The moment of the groundbreaking, photo courtesy DHHL

KEALAKEHE, Hawaii – The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands broke ground in Kona on the first phase of the La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 subdivision in Kealakehe on Tuesday.

The project will be the future home for 117 Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries and their families.

Governor Neil Abercrombie, community leaders, government officials, and future homesteaders joined Chair Jobie Masagatani, and Hawaiian Homes Commissioners for the ceremony.

Under the tent during the groundbreaking ceremony, photo by DHHL

DHHL awarded the future La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 homeowners an “Undivided Interest” lease for a lot in this subdivision in October 2005. The undivided interest lease program was designed to provide lessees the time to prepare for home ownership while the subdivision was developed.

This satellite image from DHHL shows the location of the future Lai Opua homes in Kealakehe

Total infrastructure cost for the first phase are approximately $11 million. Work includes clearing, grading and grubbing, constructing roadways, and installing a drainage system, wastewater system, water system and other utilities. The project also includes a mailbox cluster lot, a plant preservation lot, and a boat parking lot.

Leaders overlook the growing Kealakehe region in Kona, photo by DHHL

Construction is expected to begin in late February 2014, and be completed by February 2015, with home construction to follow.

KEALAKEHE, HAWAI‘I — Gov. Neil Abercrombie, community leaders, government officials, and future homesteaders joined Chair Jobie Masagatani, Hawaiian Homes Commissioners and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands in a groundbreaking ceremony today to begin construction on what will become the future home for 117 Hawaiian Home Lands beneficiaries and their families in the first phase of the La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 subdivision in Kealakehe, Kailua-Kona, Hawai‘i.

DHHL awarded the future La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 homeowners an “Undivided Interest” lease for a lot in this subdivision in October 2005. The undivided interest lease program was designed to provide lessees the time to prepare for home ownership while the subdivision was developed. Phase I of La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 ‘Ākau is located on 33.9 acres of Hawaiian Home Lands approximately seven miles south of the Kona International Airport, mauka of Kealakehe High School.

“Today, I am reminded of the work my colleagues and I accomplished while serving in Washington, D.C. that created opportunities for the betterment of native Hawaiians, like the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act,” said Gov. Abercrombie. “These programs help to prepare native Hawaiians for home ownership, fund critical infrastructure improvements for beneficiaries, and enable us to build vibrant communities for success for generations to come.”

DHHL is the only Hawai‘i recipient of federal funds under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. NAHASDA funds covered 95 percent of the total infrastructure cost for La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4, Phase I ‘Ākau. The telecommunications infrastructure is being financed by Sandwich Isles Communications, Inc.

“These homes not only represent an incredible opportunity for 117 Hawaiian Homes beneficiaries, but also a great opportunity for leveraging limited state monies with federal funds in a way that only this Department can do,” said Jobie Masagatani, Hawaiian Homes Commission chair and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands director. “Without the continued support of Governor Abercrombie and his administration, this would not be possible.”

Total infrastructure cost for the first phase of La‘i ‘Ōpua Village 4 ‘Ākau is approximately $11 million. Infrastructure work includes clearing and grubbing, grading; constructing roadways; and installing a drainage system, wastewater system, water system and other utilities. The project also includes a mailbox cluster lot, a plant preservation lot, and a boat parking lot.

Construction is expected to begin in late February 2014, and be completed by February 2015, with home construction to follow. Isemoto Contracting Co., is the contractor with R.M. Towill Corporation providing construction management services, Engineers Surveyors Hawaii, Inc., is providing design consultation services.Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands media release, Feb. 4, 2014