Kalihi Housing Rebuild Kicks Off

Construction has begun on the first phase of a 2,400-unit housing development in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood of Honolulu. The project replaces the nearly 75-year-old Mayor Wright Homes complex, which sits on a 15-acre plot bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. State officials and community leaders gathered on Thursday for the ceremony, marking the start of the largest public housing redevelopment in Hawaii's history.

The Hawaii Public Housing Authority and developer Highridge Costa are leading the effort. The new site will hold seven times as many homes as the current complex. The development plan calls for 10 towers containing more than 2,400 rental homes. Unit types will range from studios to five-bedroom apartments. The mix includes 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 serve households earning up to 100% of that figure, which is roughly $150,000 annually for a family of four. Current residents displaced by construction have priority to return.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, described the event as a step toward modernizing public housing. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said. He noted that the state must move past old methods to solve future housing problems. "Public housing should never mean second class housing," Ouansafi added.

Gov. Josh Green emphasized the link between stable housing and overall well-being. "Housing provides health," he said, explaining that stable living conditions allow residents to focus on education, food security, and health care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, praised the state's commitment to a project of this scale. "What we are building here is a legacy," Mohanna said.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi connected the housing build to the upcoming Skyline rail line. He called the combination of affordable housing and transit historic. The project is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. The development 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 project was $1.3 billion. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years to complete.