Hawaii Rents Up More Than 10 Percent Since 2012

One of every three Hawaii households earn less than the area median income, a new study finds, making it tough to afford high housing costs.

January 27, 2015·By Anita Hofschneider

This article originally appeared on civilbeat.com

Hawaii needs to increase its supply of affordable housing. This affordable housing complex in Honolulu was built by EAH Housing.

The cost of renting a home in Hawaii has jumped at least 10 percent over the past two years, according to a new study. And given the lack of construction of affordable units, the state’s housing crisis is projected to get worse.

Hawaii real estate analyst Ricky Cassiday presented the results of his study on Hawaii’s rental market Tuesday to state lawmakers during an informational briefing at the Capitol.
Cassiday’s presentation — which you can read in full here — emphasized the need for the state to leverage its land to provide affordable housing for local residents. But while highlighting private-public partnerships as a potential solution, the study painted a depressing picture of the state’s housing crisis and cautioned it won’t ease any time soon.

The need for affordable units far outstrips the supply, according to this slide from Cassiday’s presentation.

Here are the highlights:
Low supply of rental housing is forcing prices up. Rents for multi-family homes have increased 13 percent since 2012, but the number of such rentals advertised fell by 29 percent. Rents for single-family homes grew more than 10 percent but the number of listings dropped by more than half in two years.

One out of every three Hawaii households makes less than area median income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Cassiday found. In Honolulu, that was about $76,000 for a family of four in 2014.
“Affordable rental housing is for housing local families,” Cassiday said emphatically.
And 46 percent of Hawaii households make 80 percent of area median income or less. Those households tend to rent and often aren’t able to afford to buy a home. Workforce housing policies, such as those in the state’s redevelopment district of Kakaako, don’t help them.

Statewide housing permits have fallen while the value of such homes have risen.

Cassiday said that 90,000 of the state’s 474,000 households make 60 percent of area median income or below, but there are only 6,000 public housing units to serve them.
By 2020, there will be an additional 6,000 households that earn 60 percent of AMI or below, he estimated.

Read the full article here.

EAH Housing now accepting applications for senior housing on Kauai

This article first appeared in the Honolulu Star Advertiser

Kekaha Plantation is an example of affordable senior housing on Kauai that was also built by EAH Housing.

Kauai County is preparing a new affordable housing development for senior citizens.

Rice Camp Senior Apartments has 60 units on two parcels behind the Lihue fire station. The complex has six single-story buildings and one two-story building.

Mayor Bernard Carvalho, Jr. says he's pleased affordable housing units near senior services will soon be available to Kauai's kupuna or elders.

One bedroom apartments will rent for $766 a month. Two-bedroom units will cost $921 a month. Utility costs are included.

Applicants must have annual income of no more than $38,160 for a single person and $43,620 for two people.

The apartments are scheduled to be finished in March. The project's management company, EAH Housing, is now accepting applications.

EAH Housing now accepting rental applications for Rice Camp Senior Apartments

LIHUE — With the first phase of the Rice Camp Senior Apartments set for completion in March, rental applications are now being accepted by the project’s management company, EAH Housing.

Rice Camp, a 60-unit affordable housing community, is situated on two parcels on Hoala Street behind the Lihue fire station.
Rice Camp is being developed by the Vitus Group in partnership with the County of Kauai and EAH Housing.
“Providing affordable housing for our residents is a top priority for us. We are focusing a lot of effort in this regard, and are very pleased that 60 affordable rental units that are in close proximity to senior services will soon be available to our kupuna,” said Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr.
“We are extremely excited and thankful for all the partners and support for this project, from the county, state and federal agencies and legislators to the private developer, contractors and lenders that will make Rice Camp available to Kauai’s seniors this March,” said Kauai County Housing Director Kamuela Cobb-Adams.
Rice Camp consists of one- and two-bedroom apartments organized in six single-story buildings and one two-story building.
The one-bedroom units will rent for $766 a month while rent for the two-bedroom units will be $921 a month. Utility costs are included in the rents.
The amenities for Rice Camp include: Energy Star appliances; water-saving fixtures; ceiling fans; accessible walkways throughout the property that lead to community garden plots; and a community center with management offices and a space to hold social and community activities.
Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements including HUD income limits — $38,160 for one person and $43,620 for two people.
“Vitus Group recognizes the incredible need for affordable rental housing on Kauai, and we are working diligently on the planning for the second phase of Rice Camp,” said Makani Maeva of Vitus Group, Inc.
“EAH Housing is pleased to once again work with our friends at Vitus Group and Makani Maeva on a community that provides our kupuna with a sense of independence and freedom,” said Kevin Carney, vice president of EAH Housing. “We look forward to future partnerships to create more housing for those in need.”
The Rice Camp Senior Apartments are in line with the mayor’s Holo Holo 2020 vision for Kauai. His vision calls for all organizations, businesses, residents and visitors on Kauai to be part of creating an island that is sustainable, values the native culture, has a thriving and healthy economy, cares for all — keiki to kupuna — and has a responsible and user-friendly local government.
The land was purchased by the county for $2.3 million from San Mateo, Calif.-based Westridge Properties, LLC in October 2012 to specifically address affordable senior housing needs.
The county leveraged the land ($2.3 million) and $1.25 million of HOME funds to compete and win an award of federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) from Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. These LIHTC resulted in about $15 million of investment from private entities which was used to fund the development of Rice Camp Phase 1.

This article originally appeared in The Garden Island.

How EAH housing helped one woman reduce her commute by 90 minutes

By moving to Centertown by EAH Housing, Anelyn was able to reduce her commute to a 2 minute walk.

Anelyn Gallego, a mother of four grown children, emigrated from the Philippines when she was 15 years old and has since lived in the Bay Area for over 35 years. She currently lives at San Clemente Place, an affordable apartment complex in Corte Madera managed by EAH Housing, with one of her daughters.
Anelyn works for the California Highway Patrol (CHP) in Corte Madera as an office assistant, and her daughter is a preschool teacher in Novato. Anelyn’s current commute is a two-minute walk to the CHP office down the street.
But Anelyn’s commute wasn’t always so short. Until last fall she was living in Fairfield in Solano County and her commute into Marin would sometimes take three hours round-trip. To avoid the worst of the traffic, she would often take evening organ lessons at her church in Novato, returning home at a much later hour.
When the long commutes became unbearable, Anelyn started looking for a home closer to her job with the CHP. She spent a great deal of time looking for an apartment she could afford in Corte Madera with no success.
“This is a very affluent area; I never thought I would be able to afford to live here.”
She then applied for an apartment at San Clemente Place and was accepted. “I am so grateful to be able to live here. The Lord answered my prayers, giving us an affordable, quiet and safe place to live.”
Moving to San Clemente Place has also drastically reduced her carbon footprint.
“The best thing about living here is being close to my job. I’m just two doors down the street and I can walk to work. I don’t have to pay for gas much anymore, because I walk everywhere. I’m walking distance from the supermarket, my gym, restaurants; everything is convenient.”
But she does understand that there are many more like her who need an affordable place to live near their job. “It would be really nice if there were more affordable homes here so people don’t have to drive so far.”