General Questions

Waikiki Banyan is a twin tower, 876 room, private residential condominium built in 1979 on leasehold land one block from Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii. Waikiki Banyan is private property. Our amenities and facilities are for the exclusive use and enjoyment of our residents and their invited guests.

More specifically, Waikiki Banyan is located in the Waikiki Special Design District, zoned “X-2, apartment precinct.” Our Tax Map Key (TMK) is 2-6-25: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 44, 46, 49, 50, 53, 54, 55, 56.

Waikiki Banyan, at 201 Ohua Avenue, occupies the block between Ohua and Paoakalani Avenue, with the entrance to our parking garage off Kuhio Avenue directly across from the Waikiki Marriott Hotel. Our main lobby, porte cochere, and garage exit all face Ohua Avenue.

Note that Ohua is a one-way street going towards the ocean (makai), while Paoakalani is one-way going towards the mountains (mauka).

Hawaiiana Management Company provides full service property management services and works in conjunction with the AOAO in-house management team led by the General Manager, Jack Johnson; Resident Specialist Manager, Angela Taverner; Office Administrator, Natiana Tayaba: Facilities Manager, Christopher Saxton, who are responsible for Administration, employees, and day to day operations of the property under direct the authority of the AOAO Board of Directors.

The Administration Office manages Waikiki Banyan on behalf of the Association but does not manage any individual apartments. We are not realtors, and we have no information regarding rental or sales of Waikiki Banyan units. The Association has no contact person for such information.

If you are at Waikiki Banyan, you can check our lobby bulletin boards, where owners and agents often post information about apartment rentals or sales.

We have contact information for agents with offices at Waikiki Banyan who may be able to help you. You might also contact a local realtor or check the local media for information on available units.

Waikiki Banyan’s Master Sublease runs to November 30, 2035. Beginning December 1, 1979, the terms of the lease provide for lease rent payments through five periods: the first for 11 years, the next three for 10 years each, the last for 15 years.

We are currently in the final period of the lease which runs to November 30, 2035. There are two leases involved: the master ground lease (or leased fee interest) and the sub-lease (sandwich lease). The monthly lease rent you must pay depends on whether you or a previous owner of your unit purchased either the leased fee interest or sandwich lease or both when they were offered for sale.

The master lease is easy to understand; it’s the lease on the ground upon which the Banyan sits. At the end of the master lease, if you have not bought it out (“purchased the fee”) the ownership of your unit reverts to the master lease holder unless a buyout can be negotiated. If you have purchased the fee, you are not subject to the master lease and the unit remains yours.

The sandwich lease is harder to understand. At the time the project was constructed, the master ground lease holder, which was then Lili`uokalani Trust, leased the ground rights to Becker. Becker in turn sub-leased the ground rights to individual unit owners. The unit owner pays Becker (through Hawaiiana) and Becker pays the master lease holder. This simplifies life for the master lease holder, who doesn’t have to worry about collections, and allows Becker to make a profit. Since Becker is in the middle of the master lease and a sub-lease, Becker holds a “sandwich” position.

It is critically important to note that Becker has NO residual rights when the lease periods end. In other words, Becker cannot get title to any of the units.

It got tricky when owners were offered the master lease fee and started purchasing the fee. At that point, if a unit had bought the fee, Becker was no longer sub-leasing from the master lease holder for that unit. Instead Becker was leasing from the unit owner, and in turn sub-leasing back to the unit owner.

Confused? Don’t worry. What you need to know, if you haven’t bought out the Becker sandwich position, is that Becker won’t get your unit in 2035.

Here is a list of your monthly payments under different conditions:

• purchased both the master lease fee interest and the sandwich sub-lease: $0
• purchased the master lease fee interest but not the sandwich sub-lease: $52.20
• purchased the sandwich sub-lease but not the master lease fee interest: $347.94
• did not purchase either the master lease fee interest or the sandwich sub-lease: $400.14

For this final period of the lease, the Master Lease provides that the lessee (Becker) pay the master lease holder an amount equal to 7% of the fair market value of the land, exclusive of improvements and encumbrances. This value was negotiated through contracted legal assistance. Becker gets a markup and individual onwers pay 133 1/3 % of the negotiated fair market value.

As of the end of our lease, November 30, 2035, the sandwich position will disappear leaving only the master lease in effect. At that time your sandwich lease payments, if you still have them, will stop. The Association will then represent those unit owners who have not purchased their share of the master lease fee interest in negotiations with the landowners for a new master lease. The Association cannot guarantee either the success of such negotiations or the terms and conditions which may result.

If you are an owner or have a question pertaining to the Association of Apartment Owners or the common elements of Waikiki Banyan, you can email us at info@waikikibanyan.org, or call our Admin Office at (808) 922-7172. You can send regular mail to us at Waikiki Banyan, 201 Ohua Ave. Ste T2-306, Honolulu, HI 96815.

Office hours:  Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm

You can contact Security at any time at (808) 922-7172.

Please note that the Association does not manage individual apartments. If you have questions about apartment management, rentals or sales, then you should contact an agent like one of our in-house management agents.

The AOAO Administration office in room 306, Tower II, is manned Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (office closed on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays).  Our Waikiki Banyan Security staff are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days week.

Each apartment at Waikiki Banyan has a building mailbox. Mailboxes for each tower are located on the ground floor of their respective towers.

For security reasons, the numbers on the mailboxes do not correspond to the unit numbers. Please do not use your mailbox number for a return address.

The USPS uses your apartment and tower number to deliver mail to the appropriate mailbox. Since units in each tower are numbered similarly, the Postal Service needs both your unit and tower number in order to deliver the mail.

While there are several ways to provide this information, the USPS Waikiki Postmaster has asked that you use the following format for mail coming to Waikiki Banyan “to take advantage of electronic scanning equipment to process your mail more efficiently”:

JOHN DOE
201 OHUA AVE APT T2-1234
HONOLULU HI 96815

In addition to individual unit mailboxes, each tower has a bank of USPS package lockers. When a package is sent to a unit via USPS, the USPS delivery person puts a package locker key into the unit’s mailbox, then the resident can retrieve the package from the locker.

Complicating the situation is the fact that some agents who manage many units, like Aston, block their units’ mailboxes so the USPS person makes deliveries to the Agent, like the Aston desk.

If you’re visiting Waikiki Banyan and you are booked with one of those agents, then you’d have to check with them on your expected delivery. If you’re booked with an owner or agent who provides the mailbox key, then you’ll retrieve your delivery directly from a package locker.

For other delivery services, delivery will normally be made directly to your unit. In any case, we do not allow packages to be left unattended in the residential hallways.

There is a laundry room located at the end of each floor, across the hall from the trash room. Laundry rooms on the 7th floor and up have coin-operated washers and dryers. We ask that you do not use the machines after 9 pm or before 7 am to avoid disturbing other residents.

The WASH machine offers a payrange app that will allow you to use your credit card to use the machines.  See flyer for details: WASH Payrange Flyer

Some of the larger agents in the building offer laundry service. You should check with whoever manages your unit to determine if this is the case.

If the coin-operated machines fail to work properly, please contact Security at (808) 922-7172 so we report the issue to the WASH company who owns the machines. You will be able to collect a refund from the Administration Office during regular working hours.

The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to affect communities throughout the United States and the world. Based on what we currently know about the virus, it is believed to be steadfast in fabric –meaning it may stick around on linens and clothing. The WASH company has developed a series of tips to ensure you’re equipped with the knowledge to defend yourself against this outbreak. See flyer for more information: Safe Laundry Practices

Coin exchange machines are available on the 1st floor in Tower 2 next to the Security Office. The coin machine accepts $1, or $5 bills and exact change only. It will be filled only from Monday – Friday during normal business hours. If the coin machine is out of change, it will be filled on the next business day based on coin availability. It is not always guaranteed that there will be coins available in the machine.  We are only able to get $500 per week from the bank in quarters (that is the limit they allow) and these do run out quickly.

HRS 514B-140(c) states in part:

Subject to the provisions of the declaration, nonmaterial additions to or alterations of the common elements or units, including, without limitation, additions to or alterations of a unit made within the unit or within a limited common element appurtenant to and for the exclusive use of the unit, shall require approval only by the board….

Our House Rules, 3.18.Activity on Premises, states in part:

Nothing shall be allowed, done or kept in any apartment or common element which would overload or impair or damage the structural, electrical or plumbing systems or their components, or cause any increase in the ordinary premium rates or the cancellation or invalidation of any insurance thereon maintained by or for the Association. No unlawful, noxious, offensive or nuisance-causing activity shall be engaged in on the premises.

Installation of a laundry facility in a unit requires the Board’s consent. Unfortunately, we have found that washing machines in units do overload our building plumbing systems, specifically the common element drain line, so the board cannot consent to either a stand-alone or combination unit.

We do not have an HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning) system. Every apartment has its own individual air conditioner connected to an individual 120V electrical line in the unit. Like the other elements of an apartment, the air conditioner must be properly maintained by the unit’s owner or agent.

These units are under the control of individual apartment residents. Unfortunately, they may also be a source of water leaks.

Your unit entry door is a certified 20-minute fire-rated door, in accord with the Uniform Building Code of 1994 (UBC) that is incorporated into Honolulu City Ordinances. According to the City & County Building Department, the UBC provides that entry doors, what it calls “interior corridor” doors, must be tight-fitting against smoke and draft, and be self-closing. This is to make sure that unit entry doors provide protection against fire and smoke from both outside and inside a unit.

If you open your entry door for ventilation, then you are compromising the fire protection it provides for both you and your neighbors.

Security is required by our Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to make sure all unit entry doors are kept closed in order to keep Waikiki Banyan as safe as possible against fire.

On a more general level, since the majority of our residents at any given time are short-term tenant’s unknown to us, we believe it is prudent to keep your entry door closed for more general security reasons.

Our sixth-floor recreation deck offers a wide range of amenities:

  • heated swimming pool, between 71°F and 77°F year-round,
  • 9am-9pm daily
  • two spa hot tubs,
  • separate men’s and women’s showers and saunas – this area is open from 8am to 9pm,
  • multi-use ball court (tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball – currently not in use as we wait on the 2024 Rec Dec upgradeDue to not having high fencing in this area while upgrading, any use/tossing/playing with balls/frisbee’s /tossing items is prohibited)
  • children’s jungle gym playground set,
  • 10 individual coin-operated electric barbecues available from 10am to 9pm (The BBQ’S will be LOCKED at 9pm – so you need to be finished your cooking by then – no exceptions).  They are on a first come first serve basis.

The rec deck is open at all hours, but some facilities are not available all the time. Generally, you can go on the rec deck anytime as long as you are quiet and do not disturb other residents.

The restrooms, showers and saunas are open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The swimming pool is also open between 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

The barbecue area is available from 10am until 9:00 p.m. We lock the barbecues at 9:00 p.m., which allows you to cook up until then.

The multi-use ball court which can accommodate tennis, pickleball, volleyball or half-court basketball is currently UNAVAILABLE due to major renovation project for 2024.  At this time the use of objects like balls of any kind is prohibited due to NO FENCING in place and for safety reasons.

We have 10 coin-operated electric barbecues. These are available on a first-come first-served basis.  The barbecue area is available from 10am until 9:00 p.m. We lock the barbecues at 9:00 p.m., which allows you to cook up until then.

 

Insurance Associates is the broker for our Property Insurance.  If you need certificates for your mortgage or for other insurance purposes, you may download the link document for Waikiki Banyan 22-23 Summary of Insurance Waikiki Banyan 23-24 Summary of Insurance (Revised)

For more information, you may contact:

Insurance Associates
800 Bethel Street, Suite 200
Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
Phone: 808.526.9271

email sue@insuringhawaii.com

 

Insurance Associate can provide the documentation your lender requires. Call Insurance Associate at 808.526.9271 and let them know that you need flood insurance certification for your unit. They will need your unit and tower number, the name and address of your lender and your loan number. If you need documentation of our flood insurance policy renewal, you may download the link document.  Here is the policy effective from 2223 Flood Policy

Waikiki Banyan buys the maximum allowable insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program. The amount of insurance we can buy is limited by the fact that a large percentage of the building area is not “residential.” Thus, we don’t qualify under the law for the 80% of building value insurance. The supplemental flood insurance that was once available through our property insurance carrier is no longer offered.

While this means we aren’t wasting money on unnecessary insurance, it may also mean that persons refinancing or purchasing mortgages from some banks may encounter difficulties. At some point near the end of the financing process you may be told that the Banyan “does not have enough flood insurance” and you must purchase additional insurance as a condition of the loan. By that point you may feel fully invested in the relationship with the bank and switching to another bank may not seem to be an option.

The mortgage financing and refinancing business is competitive, with different institutions offering different terms and stipulations. Some banks do recognize that Waikiki Banyan has adequate flood insurance. We suggest that you ask about flood insurance very early in the financing process.

We have compiled information taken from the NFIP website with an explanatory cover memo. Specifically, our insurance coverage falls under the NFIP’s General Property Form, which limits building coverage to $500,000 and commonly owned contents (outside of individual units) to $500,000. You can find this information on the PDF form Flood Insurance Guide for Community Associations, in the chart on pages 4 and 5. Several owners have told us that this information has helped them in their negotiations with potential lenders.

Article III, Section 15 of our House Rules specifies that no Association employee, which includes Admin and Security personnel, may accept deliveries on behalf of an owner or resident.

We may need to get into your unit for routine building operation or in case of an emergency. For example, a water leak may start in one unit and affect several other units. If the problem unit is not occupied and we do not have the unit’s key, then we must call a locksmith. In extreme situations we may have to force an entry.

If we must force entry into your unit and in doing so damage the entry door, then you must replace the door; it is a 20-minute fire-rated door and cannot be repaired.

From time to time, we need to enter units for routine building operation, such as conducting our on-going pest control program. Again, if we do not have a key that unlocks the unit, we will have to call a locksmith. In either case, any expenses the AOAO incurs will be assessed against the unit owner, together with our Board-authorized administrative charge.

 

Yes. We developed our policy after consulting with Honolulu Police Department. Security makes a “found property” report and secures the property. We keep found property 30 days. If it is unclaimed after that period, we turn it over to the person who found it. If the finder was a tenant who has returned home, we can forward unclaimed property if the finder pays the cost of shipping. If the found property’s owner can be identified, we will attempt to contact the owner so he or she can retrieve their lost item.

If you lose property at Waikiki Banyan, you should make a report to Security.

As of January 1, 2019, we have Hawaiian Telcom (previously serviced with Spectrum).  The AOAO provides all 876 units with bulk basic cable service which includes approximately 175 Advantage Package HD (High Definition) Cable TV channels, Wi-Fi, and High-Speed Internet. The cost of this service is covered by your maintenance fees.

For individuals that have not yet scheduled their installation with Hawaiian Telcom, please visit www.hawaiiantel.com/waikikibanyan or call (808) 643-3456.

For 24/7 Technical support, please call (808) 643-6111.

As you know, for each unit, it must be registered under an owner, renter, or management company.  There are times when an owner sells their unit, but the unit is either occupied by a guest or a new resident, and they will disconnect their services after completion of the sale, without knowing who to call, especially for out-of-State or international owners.

Normal process: A Renter moves out of the unit, or an owner is selling their unit and as long as it is vacant, they call to disconnect their services and return the gateway, set-top box, remote control, and power cords to our Bishop Depot on 1177 Bishop Street.  There are currently no parking stalls at the moment at our building, due to construction, so they will need to park in the loading zone area in front of our building.  The Bishop Depot is located on the left corner of the lobby near the security desk.

For owners who forget to disconnect their services after the sale of their unit or even when renters move out, services will stay active until the new owner/resident tries to call and register the account under their name.  When that happens, a few things can occur, one, you can call the previous owner/agent to verify they moved or sold their unit and see if they are willing to give their authorization to supersede/ transfer their account to the new owner.  If the previous owner refuse to authorize the supersedure/ transfer of services, then the rep. will disconnect their services as requested, they will then be charged for each non-returned equipment.  If the previous owner authorizes the supersedure, then as long as we have the new owner’s/ residents name and their call back number, customer service will then call to compete the supersedure to change the name on the account.  If our call center cannot reach the previous owner, they may/ will disconnect the account as abandoned, and the new resident will lose services and will need to call and schedule a new install.

The hard part for supersedure’s is for new international owners, because our call center is not able to call out to international numbers, these owners will need to call our 24/7 customer service.  For mainland owners, we will need to know where they are located for time differences, because if they live on the East Coast, and our call center calls them 3pm Hawaii Time, it will either be 8 or 9 pm Eastern Time.  For new owners that wish to place the account under a business name or under their management company, they will need to fill out a Letter of Authorization to place residential services under a business name.  There are so many different scenarios, so each one will need to be handled accordingly.

But to keep things simple, it is always best to have the current resident/seller call customer service at (808) 643-3456, and request to disconnect their services at a specific date and return their equipment.  This will allow the new resident to call and schedule their own installation under their name.  One more thing, for any out-of-State owners, please be reminded, you will need someone on-island authorized on your TV account, because customer service will not assist anyone not authorized on their account for any billing inquiry or assistance with services.  Then the owner themselves will need to call customer service or tech support for assistance.

The individual units have Wi-Fi in their bulk basic service plan provided by Hawaiian Telcom. The common areas that will have Wi-Fi capabilities will be the 6th Floor Recreation Deck and the Lobby. Please contact the Admin Office at (808) 922-7172 for the Wi-Fi information.

 

There is no asbestos in our building. Waikiki Banyan was inspected for the presence of asbestos by P.S.I./Hall Kimbrell in July of 1990. No friable asbestos was found in Waikiki Banyan. There was no asbestos in any form found in our residential units. Some non-friable cementitious sheet asbestos was found in panels under utility room windows. Those panels have since been replaced.

Most units still have the original ceiling coating of acoustical spray-on coating or “popcorn.” This is not asbestos but cellulose and is not harmful.

Friable asbestos is in a form which may produce airborne asbestos fibers. Non-friable asbestos, such as sheet asbestos, will not release fibers into the air unless it is drilled, cut or sanded.

Yes. The Board has approved the use of window films that meet specific standards: transparent or clear; block at least 99% UV rays; reflect at least 50% solar energy and transmit at least 70% visible light. Tints that are not clear and/or do not help keep your room cooler are not approved.

Estimated cost of having such film installed is under $850 for most apartments. Any vendor can install the film as long as it meets the above-listed minimum established standards.

According to our Declaration, Section N, Alteration of Project, and HRS §514B-140, Additions to and alterations of condominium, you must request and be granted Board approval to modify your unit so as to enclose your lanai. In practice, there are so many legal questions and practical problems associated with such a modification that in 1993 the Board established a policy of not approving such requests. In 2001 this policy was reaffirmed.

Lanai enclosures done prior to the 1993 Board policy being adopted were allowed to remain. An owner who has her lanai enclosed without seeking Board approval is, in the first instance, in violation of state statutes. In this case, the Board will have no choice but to demand that the unit be restored to its original configuration.

Emergency FAQ

The property was just completely retrofitted with a NEW Emergency Fire System in 2017 which, together with our twenty-four-hour security, makes Waikiki Banyan one of the safest buildings in Waikiki. In addition, there are fire extinguishers and hoses located throughout the building. Every part of the building, including the parking garage, is fitted with sprinklers. The sprinklers are heat-activated and will discharge in the event of a fire. Smoke detectors and manual pull stations are located throughout the residential towers and will, upon activation, inform Security of the location of the alarm. When a detector or pull station is activated on a floor, an alarm will sound on that floor and on the floors immediately above and below it. You will hear a recorded announcement. The elevators in the affected Tower will be recalled to the lobby.

Security will silence the alarm while they respond. They will call Honolulu Fire Department, then attempt to find the cause of the alarm. Security is instructed not to answer the telephone during the emergency, so please do not call for information. Please do not attempt to enter the tower in which the fire alarm has been activated. You can help by staying clear of the main lobby and the elevator lobby of the affected tower during the alarm.

In most cases, Security will find that there is no fire. Sometimes people burn their food and open their unit door to vent the smoke. Sometimes people leave their rooms and forget that there is something cooking. Even when Security informs HFD that there is no fire, the Fire Department will usually arrive on scene within three to five minutes. When the emergency has been resolved, Security will call an all-clear over the emergency speakers on the affected floors. You will then be able to return to your room.

Yes. Waikiki Banyan must remain in compliance with Honolulu Fire Department regulations. One of those regulations requires that each residential unit in the building has posted a fire exit plan. When the Association had the fire sprinkler retrofit done several years ago, a fire exit plan was posted on the inside of the exterior entrance door to each apartment. Once that initial posting was done, the plan became the property and responsibility of each unit owner.

We have made available on these pages Adobe Acrobat files of our general fire exit plans. You can obtain the Acrobat Reader free from www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html.

If you have to replace the original plan with a new one you may either design and post your own or you may obtain a general Fire Exit Plan 2023 T1 or Fire Exit Plan 2023 T2  fire exit plan from these pages or from our Admin Office which you may customize and post for your specific unit or units.

Some rare circumstances may require a complete or partial building evacuation. Should this happen, you should be prepared to leave the building by the nearest stairwell. In case of fire, you should move across Ohua Avenue and keep clear of emergency vehicles and personnel. Our Security and Honolulu Police Department officers will probably be controlling traffic.

If the emergency is other than fire, we have designated the grounds of Jefferson Elementary School as our evacuation assembly area. Jefferson Elementary is located one block towards Diamond Head, on the corner of Kapahulu and Kuhio Avenues.

Yes. Call 911 and ask for the Waikiki Fire Station. Give them your room and tower number and advise them of your condition.
We do not have a doctor on our staff. In the event of a medical emergency you should call 911 or contact Security. Our Security officers have basic first aid and CPR training and may be able to help you with minor injuries and call an ambulance for you if necessary.

Problems FAQ

You should call Security to report a water leak. We will investigate the leak to determine and document its source and the extent of related damages. We can provide you, on request, a copy of our Security Report for information and insurance purposes. Clean up and repair of damages to your unit is a matter between you and the owner or agent of the unit that caused the damage.
If necessary to prevent further damage, the Association will perform emergency clean up. If the leak is caused by a building common element, the Association will take care of repairs.
Most water leaks are caused by something happening in a unit, such as a toilet overflowing or a shower diverter valve failing. We will provide information as to the source of the leak. The owner of the apartment where the leak originated is responsible for any damages resulting from the leak, including compensating the Association if we have to perform emergency clean up or repair.

Water pressure in a high-rise building like Waikiki Banyan is significantly higher than standard residential water pressure. All plumbing parts and fixtures in the building must be capable of handling 125 psi.

We have a list of standards for replacement plumbing parts available for viewing or download. If you expect to have plumbing done in your unit, you should ensure that your plumber is familiar with our requirements.  Plumbing Standards Appendix A Approved 11.8.21

 

You should call Security to report no hot water in your unit. We will investigate to determine and document the issue.

 

When there is a power outage or a power surge our building water pumps may shut down. This will create a change in pressure in our water pipes and allow sediment in the pipes to circulate.

Brown water usually indicates the presence of iron oxide, most likely from the city’s water mains, which does not pose a health hazard. An event other than a power outage, such as a water main break in the area, may also result in brown tap water.

After power has been restored, turn on your COLD water until the water runs clear. This should take only a few minutes.

We cannot shut off the water supply to an individual unit. If you are having an internal problem with water leaking in your unit, you can try shutting the water off internally. There are water shutoff valves located under the kitchen sink, under the vanity sink, at the toilet tank water inlet, and behind the wall in the shower/bathtub enclosure. All except the shutoffs in the shower enclosure are accessible and may allow you to turn off the water until you can call a plumber to fix the leak.

In some cases, a plumber may encounter shutoff valves that do not work or may have to replace shutoff valves. If this happens, you or your plumber should contact our Administration Office at (808) 922-7172 to arrange for an external water shutoff.

An external water shutoff will affect between 10 and 40 units, all of which must be notified of the shutoff. We will schedule a shutoff on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, between 9:00 am and 2:00 pm.

Please fill out  Water Shut Off Information to turn into the Administration Office on the 3rd floor in Tower 2.

The sprinkler heads in each unit are part of the building’s fire alarm and sprinkler system, installed in 1992. You must obtain a building permit in order to make any modifications to the system.

When you or your contractor have obtained a building permit, the next step is to contact us and provide us with a copy of the permit.

We will schedule a shutoff for your floor, which entails draining the water from the sprinkler system so the work can be done, then repressurizing the system after the work is complete.

As of January 1, 2019, the association has changed service providers from Spectrum to Hawaiian Telcom.

For individuals that have not yet scheduled their installation with Hawaiian Telcom, please visit www.hawaiiantel.com/waikikibanyan or call (808) 643-3456.

For 24/7 Technical support, please call (808) 643-6111.

As stated in Article III, Section 4 of our House Rules, each owner is responsible for the conduct of anyone on property under the owner’s authorization. This includes agents, contractors, tenants and guests. If one of these people damages a building common element, like an elevator, the owner is responsible for the cost of repair. In the case of elevators, repairs can cost in the range of $500 or more.

If you are disturbed by noise from another unit, call Security at 922-7172 right away, no matter what time it is. If you are disturbed by noise from someone in a common area, like the recreation deck or lobby, contact Security.

In most cases the people causing the problem are happy to cooperate. Sometimes, as in the case of a weekend party, more drastic measures are necessary to resolve the problem. In rare instances Admin and the Board of Directors may need to get involved. In any event, you should contact Security anytime you have a problem with noise.

Your unit door is a part of the unit itself and is your responsibility. The Association will paint the hallway side of the door and frame, but you must maintain the door.

Unit doors are certified 20-minute fire-rated doors, in accord with the Uniform Building Code of 1994 (UBC) that is incorporated into Honolulu City Ordinances. According to the City & County Building Department, the UBC provides that entry doors, what it calls “interior corridor” doors, must be tight-fitting against smoke and draft, and be self-closing. The intent here is to ensure that unit entry doors provide protection against fire and smoke from both outside and inside a unit. A door that has sustained any structural damage can no longer be fire-rated. It cannot be repaired. It must be replaced.

Since the Ordinance applies to Waikiki Banyan as a whole, the Association must ensure that any damaged unit entry door is replaced with the appropriately UL-certified fire-rated door. More generally, in the interests of safety and of statutory compliance, the Association monitors fire-rated doors throughout the building, including your apartment exterior entry door, to ensure that they are properly maintained.

The windows and frames are part of your unit, and you must maintain them in good repair. Waikiki Banyan is one block from Waikiki Beach and the beautiful Pacific Ocean and thus experiences heavy concentrations of salt in the air. Over time your window hinges and their rivets will corrode unless they are continually maintained. When a hinge corrodes and breaks, you must take immediate steps to prevent the window from falling. You might screw or bolt the window securely shut until you can have the hinge replaced and the window restored to safe working order.

One of our in-house agents, Aston has recommended the following contractor that may be of assist for replacing the window hinge:

Union Glass and Metal LLC – Commercial, Residential and Insurance Work

James M. Fernandez: (808) 479-6031

Association employees cannot do any work at Waikiki Banyan for any person or entity other than the Association.

Hawaiiana Management has provided us information from which we have compiled a Vendor List 9.3.21. Note that this list may not be current. If you are having work done that will cost more than $1000, Hawaii Revised Statutes §444 – Contractors requires that a licensed contractor do the work.

When you have someone on site to do work in your unit, whether it be minor repair or major renovation, you are responsible for their behavior. Your contractor and his workers are subject to our House Rules and must also adhere to a set of Contractor Rules Section 8 MAIN Contractors 10.14.21 Approved  that we drew up after years of experience dealing with building contractors. We suggest you review the Rules of the House and distribute a copy to anyone who will be working in your unit.

We also suggest that you check our HouseRules_rev11.8.2021 and By-Laws before undertaking renovations or alterations to your apartment. Some changes may be prohibited or may require Board approval.

If you lose money in any of our coin operated machines such as washers, dryers or barbecues you should first notify Security at 922-7172 so we can get the problem fixed. You can come to SECURITY for a refund.

You must arrange to have bulky objects like furniture and major appliances taken to a private landfill, or you can call the City & County Bulky Item and Dead Animal Collection service at 523-4685.

You can find more detailed information at the City’s waste management site, http://www.opala.org/.

There is no place on Waikiki Banyan property for bulky items to be left pending pick up. The City & County has designated the curbside area on Ohua Avenue just mauka of our delivery gate for pickup. Pickup in our area of Waikiki is scheduled for every Saturday morning starting at 6:00 a.m. According to the City & County’s official guidelines, you must have your bulky objects at the curbside no later than 6:00 a.m. Saturday, and no earlier than Friday evening. For practical purposes, we have been told by the C&C’s inspectors that no bulky object should be put out before 3:00 p.m.

The Hawai‘i State Department of Health classifies pigeons as vermin and disease vectors. They are a health problem and a nuisance throughout Waikiki.

If you have pigeons nesting on your lanai, we are licensed to have our pest control technician set out traps to catch and remove them. Contact us if this is your problem.

To keep pigeons off your lanai, the first rule is do not feed them. After that, you can choose to install a Board-approved screen on your lanai that will prevent the birds from visiting you.

The screen must be made of black polypropylene ½ inch mesh, which effectively disappears when it is installed. It must be installed so it can be rolled up and down, allowing us access to the lanai for building maintenance.

The installation itself can be done by a pest control company, or by a handyman, as long as it meets our requirements.

Accounts FAQ

Hawaiiana Management at (808) 593-9100 can give you information about your unit account.
In order to protect your identity and ensure only changes that you authorize are made, use Hawaiiana’s Change of Address Form and fax or mail it to their office. Hawaiiana will notify us of the change. Change of Address (hmcmgt.com)
If you are personally known to us, you may make the change in person at our offices and we will notify Hawaiiana.
Since adopting its late fee policy, the Association has seen significant reductions in delinquencies. Your unit account payment is due on the 1st of every month. Please note that your payment is due whether or not you get a statement from Hawaiiana Management. If your full payment is not received by the 1st of the month, or if any part of your balance is not paid by the 1st, it is considered late and may be assessed a $25 late fee. In practice, allowance is made for occasional Postal Service vagaries. Once a late fee is assessed, it is added to your unit’s account balance. Your next payment is applied first against the late fee, then to the regular balance due. It is very important to pay the late fee immediately to avoid incurring more late fees.
Yes. Hawaiiana Management has an automatic payment program called SurePay. You can view and download the SurePay Authorization Form SurePay Authorization (hmcmgt.com) or call Hawaiiana at (808) 593-9100 for information. You may also be able to arrange for automatic payment by your own bank.

Storage FAQ

We have 123 storage lockers in the common garage area. Each locker is 4′ x 4′ x 8′. The lockers are available for lease by owners only. Because storage is so limited in the apartments, we have at least a 10-year waiting list for garage locker rental at this time.

Please note that you may lease one locker of each type per unit owned.

CURRENT STORAGE RATES (as of Jan 2022):  

GARAGE LOCKER:  $200                    LAUNDRY LOCKER:  $120                    SURF LOCKER:  $120

Although the laundry room lockers are about half the size of the garage lockers, they offer the advantages of being on the residential floors. If you want one of these lockers, you should contact our Admin Office to learn if any are available.  However, locker solicitation will be offered in the order of wait list sign-up as lockers on any given floor are given up.

If the unit is sold, any associated locker that is leased out will go back to the association to solicit to the next person on the wait list. Lockers are not transferable to the next owner.

You can add your name to our waiting list for a storage locker by email to info@waikikibanyan.org.

NOTE:  Storage is ONLY AVAILABLE for owners (and owners use only) of a unit at the Waikiki Banyan.

Waikiki Banyan is not an access-controlled building. Our Security has made Waikiki Banyan a relatively safe and secure place to stay, but we can not guarantee that any property you leave in a storage locker will be safe from damage or loss.

The storage lockers are intended to provide convenient storage for easily replaced items, not secure space for valuable property. If security is a concern, then you should keep your property in your apartment or consider a commercial storage vendor.

The fee for Garage and Laundry Room storage lockers is due every year on January 1st. There is high demand for these storage lockers, so please make sure you renew your storage locker rental by the due date.

Please note that you are responsible for paying the annual fee whether or not you receive a statement from our office.

Units FAQ

Owners are responsible for managing their units. If you want to rent your unit you may handle the rental yourself or you may prefer to contract with a professional management agent, several of whom maintain offices at Waikiki Banyan. You should be aware that Hawai‘i statutes require out-of-state owners to have a local agent conduct rentals on their behalf.

Under the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH) Section 21-5.350 you may engage in a “home occupation” provided you comply with certain restriction and standards. Briefly, since the primary use of the unit is as a residence, you must live in the apartment while you operate your business and everyone who works for the business must be a household member. You should read the relevant Section to see all the restrictions.

The restrictions in this section of the ROH also apply to any tenants you may have. If the Association learns of illegal commercial activity in any of our residential units, then we are bound to take all necessary action to enforce the law.

We do not provide check in or check out services. We keep your unit key for emergency access or for routine building operation. We will release your key only to you, the owner, or to your authorized agent who gave us the key.

We do not issue mailbox keys. If you have recently purchased a unit, or are in the process of purchasing, then you should receive a mailbox key from the seller. Each unit has its own mailbox and keys were issued to the original owners of each unit. The mailbox is appurtenant to the unit; the unit owner may change the lock or have it rekeyed at her discretion.

If your unit has a nonconforming use certificate allowing transient vacation rentals, then you should know that the C&C of Honolulu Planning and Permitting Dept. does impose some limits. Specifically, “The unit may be occupied by a family of any size, consisting of a person or persons all related by blood, adoption or marriage, or by no more than five (5) unrelated persons.”

The Revised Ordinances of Honolulu (ROH), § 27-4.3(b) calls for certain minimum floor areas. The standard specifies a minimum floor area of 70 square feet for a room used for sleeping up to two people, and an additional 50sf for each additional person. So, for example, a room where people sleep (it doesn’t specify “bedroom”) would need to be at least 170sf to accommodate four people, 220sf for five, and so on.

Hawaiiana Management, at (808)593-9100, can provide the information you need

Parking FAQ

The parking garage is a common element. All our parking stalls are unassigned. You do not have a specific stall that goes with your unit. Owners receive a parking permit, renewed annually, that allows you to park one vehicle in any available stall free of charge. The House Rules have more detailed information about parking and vehicle operation.
Every year, beginning about the middle of December, we issue a plastic parking permit directly to each unit owner or to someone the owner authorizes in writing to receive the permit. Authorization must be in writing and signed by the owner and can be emailed to info@waikikibanyan.org. Please note that we do not accept a chain of authorization. A person or organization that an owner authorizes to receive his or her parking pass can not authorize someone else to get the pass.

When you report the loss of a parking permit to the Admininstration Office we will void the permit and inform Security. For a $150 charge we can issue you or your authorized representative a replacement at the Administration Office by credit card or check payable to AOAO Waikiki Banyan.

Many owners and agents require a deposit for use of the parking permit to offset the lost-permit charge.  Only owners or authorized person can purchase a replacement parking pass.

No. Only your original permit authorizes you or your tenant or agent to park at Waikiki Banyan. A copy of your permit is, by definition, not the original. It is a counterfeit. In the same way that you cannot use a counterfeit $20 bill to make a purchase, you can’t use a counterfeit parking permit to park.

If you do make and use a copy, then you risk losing your parking privilege at Waikiki Banyan. You may also be liable for criminal prosecution for theft of services.

The owner’s parking permit may not be duplicated or altered in any way. Forgery, alteration or duplication of any parking permit by any means shall result in the following:

  1. 1st Violation – A restitution fee equal to the current daily parking rate from the first day of the current year to the date the violation was discovered or $500, whichever is greater, and the suspension of parking pass privileges for one (1) year.
  2. 2nd and subsequent violations – A restitution fee equal to the current daily parking rate from the first day of the current year to the date the violation was discovered or $500, whichever is greater, and permanent suspension of parking pass privilege (applies only to the unit owner at the time of the violation).
  3. Where a lost pass has been replaced and the original pass is subsequently found, the original pass must be returned to the office immediately. If both the original pass and the replacement pass continue to be used, the above penalties shall apply.

If you’re concerned that your tenants might lose your permit, you can choose not to let them use the permit or ask for a deposit to cover the replacement cost in case the permit is lost.

We have a total of 8 visitor parking stalls are provided on an as available basis; 6 regular parking stalls and 2 stalls designated for use by vehicles displaying a valid disability placard. If no visitor parking stalls are available, the guest must pay the applicable daily rate if they wish to park in the garage. Specially marked Visitor parking stalls with a maximum time limit of four (4) hours are available free of charge for the occasional guests of on-site owners and long-term tenants only, subject to the provisions below.

A. Visitor parking must be pre-arranged in person by the unit owner (or long-term resident) by completing the appropriate registration procedure as detailed below at the Security garage post. If visitor parking is not pre-arranged with security, the visitor must pay the applicable daily parking rate on arrival.

B. Owners and/or long-term residents who expect to have a visitor making use of visitor parking must visit the garage guard post in person on the day of the expected arrival of the guest but no later than 15 minutes in advance of the expected arrival time. The owner or resident must complete the visitor registration log and inform the guard of the approximate expected arrival time of the guest. Pre-registering a guest vehicle does not guarantee that a visitor parking space will be available at the time of arrival.

C. Visitor parking is limited to one visitor vehicle per unit, one time per day (no in-and-out privileges). No vehicles other than those properly registered per 5.13(C) may occupy a visitor parking space.

D. On arrival, provided the visitor vehicle has been properly pre-registered as above, a Visitor Parking pass will be issued. It must be displayed prominently on the front dashboard of the vehicle at all times with the information clearly readable from outside the vehicle. The parking pass may not be altered or duplicated in any way. Forgery, alteration or duplication of any parking pass or permit by any means will result in penalties and/or fines levied against the unit owner and the revocation of owner parking privileges.

E. Visitor parking is strictly limited to a maximum stay of four hours. Any vehicles remaining past the four-hour time limit will be cited, charged the applicable daily parking rate, and are subject to towing at the discretion of the office.

F. Visitor parking is permitted only between the hours of 8:00am and 12:00am (midnight). Any visitor vehicles remaining in the parking lot after midnight will be cited, charged twice the applicable daily rate (for before and after midnight), and towed at the discretion of the management office.

Probably not. Use of the owner’s parking permit is limited to residents (owner-occupants or tenants) and agents on property actively to service a unit. If your friend is neither a resident nor an agent managing a Waikiki Banyan apartment, then they would not be authorized to use the permit.
No. Our parking garage is a common element administered by the Association. Paid parking is a significant source of income for the Association and benefits all owners of Waikiki Banyan. If you rent your individual parking permit, you deprive your fellow owners of income that the Association could otherwise realize through one of our paid parking options.
Waikiki Banyan’s garage is for parking cars, not storage. Under normal conditions a vehicle may park for no more than seven days without being moved. As an owner or resident, you can park your car for extended periods (long-term parking) by registering the vehicle with our Admin Office. We will need information identifying your vehicle, the stall in which it will be parked, and your parking permit number. Our House Rules allow up to one year at a time of registered long-term parking.

There is no charge for bicycle parking, but there are several conditions.

We have a secure, caged area reserved for bicycle and moped parking on level one around from ground-level Security parking booth. Bicycle and moped parking are restricted to this area and is for residents and guests only. All bicycles and moped parked here must be licensed, registered with Waikiki Banyan and in good operating condition.

Security makes periodic checks of the bicycle/moped parking area and will remove any bikes that are unlicensed or are not in good operating condition. Please note that if you leave a bicycle parked in the garage for an extended period it will corrode, gather dust and dirt, and generally deteriorate to the point where it cannot be considered to be in good operating condition.

If a resident does not have authorization to use the owner’s parking permit, or if an owner has more than one vehicle, then paid parking is an option.

Our current paid parking options available from Security at the garage entrance is $30 for 24 hours, and $150 for 7-day parking with unlimited in and out. You pay upon driving into the garage and credit card payments are only accepted. There is an overparking charge of $30 for every 24 hours, or any portion of that time, a car is parked past the expiration of its parking ticket. There are NO REFUNDS.  Should you lose your ticket – you will have to repurchase parking again.  Tell Security if you think you might have parking provided by the unit owner or agent and ask if you can use a loading zone while you check in and get the parking permit.

Moped parking is available from Security at the garage entrance at the rate of $15 for 24 hours. Note that moped parking is only available to our residents and guests only and must park moped in or adjacent to the bike/moped cage at the top of the ramp to the second parking level.

Effective April 1, 2022, parking passes are available for purchase only by “titled owners of units at the Waikiki Banyan” for $245 per month. An owner may purchase only one monthly pass per unit per month for a vehicle owned by him/her and must present proof of registration showing ownership of the vehicle in his/her name at the time of purchase.

The sale of monthly passes begins 5 business days prior to 1st day of each month for use during the following calendar month. Only an owner may purchase a monthly pass, (no agents or representatives) subject to providing proof of vehicle ownership as detailed above. Monthly passes are not transferrable and may be used only for the vehicle declared at the time the pass was purchased. Monthly passes are based on a calendar month (for example January 1 to January 31) not a 30-day period and are non-refundable. No refunds will be given for unused or partially used monthly passes.

Our paid parking policy is “no refunds.”  You would need to contact the agent/booking entity directly to discuss a parking refund from them.

Waikiki Banyan has 876 individually owned apartments, managed by a wide range of individuals and companies. We do not have any way of knowing what arrangements, including parking, a renter may have made with an owner or agent. If you tell Security that your unit comes with parking, Security will let you park in a loading zone while you check in and get the owner’s parking permit. If you do not let Security know that parking is included in your rental, and you pay for parking, we will not refund your parking charge.

We sell paid parking in good faith, and we will not refund parking charges unless our staff has been negligent in some way. If you contend negligence, then we will investigate your allegations and make our decision based on our findings.

If the people from whom you rented the unit failed to tell you that parking was included, then you might seek reimbursement from them.  The renter of the unit is responsible for all rules/parking etc. to be communicated directly to you.

If you are an owner or agent and you allow your tenants to use the owner’s parking permit, then be certain to tell them that when they first enter the garage, they must let Security know that parking is included in their rental.

PORTE COCHERE.  The front driveway, or Porte Cochere, is for the pickup and/or drop off of owners/tenants/guests only. This is not a parking area and vehicles may not be left unattended without express permission from Security.

  1. Use of the Porte cochere is for passenger pick up and drop off only.
  2. Vehicles MAY NOT be left unattended.
  3. There is a 15-minute time limit for pick up/drop off.
  4. Unattended vehicles or vehicles parked in excess of 15 minutes will be subject to removal at owner and/or drivers’ expense.

There are two designated service vehicle parking areas in the Porte cochere. 1.) at the Makai end of the driveway against the wall in front of the garage exit lane, and2.) directly in front of the security office.   Parking in these areas is permitted only with the permission of, and at the direction of, Security.

  1. The AOAO reserves the right to assign parking to contractors and vendors in this area. All vehicles must be registered with Security with driver’s name, contact phone number and the applicable unit number.
  2. Delivery vans/trucks may utilize these areas, with permission from Security, while actively loading or unloading.
  3. Vehicles must not be left unattended other than as permitted by Security for the purpose of delivery of oversized items to a Waikiki Banyan unit. Driver must register as above (A) with the security office.
  4. Unattended vehicles will be subject to removal at owner and/or drivers’ expense.

When Waikiki Banyan’s garage was designed, the architects created a large number of back-to-back (“tandem”) stalls. In some parts of the garage, there are sets of stalls in tandem, with small compact stalls blocked by regular stalls. Since this design was approved by the City & County Building Department for construction, this is the configuration we must maintain.

Our rules require that every vehicle be parked within a marked stall, and that only one vehicle occupy a stall. This means that if a car is parked overlapping two tandem stalls, one of which would normally be unused, that vehicle is tagged with a violation notice. Repeated violations may lead to a vehicle being banned from parking in the garage.

In response to an owner’s suggestion, we have created virtual stalls to allow more rational use of the existing spaces without altering them. Maintenance has marked these virtual stalls with short white lines across existing stall markings. Using virtual stalls will allow owners to stagger their vehicles for easier access without being ticketed by Security.

The diagram below shows 2 parking bays on the mauka side of the parking garage, each containing six stalls, with virtual stall marks painted in.

virtual stalls

Note that all but one of the cars shown in the diagram are parked in accord with our regulations. The vehicle in violation is not in either an actual or virtual stall and would receive a violation notice from Security.

Note also that the two cars that are parked one behind the other are both parked in accord with our regulations. If you choose to park in the inner of two tandem stalls, you take the chance that someone will park behind you and block your exit.