Trouble in paradise is real. Erosion along a stretch of beachfront properties between Rocky Point and Sunset Beach has been a serious problem for years. Several homes have already lost their lanai, or deck, overlooking the water, and others facing a real possibility of falling into the sand.
On Tuesday, a North Shore home partially collapsed, sliding from Ke Nui Road onto the sand near Sunset Beach. Metal, glass and debris littered the sand. Hawaii News Now reported that the property is owned by Josh VanEmmerik, who in 2022 was fined $77,000 after he tried to fight the erosion by pouring concrete onto the beach in front of the house.
Two days later, the home was demolished. VanEmmerik reportedly obtained an emergency permit from the city’s planning department to get the house removed. But the state is now taking legal action against the homeowner. Because the state owns the land up to the high tide mark, it’s tasked with the cleanup. However, the state attorney general filed a motion in court to require VanEmmerick to pay for cleanup costs. The state also filed a temporary restraining order to gain emergency access to the property. State Rep. Sean Quinlan said the property was used as a vacation rental. The property is now in foreclosure, according to reports.
Related: Watch: Beachfront Homeowners Feel Helpless as ’50-Foot’ Swell Targets Sunset Beach
With winter on the way, local residents appear to be worried that this issue may come again soon. Hawaii News Now reported that Quinlan called an emergency meeting of several state agencies to address the problem. But this issue has been apparent on Ke Nui Road homes for years. Summer sees a solid buildup of sand between the properties and the water, only for winter swells to wash it away. And with the Hawaii’s Department of Land and Natural Resources, health and planning departments involved, remedies for this treasured coast could be a costly and time consuming affair.