Opinion ID: 2521501
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The plain language of the Ordinance supports the application of ROH chapter 38 to the Property.

Text: This court has stated that [o]ur statutory construction is guided by established rules: When construing a statute, our foremost obligation is to ascertain and give effect to the intention of the legislature, which is to be obtained primarily from the language contained in the statute itself. And we must read statutory language in the context of the entire statute and construe it in a manner consistent with its purpose. When there is doubt, doubleness of meaning, or indistinctiveness or uncertainty of an expression used in a statute, an ambiguity exists.... Coon at 245, 47 P.3d at 360. Three articles in ROH chapter 38 are applicable in the present case: article 1, entitled General Provisions; article 2, entitled Condemnation of Condominium Development Leaseholds; and article 5, entitled Eminent Domain. The Property is subject to condemnation under all three articles. Article 1, § 38-1.3 provides that chapter 38 applies to all lands[] in the City and County of Honolulu on which are situated [] residential condominium property regime projects created under HRS Chapter 514A.... The Property meets all of these requirements: it is within the City and County of Honolulu, it is residential, [7] and it was created under HRS chapter 514A. [8] Article 2, § 38-2.1 provides that CPR condemnation applies to developments that, at the time of acquisition by the City, are developed into CPRs or occupied by residential lessees under leases of condominium conveyance documents executed before the effective date of this chapter. The present Property meets both of these requirements. The effective date of chapter 38 is January 1, 1992 (Ord.91-95), and the conveyance documents were executed before that date, so the Property is presently subject to condemnation. Article 5, § 38-5.1 provides that eminent domain applies to developments which are created by condominium property regimes under HRS Chapter 514A.... The Property meets this requirement. See supra note 8. Thus, the Property is subject to condemnation under ROH chapter 38 under the plain language of the Ordinance.