#hawaii housing finance and development corporation

The complex will prioritize families displaced by the August 2023 wildfires, offering stability to a community hit hard by both the disaster and Maui’s ongoing housing crisis.

Measure specifically targets four affordable housing projects that offered 358 units before the fire.

Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit affordable housing provider, has announced plans to redevelop its Lahaina Surf property, and the Front Street Apartments, which is owned by the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation. The redevelopment projects are expected to provide 304 units of family housing for Maui residents.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., highlighted the achievements of the 2024 legislative session to unlock more affordable housing across the state in a ceremony at the State Capitol. Green underscored the collaborative efforts behind several significant bills aimed at addressing the state’s housing crisis. 

A new program offered by the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation sets aside funds for nonprofit community development financial institutions (CDFIs) or other nonprofit housing development organizations who build self-help, for-sale housing for those in low- and moderate-income categories.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., has named several community and business leaders to a number of important state boards and commissions. Among them are Maui residents Bruce Uʻu to the Land Use Commission, Carol Reimann to the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation, Wesley Lo to the Board of Education, Elaine Yamashita to the Early Learning Board and Nathaniel Oswald to the Board of Agriculture.

The Hawaiʻi State Senate Committee on Ways and Means on Friday advanced several bills aimed at addressing key priorities for the Senate. These bills cover areas of supporting the local agriculture industry, protecting the environment against invasive species, building the workforce for the future through public education, and addressing the affordable housing shortage.

Gov. Josh Green, M.D., has signed the fifth Emergency Proclamation relating to Affordable Housing. Developers must now produce 60% of their units at 140% of the area median income or less – instead of the previous 50%-plus requirement.

With ongoing recovery efforts and an estimated 6,000 people still in search of longer-term living arrangements, greater emphasis is being placed on encouraging property owners to offer their available units as long-term housing for survivors and their families.

The purpose of the Rental Assistance Program (RAP) is specifically to help survivors of the Maui wildfires who are not eligible for FEMA assistance. RAP will work to secure housing for up to 12 months for eligible households by connecting them with Airbnb or through the Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation (HHFDC) Hawai‘i Fire Relief Housing Program.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance and Development Corporation has selected EAH Housing to develop the Kahului Civic Center Mixed-Use Complex. The project is expected to break ground in 2027, with the first phase anticipated to be completed by 2029. The project includes a transit hub, civic center component, and 303 affordable housing units.

Governor Josh Green, M.D., with Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, state officials, FEMA and the American Red Cross joined in providing an update on the economic recovery and housing response on Maui following the devastating Aug. 8 wildfires.

The application will help unlock the production of at least 10,800 new housing units within the next six years. Over time and with additional infrastructure, the proposal aims to unlock up to 30,000 new units.  The grant application is not part of the Emergency Proclamation relating to affordable housing. 

With construction of the first phase on a path to be completed by the end of the year, Kaulana Mahina—the new workforce housing development in Wailuku—will soon be accepting applications for its lottery process.

The objective of HHFDCʻs Hawaiʻi Fire Relief Program is: Connect those with available living arrangements with displaced residents. While it is hoped that property owners will charge minimal or no rent, it is up to the owners and residents to agree on rents and other terms as part of standard rental agreements.

Funding has been secured for the third and final phase of the Hale O Piʻikea affordable, mixed-use rental housing community in Kīhei. The 223-unit development aims to provide quality, affordable housing options for individuals and families at or below 60% of the Area Median Income.

During a three-day site visit, members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee were met by state officials and community members who delivered presentations on their plans for a range of both Governor’s and Senate priorities, including: economic and workforce development, investments in infrastructure, and the coalescing of a food innovation network. The group also discussed the future of Kahoʻolawe and Kalaupapa.

The data collected will help the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation and others in the affordable housing community to identify the greatest areas of needs. This will allow HHFDC to make more informed decisions about how to best maximize resources.

Governor David Ige signed three bills into law on Friday that he said supports the state’s ongoing effort to build more affordable homes and provide families and individuals experiencing homelessness with the services they need.

State owners of a major Lahaina development called Villages of Leialiʻi recently offered to transfer for free about 400 acres of the project’s land to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. Although transfer approval and future plans for the land will have to be ironed out by DHHL, the proposal was praised Thursday during a Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. meeting.