![]() ![]() The projects are partly funded by the city’s affordable housing fund. Courtesy: Honolulu Mayor's OfficeĮarlier this month, the city announced a nearly $30 million plan to build six affordable housing projects with a total of 972 units within the next five years. Anton Krucky, director of the Honolulu Department of Community Services. ![]() Oahu alone would need about 21,000 additional housing units between 20, according to the department’s 2019 report. “It’s a sad situation that needs to be addressed by key players in the whole process, which includes the city.”Īccording to a 2016 report by the state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Hawaii would need 64,700 affordable housing units to meet the demand by 2025. “Without a doubt, with Hawaii being the most expensive place to rent, the alternative is to get on the waitlist, live in an overcrowded situation or become homeless,” Watson said. The area median income for a single person is $79,300. Kali Watson, the president and CEO of the nonprofit Hawaiian Community Development Board, said the waitlist is a reflection of the “tremendous need for affordable housing,” especially for people who earn less than 60% of the area median income. The waiting period illustrates the growing demand for affordable housing as home prices have increased sharply in the islands, with the median price over $1 million. McEnroe and others said people have waited six months to three years for an affordable rental to open up. ![]() The state and counties maintain housing inventories, but waitlists for each building are the responsibility of the property mangers. The precise number of people waiting for affordable rentals to open up can’t be determined because many apply to multiple projects. Hawaii Affordable Properties, a local property management company, oversees 5,000 rental units in the state, including some built by the City and County of Honolulu.Īpplicants are processed on a first-come, first-served basis, with units usually becoming available only when someone is evicted or moves out, McEnroe said, adding that occupancy rates are about 100%. “I always encourage applicants to apply to as many properties as they want because, at the end of the day, the goal is to get people housed.” Marin Tower is one of Honolulu’s affordable housing projects. ”If I know I have a long waitlist in one of my properties, I refer them to another property where I think has a shorter waitlist,” said Randeatte McEnroe, regional property manager for Hawaii Affordable Properties. To increase their chances, property managers encourage people to apply for units in multiple buildings. That means waitlists may be anywhere from six months to three years.
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