Hawaii Starts 2,400-Unit Kalihi Housing Build

Construction began on Thursday at the Mayor Wright Homes site in Kalihi-Palama. The project will replace a complex built nearly 75 years ago. New residents in the first phase will find housing options that include studios and five-bedroom units. The development aims to serve households with a wider range of incomes than the previous site.

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and developer Highridge Costa are leading the effort. The 15-acre parcel is bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. Current residents displaced by the work are being relocated. They hold priority rights to return to the new buildings once construction concludes.

The plan calls for more than 2,400 rental homes across ten towers. This total is seven times the number of homes on the current site. Over half of the units are reserved for tenants earning less than 80% of the area median income. Later phases will include homes for households earning up to 100% of that figure, roughly $150,000 annually for a family of four. The site will also feature condominiums for sale and commercial space.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, framed the start of work as a shift in state policy. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said. He added that the state cannot solve future housing issues using old methods. He stated that public housing should never mean second-class housing.

Gov. Josh Green called the project central to the state's housing strategy. "Housing provides health," he said. He noted that stable housing allows people to focus on education and food security. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, praised the state for taking on an initiative of this scale. "What we are building here is a legacy," Mohanna said.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi linked the build to the arriving Skyline rail line. The design places the towers within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. The site will also include four acres of public parks and recreational space.

The housing authority estimates the cost of Phase 1A at $333 million. The state's 2017 estimate for the entire 15-year project was $1.3 billion. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029.