HONOLULU (KHON2) – The City and County of Honolulu and the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority are working together to rebuild the Kūhiō Park Terrace area in Kalihi.
Officials say the project will replace old housing with 302 new affordable homes and two manager units, which is a part of a plan to make one of O‘ahu’s biggest public housing areas safer and more modern.
Mayor Rick Blangiardi said this project will give families better homes and help improve the Kalihi community and it is time to invest in the future by creating safe and affordable homes for families.
“The Kūhiō Park Terrace community was originally built in the 1950s and 1960s, during a very different era for Honolulu,” said Mayor Rick Blangiardi. “While these homes have served families for generations, the time has come to invest in the future. This redevelopment will create safe, modern, and affordable homes while also strengthening the Kalihi community with the services and amenities families deserve.”
The new homes will be built on Ahonui St., cost about $214 million and will include new buildings with one to four bedrooms. The area will also have a playground, picnic spots, a community room, gardens, a fitness path and 96 parking spaces.
Governor Josh Green said the project will bring hope and opportunity to local families.
“Kūhiō Park Terrace has been a cornerstone of the Kalihi community for generations, and today we are taking a major step forward in ensuring that it remains a place of dignity, opportunity, and hope for Hawaiʻi families,” Green said. “This redevelopment shows what is possible when the State and City work side by side with private partners and the community: creating homes that are safe, modern and truly affordable.”
The Hawaiʻi Housing Finance and Development Corporation is contributing more than $10 million each in federal and state Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, along with $48.6 million in gap financing through the Rental Housing Revolving Loan Fund.
“We’re creating more than just walls — we’re building homes for kūpuna, families, and working people who deserve safe, attractive, and high-quality housing,” said Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company. “This redevelopment will raise the standard of housing in Kalihi and provide much-needed homes for the community.”
Construction for Phase 1 is expected to start in October 2025 and finish by mid-2028. The new homes are intended for families earning between 30% and 60% of the average income in the area. The total capitalization for this phase is approximately $214.3 million.
For more information, visit kuhiopark.com.