Honolulu councilmembers have approved a controversial high-rise housing project along Waialae Avenue.
The Highridge Costa Development Company and co-developer Form Partners plan to build the Pāhoa Ridge apartments along a portion of Waialae Avenue just before it feeds into the H-1 Freeway’s westbound lanes.
The developers have proposed a building up to 210 feet tall with 182 affordable rental units.
They need key approvals from the Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation and the Honolulu City Council, which together can allow construction exemptions such as exceeding the maximum height of the building and the number of housing units.
The state housing agency has already approved the exemptions. The city council unanimously approved the exemptions this week.
Those who testified in opposition said the project would worsen traffic in an already congested area. They also expressed concern over a densely populated building towering over the area.
“It is simply too tall, too dense, and clearly infringes on the right of the neighboring property owners and residents,” said testifier David Watase during a council meeting.
“The surrounding neighborhood is one- and two-story wooden houses. To cram 182 units in a 210-foot building on a 20,000-square-foot piece of land is just asking too much," he added.
Others said traffic mitigation efforts are already necessary in the area.
Janessa Maxilom, who lives in one of the six existing units on the half-acre plot where Pāhoa Ridge is slated to be built, said, "I live there. I know the traffic. I have to deal with it every day. Every day it’s dangerous for me to take a left turn out of my apartment because I’m on a sharp turn, and traffic all converges right where I live.”
Maxilom, a Native Hawaiian, moved into her apartment eight months ago and said she was warned after a month that she might lose her home because of the new high-rise.
But Council Chair Tommy Waters said the project, which the developers want to fill with people who earn no more than 60% of the area median income, is too important.
“This is a state road, and we're hoping that we can work with the state Department of Transportation to alleviate some of these problems. And you know, I can see it — there are going to be problems," he said. "But I do think, and the reason why I'm voting for it is because of the gravity of the housing crisis that we're currently experiencing."
The project borders the area covered by Councilmember Calvin Say who noted that the concerns of the public and relevant officials and agencies have been taken into account.
The developers originally requested to build it up to 250 feet tall with 211 units, plus a parking structure for 281 vehicles, but they reduced the building size and capacity following feedback from the public.
“All modifications to this project and the condition of approval imposed are intended to mitigate the impacts of the modified project, address public and governmental agency concerns, and move forward with the best project possible and provide urgently needed affordable rental housing in urban Honolulu,” Say said.
“It’s hard for me because I do represent the area, and I am listening to all parties plus our future generation of homeowners or renters," Say said. "To the residents, I apologize if I do not have the vote that you wanted me."
The type of housing at Pāhoa Ridge is not yet set. Despite the council’s approval, the developers still have to get financing for the $124 million project.
Their preference is to house only those who earn up to 60% of the area median income, but that plan depends on their ability to get state financing for affordable housing projects.
Other options are to build about 40 rental units to house those earning up to 100% of the area median income, or 182 for-sale units that would be sold at affordable and at-market prices.
