image courtesy Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation

(BIVN) – The third phase of the Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood project in Hilo has been completed, and ready for rent.

This media release was shared on Thursday:

The Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation (HICDC), a Hilo-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, announced the completion and planned rent up for the third phase of the Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood project in Hilo. The third phase has 92 affordable units for low-income seniors 62 years and older who qualify for Section 8 rental assistance.

The County of Hawaii Office of Housing and Community Development received more than 450 tenant applications for the 92 units. A lottery was conducted to establish the processing priority of the applicants. Tenants will begin moving in on May 8, 2020. Prior to occupancy, the units will be sanitized to minimize the risk of COVID-19 contamination. Occupancy will occur gradually to maintain social distancing. It is expected that 6 units per day will be occupied, one on each floor of the complex. It is expected to take 4 to 5 weeks to completely fill the apartment complex with qualified seniors.

“With the completion of this third phase of the Mohouli Heights Senior project, we will have completed 182 low income senior rentals on the site with the 9,000 square foot Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Adult Day Center (a collaboration with Hawaii Island Adult Care, Inc.) embedded on the campus providing housing and services to seniors,” said HICDC Executive Director Keith Kato.

The Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood project is being developed through a collaboration between the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation, Wells Fargo Bank, Sugar Creek Capital and Bank of Hawaii. The project has been awarded Low Income Housing Tax Credits and a low interest loan from the State Housing Finance and Development Corporation. The 5.4-acre project site is leased from the County of Hawaii for a nominal $10 per year. Total development cost for the project is projected to be $36 million and the project has been completed four months ahead of schedule.

“Our mission at the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation started over 25 years ago with a dedicated group of volunteers who wanted to help provide needed housing on Hawaii Island for elderly and low income families. We will have completed over 700 affordable housing units in Hilo, Puna, Hamakua, Waimea, Kohala and Kona and provided housing security for those in need.”

To date, the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation says it has worked with 331 Big Island self-help builders to complete their homes, including projects in Kohala, Kona, Hilo and Puna. 278 senior rental units have also been completed. All together the Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation has developed 609 affordable housing units on Hawaii Island, the non-profit says.