{"id":227469,"date":"2025-10-15T21:50:10","date_gmt":"2025-10-15T21:50:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/227469\/"},"modified":"2025-10-15T21:50:10","modified_gmt":"2025-10-15T21:50:10","slug":"new-house-of-the-warrior-rises-in-hilo-to-serve-big-island-veterans-big-island-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/227469\/","title":{"rendered":"New \u2018House of the Warrior\u2019 rises in Hilo to serve Big Island veterans : Big Island Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new \u201cHouse of the Warrior\u201d has risen in Hilo to serve those brave Big Island k\u016bpuna who selflessly dedicated themselves to protect the nation and the ideals it stands for as members of the armed services.<\/p>\n

Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi \u2014 Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans \u2014 celebrated its grand opening Oct. 14 with a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>An image from the grand opening, which featured a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony, for Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi, Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans, on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

The new community located at the corner of West K\u0101wili and Kapi\u2018olani streets offers 91 1-bedroom units for k\u016bpuna at least 62 years old \u2014 with preference for veterans and surviving spouses \u2014 and an additional unit set aside for an on-site property manager.<\/p>\n

It consists of three 24-unit, 2-story buildings and one 20-unit, 2-story building. Each 1-bedroom unit is about 546 square feet.<\/p>\n

There also are on-site property management offices and four laundry facilities.<\/p>\n

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ADARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD<\/p>\n

Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi \u2014 which loosely translates to \u201cHouse of the Warrior\u201d \u2014 honors Hilo\u2019s beloved ancient chief Hanakahi, known for bringing peace and prosperity, and those modern warriors who served in the U.S. military.<\/p>\n

The project was developed by nonprofit affordable housing organization EAH Housing in collaboration with Hawai\u2018i Island Veterans Memorial \u2014 an all-volunteer nonprofit development entity organized in 1997 for the island\u2019s many veterans and veterans groups.<\/p>\n

It transformed a 5.6-acre parcel into a community that will provide security, dignity and connection for k\u016bpuna earning up to 80% of the area median income.<\/p>\n

Financing for the $58 million affordable housing project was provided by a variety of sources, including Hawai\u2018i County Office of Housing and Community Development. Additional support came via a long-term ground lease from the state under executive order to the county.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Former Hawai\u2018i County Mayor Harry Kim, Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi resident Joseph Gomes and sitting Hawai\u2018i County Mayor Kimo Alameda, with Kahu Kordell Kekoa in the background, during Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans grand opening with traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe are indebted to our veterans,\u201d said Hawai\u2018i County Mayor Kimo Alameda in a release about the new veterans community. \u201cTheir courage and sacrifice touch us all, and we are proud to support this critical affordable housing community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Residents of Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi have access to many additional amenities, including a community center with a common area lounge, coffee bar and fitness room.<\/p>\n

The community center also features a multi-purpose room and a non-commercial kitchen for residents to enjoy social and educational activities together.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis project is a result of the collaboration and support from Hawai\u2018i County, the state and our partners, and reflects our ongoing commitment to creating affordable housing opportunities across the islands,\u201d said EAH Housing Regional Vice President Karen Seddon in the release.<\/p>\n

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD<\/p>\n

Design Partners was architect on the project, with Maryl Construction Group as general contractor.<\/p>\n

EAH Housing Real Estate Management will oversee general operations and maintenance of the property.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery new affordable unit makes a difference, especially for k\u016bpuna on the neighbor islands,\u201d said Hawai\u2018i Gov. Josh Green in the release. \u201cThis community ensures residents can age with dignity and peace of mind, while families know their loved ones are well cared for and safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An image from the grand opening, which featured a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony, for Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi, Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans, on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An image from the grand opening, which featured a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony, for Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi, Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans, on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An image from the grand opening, which featured a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony, for Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi, Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans, on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

An image from the grand opening, which featured a traditional Hawaiian blessing and dedication ceremony, for Hale N\u0101 Koa \u2018O Hanakahi, Hawai\u2018i\u2019s first affordable senior rental community for veterans, on Oct. 14, 2025, in Hilo. (Photo Courtesy: EAH Housing)<\/p>\n

Hawai\u2018i Island Veterans Memorial Chairperson Denise Nakanishi noted that this is only the beginning.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis community is the first phase of a larger master-planned campus,\u201d said Nakanishi in the release. \u201cFuture plans include a veterans center and an outpatient clinic to expand health care access and support services for veterans and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n

Visit the EAH Housing website<\/a> for rental and additional information.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A new \u201cHouse of the Warrior\u201d has risen in Hilo to serve those brave Big Island k\u016bpuna who…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":227470,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[127211,127212,127213,5375,5376,127214,127215,39933,127216,127217,192,127218,7883,127219,127220,79],"class_list":["post-227469","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-environment","tag-58-million","tag-92-units","tag-additional-amenitites","tag-big-island-news","tag-big-island-now","tag-coffee-bar","tag-common-area-lounge","tag-community-center","tag-corner-of-west-kawili-and-kapiolani-streets","tag-eah-housing","tag-environment","tag-fitness-room","tag-grand-opening","tag-hale-na-koa-o-hanakahi","tag-hawai","tag-science"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227469","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=227469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/227469\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/227470"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=227469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=227469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=227469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}