added, "It's a little out of the box."

Frank Lavoie, chairman of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, said he
expects to see more simple, cheap and sometimes out-of-the-box
strategies to crack down on longstanding crime problems, especially
with the city addressing issues with dwindling resources. He
commended the city prosecutor's office for targeting the Pauahi
Street drug problem and said "anywhere there's drugs or prostitutes,
this would be very effective" to drive them off.

But he added that removing parking spaces is sure to get some people
and businesses angry.

"It's not necessarily a slam dunk," he said.

Several residents at Hale Pauahi, in front of the area where the city
prosecutor's office say the drug dealing is occurring, were in favor
of getting rid of the parking spaces and putting up "no stopping"
signs. But others said they weren't certain it would work. None of
the residents would give their names for fear of retribution.

There is an eatery and a small sundries shop in front of the area
where the parking spaces would be removed.

But people also park in the spots to get to Maunakea Marketplace.

Across the street, there are at least five metered spots and an
unloading area that would remain, Chang said.

In addition, there are on-street spots on Kukui Street and a
municipal parking lot at Hale Pauahi.

Shervelle Gardner, director of operations at the River of Life
Mission, next to Maunakea Marketplace, said drug dealing has been
going on for years in the area the city prosecutor's office is
targeting. She said the proposal to take out parking is a good start.
"There may be an inconvenience for shoppers," Gardner said. "But
anything is better than doing nothing. You can't eat an elephant in
one bite, but you can take it in small pieces."

Police Maj. Clayton Saito, of the Chinatown station, said the Pauahi
Street proposal would "help in the sense in that it would make it
harder for these drug dealers to do a street buy." He also said it
would be easier for police officers to approach cars stopped in front
of the "no stopping" sign and issue citations or check for suspicious
activity. As it is, he said, police officers often have no reason to
approach a car legally parked in the area unless they spot suspicious activity.

It's unclear how long it will take for the plan to come to fruition.

Chang made a presentation to the Downtown Neighborhood Board on
Thursday, and will likely make other presentations at community
groups in the future. She said if residents don't sign on to the
plan, it will be dropped.

But if the community backs it, Chang said she will go to city
transportation officials with the proposal.

Wayne Yoshioka, director of the city Department of Transportation
Services, said once the community has had a chance to weigh in, DTS
will conduct its own investigation into whether it's appropriate to
eliminate the parking spaces.