Shovels in the ground at Kalihi start $333 million housing build

Construction crews broke ground on Thursday at the Mayor Wright Homes site in Kalihi. The first phase of the project has a budget of $333 million and will replace the existing complex with new rental and for-sale housing.

The 15-acre site is located in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood, bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. The current complex was built nearly 75 years ago. The new development will feature seven times as many homes as the current site and will serve a wider range of income levels.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority, marked the start of construction. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said. He noted that the state needs new approaches to solve future housing shortages.

Plans for the site include more than 2,400 new rental homes. Units will range from studios to five-bedroom apartments. The development will also include condominiums for sale and commercial space. All structures will be spread across 10 towers.

More than half of the units are reserved for tenants earning less than 80% of the area median income. Later phases will serve households earning up to 100% of the area median income. For a family of four, that threshold is roughly $150,000 per year. Current residents displaced by construction are being relocated and will have priority to return.

Gov. Josh Green attended the ceremony. "Housing provides health," he said. He explained that stable housing allows residents to focus on education, food security, and health care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, called the project a legacy. "What we are building here is a legacy," he said.

The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years to complete. The state estimated the total cost at $1.3 billion in 2017. The site will include four acres of public parks and recreational space. The complex is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029.