Select an option below to continue reading this premium story.
Already a Honolulu Star-Advertiser subscriber? Log in now to continue reading.
A "new beginning" was proclaimed Wednesday for a 34-year-old former plantation housing complex in Kahuku now occupied by 66 seniors with low incomes.
Affordable-housing developer Vitus Group held a blessing and rededication ceremony for the 64-unit complex called Kahuku Hauoli Hale, where $3.7 million in renovation work was completed in December after nine months.
Renovation work included new energy-efficient appliances and fixtures, new kitchen cabinetry and flooring, granite countertops and upgraded electrical and plumbing systems.
"This is a new beginning for us — I couldn’t have imagined that (Kahuku Hauoli) would turn out this beautiful now that it’s finished," Lani Gilbreath, residents association president, said in a statement.
The 574-square-foot, one-bedroom duplexes next to Kahuku’s municipal golf course were built in 1979 as plantation worker housing.
Seattle-based Vitus acquired the project a year ago from the nonprofit Kahuku Housing Foundation Inc. for $7.9 million, and obtained low-income housing tax credits through the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. to finance renovations.
Tenancy is limited to people ages 62 and older and disabled residents who earn no more than 50 percent of Oahu’s median income. Rent is limited to no more than 30 percent of monthly income. The affordability will be maintained for at least 61 years.
Kahuku Hauoli is one of six Hawaii projects for Vitus, which owns more than 7,000 affordable units in 14 states. The other isle projects are Whitmore Circle Apartments in Wahiawa, Banyan Street Manor and Towers of Kuhio Park in Kalihi, Kekaha Plantation Elderly Housing on Kauai and Lokahi Apartments on Hawaii island.
