Construction begins on Kalihi housing project

Construction started Thursday on the first phase of the Mayor Wright Homes redevelopment. The work takes place on a 15-acre site in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood. Officials describe the project as the largest public housing development in the state.

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and developer Highridge Costa are replacing the existing complex. The current buildings are nearly 75 years old. The site sits between King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard.

The new development will include more than 2,400 rental homes. Units will range from studios to five-bedroom apartments. The plan also calls for condominiums for sale and commercial space. These structures will be distributed across 10 towers.

Organizers state the new development will hold seven times as many homes as the current one. More than half of the units will serve tenants earning less than 80% of the area median income. Later phases will extend eligibility to households earning up to 100% of the area median income. That threshold is approximately $150,000 per year for a family of four.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, said the state cannot rely on past methods to solve future housing issues. He noted that residents deserve safe, modern homes in communities where poverty is not concentrated. Public housing should never mean second-class housing, Ouansafi said.

Governor Josh Green stated that stable housing allows people to focus on education, food security, and health care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, described the initiative as a legacy for the state. Current residents displaced by construction are being relocated and will have priority to return to the new units.

The housing authority estimates the cost of Phase 1A at $333 million. The state estimated the total project cost at $1.3 billion in 2017. The development will include four acres of public parks and recreational space. It is located within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years.