DHHL proposes Wailuku residential subdivision for wait-listed beneficiaries

Public comments are due April 8 on a Department of Hawaiian Homelands draft environmental assessment of its proposed 204 lots in a Wailuku single-family residential subdivision, according to the March 8 issue of The Environmental Notice.

The project calls for building 173 turn-key homes and 31 vacant improved lots. DHHL beneficiaries will be able to purchase homes out right and through a rent-to-own option.

The 77-acre development is owned by DHHL and located at 101 Kuikahi Drive, below Wailuku Heights and above Honoapiʻilani Highway. The agency has issued an anticipated finding of no significant environmental impact. The environmental review is required by law because the project involves the use of state lands and funding.

The 173 turn-key residences will have five residential types, ranging from two to five bedrooms and one to three baths in one- or two-story homes. Living areas will run from 764 to 1,675 square feet. Plans for 31 vacant lots will allow owners to build a home to their liking and budget. Or, they could partner with a nonprofit such as Habitat for Humanity. The 31 vacant lots will have graded pads and utility connections.

A 3.1-acre park will be included on the southern side of the project with an option for a community farm.

The estimated project cost is pending. DHHL will use state and private funding. 

An archaeological inventory prepared in 2005 by Scientific Consulting Services found four historic sites that showed extensive industrial-level sugar cane operations. No further work was recommended by the State Historic Preservation Division.

A cultural impact assessment was prepared by Keala Pono Archaeological Consulting, and it found no ongoing cultural practices at the project site.

While the project would complement and enhance development in the Wailuku-Waikapū area, it also will help address demand for housing from beneficiaries on DHHL’s waiting list, the draft assessment says.

“The project seeks to support the Native Hawaiian population by providing residential accommodations, while the local economy benefits from job creation and resident spending,” it says.

DHHL will provide infrastructure needed for the project, including drainage, wastewater, water and roadway improvements.

Public comments can be sent via email to project consultant G70 at [email protected].