WAILUKU — A county affordable housing committee voted to recommend approval of a rental project on Lanai, where no new affordable homes have been built in 30 years.
The Hokuao 201H Housing Project, which was proposed by billionaire Larry Ellison’s company Pulama Lanai, includes the development of 150 two-bedroom rental homes on former pineapple fields. About half of the units will be market-rate priced. The project will be developed under the state’s fast-track approval process for affordable housing.
The Maui County Council’s Affordable Housing Committee voted 8-0 to recommend giving the project the green light after multiple meetings packed with public testimony and hours of discussion over concern about the project’s number of market-rate homes, The Maui News reported Friday.
Council Chairwoman Alice Lee said the project is “desperately needed.”
Pulama Lanai had sought an exemption for sidewalks in the future subdivision, saying including them would cost about $2 million. Sharon Thom, senior vice president of development and construction for Pulama Lanai, said the sidewalks would change the “look and feel” of Lanai City.
Committee Chairman Gabe Johnson argued to include sidewalks, saying the county needs to advocate for pedestrian safety and accessibility.
“I really think sidewalks and walkable towns are a very important part of our community,” he said.
Preliminary plans include sidewalks.
The project also includes a 1-acre park, a 1,500-square-foot community center and 60 parking stalls.
Ten of the units must be reserved for teachers in grades pre-K through 12 residing on Lanai, according to a condition initiated by Council Member Yuki Lei Sugimura.
The Hokuao project will be financed by Lanai Island Holdings, another entity owned by Ellison, who acquired 98% of Lanai in 2012.
Coach Jimmy and all the Lana’i ohana, people need to make sure the soil beneath this project is checked for its TOXICITY from those pineapple fields, and the potential health risk it maybe for a beautiful affordable housing project. The area should be tested by 5-7 different companies before being approved. Why 5-7? Because, generations of lives are at stake, and its clear nowadays, people get paid off, to BS the truth. And its easy to payoff 1 person and keep them from spilling the beans, but much harder to pay 5-7 and keep the truth from being the truth! BUT even the truth, recognized and apologized, sometimes is not enough, Look at where us Kanaka Maoli are continuing to be raped of our lands and raped of our rights and looked upon like terrorist in our own home, because there’s big cost of monies and lifestyles and dreams that people have spent their entire life working for – AT STAKE. All due to a few greedy haole business men! THE United States Government has a mess to clean up and now we all have to deal with the NEW GENERATION OF THE GREEDY AND (ENTITLED) HAOLE MAN. Selling our lands like its theirs, buying it up like its all ligit!
POHO like that!