2,400 new homes planned for 15-acre Kalihi site

A 15-acre site in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood will host more than 2,400 new rental homes. State officials and developers marked the start of this construction on Thursday. The project replaces the Mayor Wright Homes complex, which has stood near downtown Honolulu for nearly 75 years.

The Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority and developer Highridge Costa are leading the effort. The new development will feature 10 towers containing studios, five-bedroom units, and condominiums for sale. This design holds seven times the housing capacity of the current complex. The layout also includes commercial space and four acres of public parks.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, described the event as a step to change how the state addresses housing needs. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said. He noted that current public housing often concentrates poverty in specific areas. "Public housing should never mean second class housing," Ouansafi added.

The plan targets a mixed-income community rather than serving only very low-income residents. 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 that median, roughly $150,000 annually for a family of four. Current residents displaced by construction will have priority to return to their new units.

Gov. Josh Green called the project central to the state's housing strategy. "Housing provides health," he said, explaining that stable housing allows people to focus on education and food security. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, stated that the state is taking on an initiative of significant size. "What we are building here is a legacy," Mohanna said.

The housing authority estimates the cost of Phase 1A at $333 million. The state's 2017 estimate for the entire project remains $1.3 billion. The site is bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard. It is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi linked the project to the arrival of the Skyline rail line.

The first building is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years to complete. Further details on the project are available at mayorwrighthomes.com.