On Wednesday, April 28, 2021, officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), the Hawai‘i County Police Dept. and the State Dept. of Public Safety Sheriffs Division conducted a sweep of all 146 rooms at the former Uncle Billy’s Hilo Bay Hotel.

While the  officers did not find anyone on the property, there was evidence that many of the rooms had been recently occupied.  Officers found trash, clothing, and bedding scattered about as well as graffiti scrawled on doors and on both interior and exterior walls. The interior of the hotel is considered a public health hazard and people are cautioned to stay out.

The iconic hotel was condemned by Hawai‘i County authorities for its unsafe condition. It is under the jurisdiction of the DLNR Land Division, which is in the process of soliciting interest from developers to renovate the salvageable buildings on the property and demolish those that are beyond repair.

People who had been living in the hotel’s rooms had been notified that law enforcement would be coming in to clear it. A private security company is being contracted to provide 24-hour security, and DLNR is investigating the possibility of putting permanent barriers up until a new lease for the property is issued.

Photo courtesy of DLNR