Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 38, Number 5, 1 May 2021 — More Homesteaders for the Villages of La'i 'Ōpua [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

More Homesteaders for the Villages of La'i 'Ōpua

J 'O KANŪHOU 'ĀINA v ^ HO'OPULAPULA f

By Cedric Duarte In this space several months ago, we explored upcoming expanded homesteading options for Hawahi Island waiting list applicants, including a new Rent-With-Option-To-Purchase project within the Villages of La'i 'Ōpua in Kealakehe. In mid-April, the project heeame a reality for 60 beneficiaries on the Hawai'i Island waiting list who selected their rental units during a lot selection event at the La'i 'Ōpua Community Center. These beneficiaries are anticipated to move into their affordable single-family rental homes in October 202 1 and will have the option to convert their rental into a 99-year homestead lease after 15 years. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, the lot selection was held as a walk-through event following social distancing and gathering guidelines, including the use of a livestreaming platform to allow friends and family to witness the momentous occasion virtually.

the units will be used in determining the sale price at the end of the 15 years. A program of this nature requires public and private partnerships in order to successfully utilize financing tools and tax credits. For this project, low-ineome housing tax credit equity was secured by Hunt Capital Partners in collaboration with Ikaika 'Ohana and Urban Housing Communities. The homes were designed by architectural firm Design Partner, ine. and built by Coastal Construction Co., ine. ThirtyOne50 Management will function as the rental property manager. In addition to the Rent-With-Option-To-Purchase project in Kealakehe, DHHL is in the process of developing several other Hawai'i Island projects, including the upcoming offering of vacant lots in Discovery Harbour, an additional 103 lots in the Village of La'i 'Ōpua subdivision, and the groundbreaking of its Subsistence Agricultural pilot projects in Honomū and Pana'ewa. ■ Cedric R. Ducirte is the Information & Community Relations Offtcer for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. He has worked in communications and marketing since 1 999 and is a longtime event organizer. A product ofthe Kamehameha Schools and the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, lie resides in 'Aiea with his wife and two daughters.

DHHL's Rent-With-Option-To-Purchas£ product will allow families who earn up to 30 percent 40 percent, and 60 percen of the Area Median ineome (AMI) to pay an affordable monthly rent based on theii ineome. The program differs from a rent-to-owr product, where rent wil not contribute to the purchase of the home. Instead, the tenant' s AMI at the initial qualification to occupy

- DHHL beneficiaries select ū lot for the new La'i 'Ōpua Village development. ' - Photo: courtesy