The Nareit Foundation awarded a $100,000 grants Thursday to Habitat for Humanity Maui to help rebuild fire-devastated Lahaina and for the Residential Youth Services & Empowerment for ongoing renovation of a building in Makiki to serve as a safe transitional home for former foster youths and young adults with children.

Habitat for Humanity Maui is rebuilding affordable homes in Lahaina that were under construction when wildfires that swept through the community in August 2023.

Habitat workers and volunteers are rebuilding the homes to provide permanent, affordable homes supporting moderate- to low-income Lahaina families needing access to good, safe, and reliable housing. The Nareit Foundation grant will help complete the construction of four affordable homes by Habitat for Humanity Maui that will house approximately 20 residents.

On Oʻahu, the nonprofit Residential Youth Services & Empowerment received the two-story building in Maliki as a donation from state Rep. Kim Coco Iwamoto.

Hale Koko is being thoroughly refurbished, with key improvements being the installation of a new electrical system, new plumbing, new kitchen cabinets, and new windows to create a safe, secure, livable, and dignified home environment for the youths and young families to thrive, build their self-confidence, become more independent, and work toward a better future, according to an announcement.

The renovation work is targeted for completion by year’s end. Hale Koko will provide 12 beds with each of the seven units having individual bathrooms, kitchens and living areas. The living space allows youths and young families to escape homelessness and live in a stable and nurturing housing situation.

A full-time, live-in kupuna will provide guidance, advice and moral support in a structured home setting. The nonprofit will operate Hale Koko. With support from agencies like Hale Kipa and Epic Ohana, it will ensure residents receive the supportive care services needed to strive for their goals in life, the announcement says. Hale Koko’s location in Makiki near downtown Honolulu is within walking distance to schools, grocery and retail stores, and access to public transportation. 

RYSE Executive Director Carla Houser said: “Ending homelessness begins with providing more affordable homes and a compassionate living environment. . . This grant is what help makes the work possible to solve homelessness among our youths.” 

The Nareit Foundation grant is being used by RYSE to complete the renovation work and help make Hale Koko a more stable and permanent home environment for the residents.

Nareit President and Chief Executive Officer Steve Wechsler said he appreciates RYSE’s mission to end homelessness among teens and young adults coping with challenging life situations.

“Breaking the cycle of homelessness starts with giving young people a safe and stable place to live, to grow, and to know they can make a better life for themselves,” Wechsler said.

Nareit Hawaii Executive Director Gladys Quinto Marrone added: “RYSE is providing our young people with a solid foundation to build upon and move their life forward in a goal-oriented direction. The stability that RYSE and Hale Koko provide will improve many young lives for many years to come and, with that, we become a stronger community.” 

Other grant awards

HOPE Services Hawai‘i: $78,000

HOPE Services Hawai‘i is renovating the Kani Lea apartment complex in Kailua-Kona, which will provide a safe and secure home setting for low-income individuals and seniors experiencing homelessness, at imminent risk of being homeless, or living in unstable and unsafe housing situations.

HOPE Services Hawai‘i purchased the property in March 2025, which will provide housing for 22 residents living in West Hawaii. The foundation grant is being used to help support critical repairs and infrastructure improvements that are being made, which includes roofing repairs, plumbing and electrical upgrades, and basement and foundation reinforcement. 

Family Promise of Hawai‘i: $70,000

Family Promise of Hawai‘i is making capital repairs to a 20-unit affordable housing property near downtown Honolulu that is currently home to 70 low-income residents, including children. The repairs will address health and safety concerns, address building code compliance, and improve the overall living environment for the residents.

The foundation grant will fund building repairs directly benefiting the residents’ day-to-day safety and quality of life, such as preventing water intrusion and the potential for mold or structural damage, reducing fire and safety hazards, addressing fall-risk hazards in common areas, protecting the facility’s structural integrity and improving its safety and accessibility. 

The Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative

The grants are funded by the Nareit Foundation, a Section 501(c)(3) organization, and real estate investment trusts operating in Hawaiʻi as part of the Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative, which supports nonprofit affordable housing projects. Real estate investment trusts are made up of long-term property holders that own, renovate and manage affordable housing projects, commercial buildings, shopping centers, medical office buildings, logistical spaces and warehouses for small businesses, cellphone towers, public storage facilities and hotels. 

For more information about the support of affordable housing projects and charitable causes by the Nareit Foundation and Nareit Hawaii, visit www.nareithawaii.com.