I managed this property for almost 9 years prior to the current ownership. The building was constructed in the post-war period of the early 50s as a dormitory for Japanese students. The rooms are about 10 by 8' with a few larger corner rooms almost twice that size.
The new owners completely renovated the site back in 2010. It is located with a few blocks of the worst real estate in Honolulu. Mayor Wright public housing project and a string of cheapie dive hotel/apartments a block over starting at Akepo Lane and going down to Island West "apartments" on the corner of S. King and Dillingham road. Also the local female homeless shelter is located in this block. The male shelter is a quarter-mile makai towards the harbor. The area is pretty tame now, but a decade ago it was the center of organized drug trade and prostitution was rampant in the area. Property crime--stolen items, vandalized vehicles, etc. remains a constant problem. The building itself has been greatly improved, there's good security for the building and grounds, gates and locks, area lighting and security cams. There are building personnel on site 24 hours a day. It is still located in the most ghetto neighborhood in Honolulu, and I wouldn't recommend it if one can afford a better building, but it isn't the gang, drug and prostitution run mess I took over as manager of back in 2001. As for some "criminal types" living there--we once had 10 of Oahu's 10 most wanted on the property in a single calendar year, either as residents or transients, a couple of them were rearrested there. :0) Anyone coming to stay for an extended time on Oahu needs to understand that there is very little residential housing on the island, and we can't segregate our neighbors who have felonies like you can when you have living space. Most of these guys live right out in the public parks and areas (being homeless is common here) but there has been fewer crimes committed in these circumstances than I hear about on the mainland. read more