The Hawaii Community Development Authority approved a new affordable housing project in the Kaulu residential community in Kapolei right behind Costco. 

Gentry Kalaeloa LLC’s proposal to build a 390-unit residential project in the Kalaeloa subdivision went unchallenged during HCDA’s decision-making meeting Wednesday and cleared the HCDA’s board on a unanimous vote.  

The project will be the first residential project development on the more than 500-acres of the former Barbers’ Point Naval Air Station. 

Barbers Point Harbor. Kalaeloa Campbell Park.
The Hawaii Community Development Authority on Wednesday approved a new housing development for Kapolei in an area near Barbers Point. Cory Lum/Civil Beat

At least 20% of the parcel will be sold to households earning 140% of the area median income, or a family of four earning about $148,400. Gentry Homes’ vice president Quentin Machida said they strive to provide affordable homes for lower income families, but with the rise of interest rates and inflation, the price of a unit and the total cost that is needed to finish the project is unknown. 

Gentry doesn’t have an exact price range for units yet, but company representatives estimated that each unit could cost about $600 to $650 per square feet.

“We know it’s going up and we know how it’ll affect construction costs and sales prices in the future,” Machida said. “We’re just asking for greater flexibility with the staff on this project. 

The project will add about 262 multi-family attached units and 128 single-family detached units on about 30 acres of land. None of the units planned for the Kaulu community will be as big or as expensive as others in Ewa by Gentry.  Gentry Homes will look to provide down payment assistance and home buyer education programs. 

“I’ve been in a Gentry home now for over 12 years. This is probably our fourth project we’ve moved into,” local financial advisor Ben Geise said. “I can attest to the quality of what we’ve seen in the Gentry home as well as the workmanship and their economically and environmentally friendly features.” 

The units will have energy efficient central air conditioning, foam insulation, LED lighting and water saving plumbing fixtures, as well as two full sized parking stalls. There will be an oversized single car garage for the attached units and a two car garage for the detached units.

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