By Staff Reports
(Lîhu’e)– County officials announced the acquisition of two Lîhu’e parcels that will be used to develop affordable housing units for seniors. The vacant lots are located off Malama and Ho‘ala streets where a former plantation camp known as “Rice Camp” once stood.
Representatives of the County Housing Agency and Westridge Properties, LLC met today for the closing on the properties. The purchase price was $2.3 million.
Funding for the land acquisition was appropriated by the County Council in the county’s capital budget for fiscal year 2013.
“Facilitating affordable housing opportunities for our residents is one of our top priorities,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. “We are pleased that this opportunity came up enabling us to move forward with a project that will help our seniors.”
While still in the conceptual phase, a total of 84 units are expected to be built on the two parcels, mostly one-bedroom, one bath units with some two-bedroom, one bath units.
Plans are in place for the county to issue a request for proposals (RFP) to select a development proposal/team. The team will be responsible for all aspects of the Rice Camp project including: design; financing; construction; and management.
To help bring the Rice Camp project to fruition, the county will provide funding assistance and a low-cost ground lease.
“Fortunately for our island, we are scheduled to receive the state’s entire HOME allocation for fiscal year 2013 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,” said County Housing Director Kamuela Cobb-Adams. “So we plan to make the HOME funds conditionally available through the RFP.”
For more information about the Rice Camp project, please call Cobb-Adams at 241-4418.