Woman gets 90 days in fraud case ADVERTISING Woman gets 90 days in fraud case WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — A Maui County woman convicted of stealing thousands of dollars in welfare benefits was sentenced to three months in jail. Christiana
Woman gets 90 days in fraud case
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — A Maui County woman convicted of stealing thousands of dollars in welfare benefits was sentenced to three months in jail.
Christiana Santos was sentenced after pleading no contest to a reduced charge of second-degree theft and welfare fraud. Deputy Prosecutor Emlyn said the theft charge was reduced because the estimated amount taken was just more than $20,000.
Court records show the 35-year-old woman falsely reported that her children were living with her to collect welfare benefits from December 2013 to February 2015.
During her sentencing, Santos asked 2nd Circuit Judge Peter Cahill to have the convictions wiped from her record and said the two months she’s already served in jail have “opened my eyes.”
The judge denied Santos’ request, saying he could not be sure she wouldn’t commit any more crimes.
A restitution hearing to determine exactly how much Santos must repay is set for Sept. 22.
Off-island buyers push median Maui home price higher
WAILUKU, Maui (AP) — The median price of a single-family home in Maui County has climbed to $630,000 for the first half of 2016, a sum real estate experts say is pricing locals out of the market.
Realtors Association of Maui President Jeannie Wenger said home sales for the first half of the year primarily were to locals for houses below the median price and to off-island buyers who can pay $600,000 or more.
Local buyers can only afford to pay a fixed amount based on the income from their job or jobs, she said.
The Realtors Association of Maui report noted a 5 percent increase in the median price of homes compared to last year in the same period. The number of units sold also rose, up 7 percent to 531 units in the January-to-June period.
At the end of 2000, the median price of a single-family home was $275,000. Prices have risen 2.3 times higher since then and Wenger said local incomes have not kept pace.
Wenger said one of the biggest problems in the county is inventory, as there are not enough single-family homes available.
She said the lower-end single-family properties — at less than $400,000 — are not in good shape and often have unpermitted structures and illegal rentals. Because of the problems they might not qualify for loans.
