A 140-unit affordable housing community for seniors has opened on the former ‘Āiea Sugar Mill site in Hawaii.
The 3.5-acre parcel that sat vacant for more than a quarter century before EAH Housing, in partnership with the city and county of Honolulu, transformed it into 83 studio and 56 one-bedroom homes plus a manager’s unit.
Adjacent to a public library, the new community is home to residents 62 and older with incomes at 30%, 50%, and 60% of the area median income.
"Aloha Iā Halewilikō honors the legacy of our island’s plantation era, when communities came together for the common good. This new community reflects that same spirit while giving back to the kūpuna who helped build Hawaii,” said mayor Rich Blangiardi.
The property includes landscaped walking paths, a dog park, community gardens, a multipurpose room, fitness and activity spaces, resident lounges, a covered outdoor lanai, digital literacy programming, and an on-site resident services coordinator.
Through a collaboration with Lanakila Pacific, residents also receive access to free congregate meals, wellness programs, and social activities that promote healthy, connected living.
“Many residents at Aloha Iā Halewilikō are older adults who continue working or want to live closer to children and grandchildren,” said Laura Hall, president and CEO of EAH Housing. “Through strong partnerships with the city and county of Honolulu’s Department of Housing and Land Management team and our financing partners, this community makes it possible for kūpuna to remain in the place they call home.”
The $62.6 million development was made possible through a public-private partnership that included $13 million in Rental Housing Revolving Fund financing and $32 million in tax-exempt Hula Mae Multi-Family bonds from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. and Bank of Hawaii; $6 million in affordable housing funds from the city and county; additional construction and permanent financing totaling $7 million from Bank of Hawaii; and approximately $38 million in federal and state low-income housing and solar tax credit equity provided by U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance.
Nonprofit EAH Housing has developed 22 affordable housing properties in Hawaii and manages more than 3,800 units across 44 communities on Oahu, Maui, and Kauai.