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<\/a><\/p>\nphoto courtesy the County of Hawai\u02bbi<\/p>\n
The home was made possible through a collaboration that combines County support with the stewardship of HALE O Hawai\u2018i. The project received $300,000 from the County\u2019s Affordable Housing Production (AHP) Program in Fiscal Year 2023-24 and was developed on State-owned land conveyed to the County by Executive Order, then leased for 65 years to HALE O Hawai\u2018i for this pilot project.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis day is about more than one home \u2014 it\u2019s about building a model that will keep homes within reach for local families,\u201d said Housing Administrator Kehaulani Costa. \u201cBy providing both the land and the funding, the County was able to seed this effort, helping HALE O Hawai\u2018i grow its capacity to serve our community for years ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under the community land trust model, families purchase homes through a long-term leasehold arrangement. The land itself remains in trust, helping reduce the cost of homeownership while ensuring the property remains affordable in perpetuity. Immediate family may inherit the lease, strengthening generational housing stability.<\/p>\n
Pete Hoffmann, President of HALE O Hawai\u2019i Board of Directors, emphasized the broader impact: \u201cIf this is successful, it opens a tremendous opportunity to expand perpetually affordable housing across Hawai\u2018i Island. We are proud to see the Uyeda family step into a home created under this model.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to the Hilo home, HALE O Hawai\u2018i has completed construction of a second single-family home in Volcano that was also supported by $300,000 in Affordable Housing Production Program funding. HALE O Hawai\u02bbi is in the process of finalizing the sale of the home and long-term leasehold arrangement with the qualified buyer.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the County has finalized the 65-year lease of another State-owned parcel in Hilo conveyed to the County by Executive Order to HALE O Hawai\u02bbi to support additional affordable housing opportunities on Hawai\u2019i Island.<\/p>\n
Supporting community land trusts is one part of the County\u2019s larger strategy to address Hawai\u2018i Island\u2019s affordable housing shortage. Alongside efforts to increase affordable rentals, incentivize private development, and rehabilitate and preserve existing housing, land trusts provide a powerful tool to create and preserve affordable homeownership opportunities that last across generations.<\/p>\n