The Maui County Council's Housing and Land Use committee discussed a resolution on Tuesday that would advance the proposed Hale Mahaolu Ke Kahua project in Waiehu.
The development would create 120 one-, two- and three-bedroom units for "the lowest-income Maui residents" earning 30% to 60% of the area median income — between $21,230 and $42,460 for an individual.
Hale Mahaolu Ke Kahua would be built on an 11-acre site owned by the nonprofit Maui Economic Opportunity, near the intersection of Kahekili Highway and Waiehu Beach Road.
The council committee heard testimony from more than 40 individuals on Tuesday. Most testifiers were in support of the affordable housing and highlighted the need for it. However, several opponents raised environmental and land ownership concerns.
A group of Native Hawaiians claiming ancestral ties to the land have been contesting MEO's ownership rights for the last two years. The group said they are heirs to Pehenui, who acquired land near the 11-acre parcel during the Great Mahele.
In 2021, MEO served a notice to vacate trespassers, and then sought court intervention when the problem persisted. The 2nd Circuit Court for the State of Hawaiʻi later affirmed MEO had a "possessory and title interest" in the property.
According to the state's Office of Hawaiian Affairs records, MEO's title to the property is tied back to King William Lunalilo. Records also indicate Pehenui's land is a mile away from the proposed development site.
After several more notices, MEO, with the help of Maui Police, cleared the 11-acre parcel in January.
Other opponents cited concerns with the environmental assessment — such as traffic and flooding. Residents cited recent weather events that have resulted in the flooding of the property.
Maui County's Department of Housing and Human Concerns said they found no significant impact on the project's environmental assessment last year.
The Council's Housing and Land Use Committee meets again on Thursday, March 2, at 9 a.m. for further discussion.
