Forty Maui families were selected during a lottery for housing at the Hale Kaiola 100% workforce housing development in Kīhei.
Hale Kaiola is located in North Kīhei and will consist of 40 duplex homes with a yard starting at $395,000. Already under construction, families will start moving in as soon as September, with completion slated for the end of the year. The project site is located at the corner of Kaiola Place and ʻOhukai Road, a few blocks mauka from Mai Poina ʻOe Iaʻu and Kalepolepo Beach Park.
The developer, Alaula Builders hosted 120 virtual participants in the live-streamed lottery event last week, that was monitored by the Department of Housing and Human Concerns.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ADARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD“For an affordable housing developer this is the second-best day you can have. The best day is the day you get to hand families the keys to their new home,” said Alaula Builders Vice President of Development, Lawrence Carnicelli.
“It’s wonderful to witness this joyous occasion,” said Councilmember Kelly King who represents the South Maui district. She was among the local government dignitaries on hand. Others in attendance included: Mayor Michael Victorino, Councilmember Gabe Johnson, as well as representatives from Mike Molina, Tasha Kama and Yuki Lei Sugimura’s offices.
On the call, Alaula Builders shared they will be presenting two more 100% workforce housing neighborhoods before the Maui County Council in April to address the pressing need for local housing on the island.
Both are 100% workforce housing and will require Maui County residency to qualify.
“I just wish we had enough homes so everyone would have won today. But we are working on it,” said Carnicelli.
According to developers, Kaiola is the only 100% for-sale affordable housing neighborhood approved using the County’s 2.97 Workforce Housing “fast-track” process.
Alaula Builders LLC builds for-sale neighborhoods without government subsidies.
“We feel blessed to provide Maui residents quality affordable housing and not dip into the taxpayers’ pockets to do so,” said Doyle Bestill President of Aluala.
For this lottery, Alaula Builders waived the County’s bottom income requirements restricting some lower income families. “We felt that it was important to include anyone that could qualify, no matter what their income was. We just want to get families in homes,” said Carnicelli.
