Hawaii starts $333 million rebuild of 75-year-old Kalihi housing

State officials and developer Highridge Costa broke ground on Thursday for the first phase of the Mayor Wright Homes redevelopment. The project aims to replace a complex built in 1951 with a new development on a 15-acre site in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood. The site is bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, framed the construction start as a shift in how the state manages housing. He stated that the event was about breaking barriers rather than just breaking ground. Ouansafi argued that the state cannot solve future housing problems by relying on past approaches. He emphasized that residents deserve safe, modern homes in communities where poverty is not concentrated, asserting that public housing should never mean second-class housing.

The new development will contain more than 2,400 rental homes across 10 towers. This represents seven times the capacity of the current complex. Units will range from studios to five-bedroom homes. The development will include public housing units, condominiums for sale, and commercial space. More than half of the units are reserved for 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, which is roughly $150,000 a year for a family of four.

Gov. Josh Green described the project as central to the state's housing strategy. He noted that stable housing allows people to focus on education, food security, and health care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, said the state was taking on a legacy initiative. He praised the state for undertaking a project of this size.

Current Mayor Wright residents displaced by construction are being relocated and will have priority to return. The housing authority estimates Phase 1A will cost $333 million. The state’s 2017 estimate for the entire project was $1.3 billion. The development will include four acres of public parks and recreational space. It is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi tied the project to the arrival of the Skyline rail line. He called the combination historic for affordable housing. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years. Further information is available at mayorwrighthomes.com.