Governor Josh Green, M.D.

Governor Josh Green, M.D. continues to make affordable housing a priority to ensure that all of our people can live in Hawai‘i. Since signing the Emergency Proclamation Relating to Housing on July 17, 2023, multiple groundbreakings have made possible a diverse range of affordable rental housing solutions.

“Over the next year, nearly 800 new housing units will emerge state­wide, marking the initial surge of thousands of low-income and workforce apartments set to hit the market in the next two to three years,” said Governor Green.

For details on planned and in-construction affordable housing projects, click here. 

Simultaneously, the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority (HPHA) issued an RFQ (request for qualifications) in January 2023, seek­ing a master developer to lead the transformation of a portion of its public housing properties, including Mayor Wright Homes. Highridge Costa Development Co. was selected as the master dev­eloper through the RFQ process and was entrusted with evaluating and master planning the redevelopment of nine targeted sites, spanning almost 80 acres. The goal is to create mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-oriented communities.

The Ka Lei Momi Redevelopment Project aims to deliver a minimum of 10,000 additional housing units in multiple phases spanning approximately two years per phase. The timeline is subject to permit approvals, market factors, funding, and financing availability. The HPHA will support the redevelop­ment effort by offering assistance when needed, while adhering to relevant regulations through regular monitoring activities.

As a result of this project and his many other accom­plishments over the de­cades, HPHA Executive Director Hakim Ouansafi was recently named among Hawai‘i’s Most Admired Leaders for 2023 by Pacific Business News (PBN) for his housing efforts and public service to the community. PBN has celebrated busi­ness and community success through its awards over the years. Ouansafi was chosen due to his principled dedication, charisma, and desire to improve the human condition. He has shown extraordinary leadership for more than three decades leading multiple organizations. Congratulations Hakim!