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The Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. has selected EAH Housing, one of the largest nonprofit housing development and management organizations in the Western U.S., to develop the Kahului Civic Center mixed-use complex.
According to a recent announcement from EAH, the project will include a transit hub, a civic center component and 303 affordable housing units.
As the master developer of the multi-phase project — a private-public partnership — EAH Housing will coordinate the development of the civic center with the state Department of Accounting and General Services, the transit hub with Maui County, and the affordable housing with the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp., the announcement noted.
"We are thrilled to be moving forward on this much-needed housing community in Kahului,” Laura Hall, CEO of EAH Housing said in a statement. “Maui is one of the country’s most constricted markets, and the EAH Housing team is proud to lend a hand and move forward our mission of providing high-quality, affordable housing opportunities to those most in need.”
The project is expected to break ground in 2027 and the first phase is expected to be finished by 2029.
According to the announcement, the project, located along Kaahumanu Avenue in Kahului, will offer residents "convenient access to the existing network of retail, health care, educational, financial, religious, recreational and transportation options in the area," and is a "significant step forward" in increasing critically needed affordable housing for Valley Isle residents.
The Civic Center complex aims to provide workforce housing for individuals and families earning between 30% and 60% of the area median income, the announcement noted.
The housing component will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units that will each feature amenities including kitchens with energy-efficient appliances, high-speed internet and cable availability, ceiling fans, and large windows for natural lighting and ventilation, the announcement said.
Additionally, each of the two residential buildings will have a fitness room, central laundry facilities, community rooms and an outdoor recreation deck. The project also will have 320 parking stalls, paved pedestrian paths connecting the site to the larger neighborhood and proximity to the neighboring transit hub with access to public transportation, according to the announcement.