Twenty-three Kauaʻi families have moved into new homes under the county's Lima Ola Project Workforce Housing Development project.
The initiative will eventually build over 500 affordable homes for rent or sale across the ʻEle’ele community, which county officials say is a way to build affordable pathways to homeownership for working families on the Garden Isle.
Andy Friend, the executive director at Kauaʻi's Housing Development Corporation, explained that the units are built on county land, which significantly decreases the price of ownership. He added that this is a big step in keeping local families here, as many have been on the county's Homebuyer List for years without making much, or any, progress toward ownership.
“You got houses with multiple family members living in them because there's just not enough inventory at a price that someone making an average median income can afford today,” Friend said. “So everybody is overwhelmed with joy and hope that they were able to move out of a rental unit or a family home, you know, to finally have their own home.”
The houses were listed between $460,000 and $535,000 to stay in an affordable range for families who are at or below 120% of Kauaiʻi's average median income, which stands at just over $107,000.
These 23 new homeowners are part of Phase 1 of the Lima Ola Project, which includes a total of 38 houses. Friend said the construction for the remaining units will start in January and he hopes construction will wrap up during the summer.
“Most of these people are first-time homebuyers, so this is a big step for them, and they just can't believe that they're in their own home — they thought they would never get a call,” Friend said. “It's a huge need, and our part is small compared to it overall, but it's a start, and it helps.”
