Highridge Costa begins construction on Hawaii's largest public housing project

Highridge Costa broke ground on Thursday at the Mayor Wright Homes site in Honolulu's Kalihi-Palama neighborhood. The developer began work on the first phase of what state officials describe as the largest public housing redevelopment in Hawaii's history. The 15-acre plot is bordered by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard.

The project replaces a complex built nearly 75 years ago. The new development will feature seven times as many homes as the current structure. Organizers said the site will serve a mix of income levels rather than exclusively very low-income residents. The plan calls for more than 2,400 new rental units, ranging from studios to five-bedroom apartments. These homes will be distributed across 10 towers, which will also include condominiums for sale, public housing units, and commercial space.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the Hawaii Public Housing Authority, said the ceremony marked more than just the start of construction. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he stated. Ouansafi argued that the state must move beyond past methods to solve future housing issues. He added that public housing should never be considered second-class.

More than half of the new units are reserved for tenants earning less than 80% of the area median income. Later phases of the project will expand eligibility to households earning up to 100% of the area median income. For a family of four, that threshold is approximately $150,000 annually. Current residents displaced by the construction are being relocated and hold priority rights to return to their units.

Gov. Josh Green called the project central to the state's housing strategy. "Housing provides health," he said, noting that stable housing allows people to focus on education, food, and medical care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, praised the state for undertaking a project of this scale. "What we are building here is a legacy," Mohanna said.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi linked the redevelopment to the upcoming Skyline rail line. He described the combination of affordable housing and transit access as a historic step. The development includes four acres of public parks and recreational space. The site is designed to be within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station.

The housing authority estimates the cost of Phase 1A at $333 million. The state's 2017 estimate for the entire 15-year project was $1.3 billion. The first building is scheduled to open in 2029.