In act of aloha, Hawaii small business helps family save their home

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Many Hawaii homeowners are facing outrageous insurance increases in the wake of recent disasters in the state. For one family, those added costs left them with a choice no one should have to face.

New paint, flooring, kitchen and bathroom models. Michael Raymond has a lot on his plate.

“Trying to coordinate all of that with three grandchildren that are on summer break. And that’s been a full time job,” Michael said.

His stepfather who is a veteran and longtime Wahiawa resident recently needed to move to a care home.

And in the process of getting his home ready to rent out and pay for that care, Michael realized something.

“His anniversary for insurance was coming due, he got a letter from the company saying they were doubling both the hurricane and the fire insurance,” Michael recalled.

He cancelled, found another local insurer but they ended up only covering the home for a month.

“They didn’t want to take the risk. Based on what happened with the Lahaina fires, they were being more selective. In other words, instead of taking your insurance over the phone, they’re actually taking a look at the house instead. So the first thing we had to do was the appearance of the home. And that was the white roof was no longer white, the yellow vinyl siding was no longer yellow was kind of a mold and mildew kind of tint. So the first person I called was Softwash,” Michael recalled.

That’s when Donovan Morgan of Softwash Hawaii came to the rescue.

“Kind of hit home — the gentlemen is 84 years old and is having some difficulties and if you can imagine getting a notice, saying that they are going to cancel your insurance,” said Morgan. “Yes the house is a little unkept but to make things right, we at Softwash Hawaii like to do the right thing and to help him and his son out by doing this house for free.”

Michael says he was shocked at the gesture.

“I was shocked because in today’s business world, you hear it all the time, they can’t get employees. Inflation is killing companies. And for the gentleman to step up and say it’s on the house. I just looked at my budget and I just was so happy to cross that off, and then move somebody else up to do it,” he said.

As a veteran himself, Morgan said he understands the financial and personal stress.

For Michael, the cost of the work would have been in the thousands.

For Morgan, the value of this act of aloha was priceless.

“I enjoy giving back.”

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