A multi-agency sweep of Uncle Billy’s Hotel in Hilo yesterday resulted in the arrest of two people on outstanding warrants and ten citations for trespassing.

More than three dozen officers from the DLNR Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement (DOCARE), the Hawai‘i County Police Department, and the State Sheriff Division teamed up to sweep the three-story building which is condemned because of unsafe and unsanitary conditions.

Officers, who wore protective shoe coverings and N-95 protective masks,.swept rooms and open areas. Rubbish, human waste, graffiti, hanging wires, and trip hazards were evident throughout the building. Officers

In less than half an hour the building had been cleared, and people inside were brought to the parking lot where they were cited or arrested. Individuals cited for trespass are scheduled to appear in Hilo District Court on May 19.

DLNR continues to seek a general fund appropriation from the legislature of at least $12.5 million for demolition of the building. In the meantime, DLNR has contract security services on the property during nighttime hours, and the department is considering additional security measures, including perimeter fencing and lighting to further secure the premises from trespassers.

DLNR Photo