Construction Begins on Hawaii's Biggest Public Housing Overhaul

Construction crews have begun work on Hawaii's largest public housing redevelopment. Groundbreaking for Phase 1 of the Mayor Wright Homes project took place Thursday. The plan will replace the aging complex in Kalihi-Palama. The 15-acre site is located near downtown Honolulu.

The Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority is partnering with developer Highridge Costa on the project. The current complex is nearly 75 years old. It sits near King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. Organizers say the new development will hold seven times more homes. The project will serve a mix of incomes. It will not be limited to very low-income residents.

Hakim Ouansafi leads the housing authority. He said the ceremony was about more than a shovel in the dirt. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said. He added that the state cannot solve future housing problems with past methods. "Public housing should never mean second class housing," he said. Ouansafi said residents deserve modern homes. He said they deserve communities where poverty is not concentrated.

Plans call for more than 2,400 rental units. These units will range from studios to five-bedroom homes. The project will also include public housing units. Condominiums for sale and commercial space are planned as well. All of this will be built across 10 towers. More than half of the units are reserved for tenants earning under 80% of area median income. Later phases will include households earning up to 100% of area median income. That level is roughly $150,000 a year for a family of four.

Gov. Josh Green called the project a key part of state strategy. "Housing provides health," he said. He noted that stable housing helps people focus on education, food security, and health care. Moe Mohanna leads Highridge Costa Development Company. He praised the state for taking on such a large initiative. "What we are building here is a legacy," he said.

The housing authority estimates Phase 1A will cost $333 million. The state's 2017 estimate for the full project was $1.3 billion. The plan includes four acres of parks and recreation space. The site is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi tied the project to the Skyline rail line. He called the combination historic and unprecedented for affordable housing.

Current Mayor Wright residents displaced by construction are being relocated. They will have priority to return to the site. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years. More information is available at mayorwrighthomes.com.