§514B-98.5 - Enforcement. - Hawaii Statutes

     [§514B-98.5]  Enforcement.  (a)  Whenever the commission finds based upon satisfactory evidence that any person is violating or has violated any provision of this subpart or rules of the commission adopted pursuant thereto, the commission may conduct an investigation on the matter and bring an action in the name of the commission in any court of competent jurisdiction against the person to enjoin the person from continuing the violation or doing any acts in furtherance thereof.

     (b)  Before the commission brings an action in any court of competent jurisdiction pursuant to subsection (a) against any person who executed an affidavit pursuant to this subpart, it may consider whether the following extenuating circumstances affected the person's ability to comply with the law:

     (1)  Serious illness of any of the owner-occupants who executed the affidavit or of any other person who was to or has occupied the residential unit;

     (2)  Unforeseeable job or military transfer;

     (3)  Unforeseeable change in marital status, or change in parental status; or

     (4)  Any other unforeseeable occurrence subsequent to execution of the affidavit.

If the commission finds that extenuating circumstances exist, the commission may cease any further action and order release of any net proceeds held in abeyance.

     (c)  Any individual who executes an affidavit pursuant to this subpart and who subsequently sells or offers to sell, leases or offers to lease, rents or offers to rent, assigns or offers to assign, or otherwise transfers any interest in the residential unit that the person obtained pursuant to this subpart, shall have the burden of proving the person's compliance with the requirements of this part.

     (d)  Upon request, the commission may require verification that a presumed owner-occupant continues to be an "owner-occupant", as defined in this subpart.  If, due to a sale, lease, assignment, or transfer of the residential unit, the presumed owner-occupant is unable to verify continuing owner-occupancy status, that person may be subject to a fine in an amount equal to the profit made from the sale, lease, assignment, or transfer.

     (e)  The commission shall adopt rules, pursuant to chapter 91, to carry out the purposes of this subpart. [L 2005, c 93, pt of §4]