Hawaii Begins Work on Largest Public Housing Build in State History

State officials and developer Highridge Costa broke ground Thursday on the first phase of the Mayor Wright Homes redevelopment, a 15-acre site in Kalihi-Palama bounded by King Street, Liliha Street and Vineyard Boulevard. The Hawai'i Public Housing Authority is replacing the complex, which has stood for nearly 75 years.

The planned development will hold more than 2,400 rental homes across 10 towers, ranging from studios to five-bedroom units, alongside public housing, condominiums for sale and commercial space. Organizers say the new project will contain seven times as many homes as the current one. More than half of the units will be reserved for tenants earning under 80% of area median income, and later phases will serve households earning up to 100% of that figure, roughly $150,000 a year for a family of four. Current residents displaced during construction are being relocated and will get priority to return.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, said the ceremony marked more than a ceremonial first shovel. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he said, adding that the state cannot address future housing problems by relying on past approaches. He also said that "Public housing should never mean second class housing."

Gov. Josh Green said the project is central to the state's housing strategy. "Housing provides health," he said, noting that people with stable housing can focus on education, food security and health care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, said, "What we are building here is a legacy."

The housing authority puts the cost of Phase 1A at $333 million. The state estimated the full project at $1.3 billion in 2017. The plans include four acres of parks and recreational space, and the site is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi tied the project to the arrival of the Skyline rail line, calling the combination historic for affordable housing. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029, and the full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years. Further information is available at mayorwrighthomes.com.