Hawaii Breaks Ground on $333 Million Phase of Mayor Wright Redevelopment

State officials and community leaders broke ground on the first phase of the Mayor Wright Homes redevelopment in the Kalihi-Palama neighborhood of Honolulu on Thursday. The 15-acre site, bounded by King Street, Liliha Street, and Vineyard Boulevard, will be redeveloped by the Hawai‘i Public Housing Authority and Highridge Costa. This marks the start of the largest public housing project in the state's history.

Phase 1A of the project is estimated to cost $333 million. The state originally estimated the total cost of the full redevelopment at $1.3 billion in 2017. The plan calls for the construction of more than 2,400 new rental homes. These units will range from studios to five-bedroom apartments and will be distributed across ten towers.

The development is designed to serve a wider range of incomes than the existing complex. More than half of the units are reserved for tenants earning less than 80% of the area median income. Later phases will include homes for households earning up to 100% of the area median income. For a family of four, that threshold is approximately $150,000 per year. The project also includes condominiums for sale and commercial space.

Hakim Ouansafi, executive director of the housing authority, said the ceremony represented a shift in state strategy. "It's not simply about breaking ground. It is about breaking barriers," he stated. He added that the state cannot solve future housing challenges by relying on past methods. Ouansafi emphasized that public housing should not mean second-class living conditions.

Governor Josh Green described the project as central to the state's housing goals. "Housing provides health," he said, noting that stable housing allows residents to focus on education, food security, and medical care. Moe Mohanna, president of Highridge Costa Development Company, called the initiative a legacy for the state. Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi linked the project to the arrival of the Skyline rail line, calling the combination historic for affordable housing.

The new development will contain seven times as many homes as the current complex. It will also include four acres of public parks and recreational space. The site is located within walking distance of the planned Iwilei rail station. Residents of the current Mayor Wright Homes who are displaced by construction are being relocated and will have priority to return to the new units.

The first building in the new complex is scheduled to open in 2029. The full redevelopment is expected to take 15 years to complete. The old complex is nearly 75 years old. The new design aims to reduce the concentration of poverty in the neighborhood by mixing income levels across the towers.