WAIMEA — Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity homebuyers — Claudia “Marlene” Osuna, Tanya Numazawa, Napua and Keala Pi‘imanu, Roddy Cachero and Kirri Anderson, Erica Keogh and John “JD” Irons, and Hayley-Jay Kaeo — had reason to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Waimea Huakai subdivision during the blessing and dedication of the six completed homes by Kaua‘i Habitat on Wednesday.
WAIMEA — Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity homebuyers — Claudia “Marlene” Osuna, Tanya Numazawa, Napua and Keala Pi‘imanu, Roddy Cachero and Kirri Anderson, Erica Keogh and John “JD” Irons, and Hayley-Jay Kaeo — had reason to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Waimea Huakai subdivision during the blessing and dedication of the six completed homes by Kaua‘i Habitat on Wednesday.
“The road to homeownership is not an easy one,” said Kaua‘i Habitat Executive Director Milani Pimental, who is a Kaua‘i Habitat homeowner. “These homebuyers had to work very hard, and endure a long process made even longer by delays. This dedication is our opportunity to celebrate their commitment and perseverance to secure a brighter future for themselves and their families.”
The celebration, punctuated by a Waimea High School evacuation drill, included the presentation of house warming gifts provided by community members, the Kaua‘i Planning and Action Alliance Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity and its Homeowner Support Committee.
“We made it!” said new homeowner Roddy Cachero. “It was definitely not easy, but we finally made it.”
The six homes were built with qualified homebuyers in partnership with USDA Sect. 502 Guaranteed Loan Program via lender VIP Mortgage and mortgage broker Bonnie Ka‘ae of Hawai‘i Mortgage Professionals LLC.
Other partners were County of Kaua‘i and the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provided significant down payment assistance, a major grant from Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg through the Chan Zuckerberg Kaua‘i Community Fund, Title Guaranty Hawai‘i and numerous community donors and volunteers.
The home dedication that raised the number of completed projects to eight in the 32-single family home phase of the Waimea Huakai subdivision, comes on the heels of Kaua‘i Habitat celebrating its 30th anniversay with a dinner. The dinner was sponsored by HPM Building Supply, Gay and Robinson, Kuku‘iula and McBryde Resources and Oceanfront Sotheby’s International Realty.
The Waimea Huakai subdivision, when completed, will provide a total of 32 single-family homes in addition to the 35 affordable rental units developed by the county and Ahe Group.
Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity has 10 new home starts underway, and is finalizing homebuyer selections from its previous housing offering for the 14 remaining homes to be built in the Waimea Huakai subdivision.
