AFFORDABLE HOUSING
GOAL FROM
2008 NKCDP
THE OVERALL GOAL OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAM FOR NORTH KOHALA IS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOW AND MODERATE INCOME RESIDENTS AND THEIR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN
2008 NKCDP OBJECTIVES:
1. To meet the Kohala community’s needs for affordable for-sale and rental housing over a ten (10) year planning
and program development period;
2. To develop a program that will make some of the existing housing stock affordable to young families and young single adults;
3. To integrate new affordable housing into the existing fabric of the community;
4. To develop a strong, community-based organization that can work towards achieving these goals and objectives.
PROGRESS SINCE 2008:
- The Great Recession turned some existing housing stock into affordable housing. Of 199 homes sold below $400,000 between 2009 and 2022, 73% stayed in local hands (although some families lost homes in distress sales).
- Kamauka Self Help Subdivision completed 22 homes
- Four new rental units constructed in Kohala Town Center in Kapaʻau
- Homes for Kohala started as Affordable Housing Group, a sponsored project of the NKCRC
- Updated housing needs survey from 2008 NKCDP to provide data for government agencies and potential housing developers
- Produced video to put a human face on the needs
- Developed strategies to work with owners facing financial distress, intergenerational transfers, vacant properties, first time buyer preparation, and mechanisms to keep homes affordable in perpetuity
2023 HOMES FOR KOHALA GOAL:
KOHALA RESIDENTS AND THEIR DESCENDANTS HAVE SECURE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES THAT MEET THEIR NEEDS AND LIFESTYLE, PRESERVING THE RURAL, DIVERSE CHARACTER OF KOHALA IN PERPETUITY.
COMMUNITY INTENTIONS:
- RETAIN AND REFURBISH EXISTING KOHALA HOUSING STOCK IN LOCAL OWNERSHIP AND AS AFFORDABLE LONG TERM RENTALS
- ADD HOUSING WITHIN THE EXISTING FABRIC OF THE COMMUNITY THROUGH CONSTRUCTION OF ʻOHANA HOUSING UNITS AND ADDITIONAL FARM DWELLINGS ON WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES
- INTEGRATE NEW SMALL TO MEDIUM SCALE HOUSING PROJECTS, BOTH FOR SALE AND RENTAL, INTO ESTABLISHED KOHALA NEIGHBORHOODS, CONSISTENT WITH THE GOAL TO LIMIT DEVELOPMENT TO WITHIN AND NEAR TOWN CENTERS
- CREATE WORKER HOUSING TO SUPPORT AGRICULTURE, EDUCATION, AND MEDICAL SERVICES FOR KOHALA RESIDENTS
COMMUNITY PARTNERS, RESOURCES, AND STAKEHOLDERS
- Homes for Kohala www.homesforkohala.org
- County Office of Housing and Community Development https://www.housing.hawaiicounty.gov/home-ohcd
- Hawaii Island Housing Coalition, a stream of Vibrant Hawaii https://www.vibranthawaii.org/housing
- Hawaiʻi Island Community Development Corporation (HICDC) for self help housing https://www.hicdcorp.org/
- Habitat for Humanity Hawaiʻi Island https://www.habitathawaiiisland.org/
- HALE o Hawaiʻi County Community Land Trust https://haleohawaii.org/