Nonprofits help make affordable homes a reality on Kauai

From the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement

In challenging economic times, 12 very affordable homes are nearing completion in a rural homestead in East Kauai. Built with the assistance of three Hawaiian nonprofits, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, specialty contractors and suppliers and, best of all, the labor of the families who will live in the homes.

The Anahola Self Help Project will finish 12 four-bedroom, two-bath homes at an average cost of $160,000 and square footage of 1,858.  The average monthly payment for the homes, which will house 46 family members, will be approximately $855, depending on family credit criteria and their home loan. 

The Homestead Self Help Program is now building 22 homes on Kauai and Oahu, and will be expanded to Hawaii Island this year. The program is operated by the nonprofit Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement, which is dedicated to capacity building and providing support services to Native communities in Hawaii and the Pacific.

“This project is one of the strategies we are using to bring the cost of housing down to meet DHHL beneficiaries where they are financially,” said Lilia Kapuniai, CNHA vice president. “It differs from a straight market turn-key developer project in that there are no profit margins because CNHA is a nonprofit developer and the families contribute labor to the project.”

The 12-home project will have an economic impact of more than $2.1 million for the Anahola region.  All suppliers and specialty contractors contributing to and working on the project are local.

CNHA is seeking families for the next round of homes being planned for Anahola, Kauai; Laiopua, Hawaii Island; and Kanehili, Oahu. Interested families that have been awarded undivided interest leases on any of the homestead areas may contact Rosalee Puaoi, CNHA project manager, (808) 596-8155 or info@hawaiiancouncil.org.