ELEELE — Stephen Spears, executive director of the Kauai Habitat for Humanity, said 46 of the 48 lots should be allocated by July during the groundbreaking for Phase IIB of the Eleele Iluna subdivision. Friday’s groundbreaking on Mehana Road in
ELEELE — Stephen Spears, executive director of the Kauai Habitat for Humanity, said 46 of the 48 lots should be allocated by July during the groundbreaking for Phase IIB of the Eleele Iluna subdivision.
Friday’s groundbreaking on Mehana Road in the Eleele Iluna subdivision marked the start of infrastructure work, including water and sewer lines, and roadwork for 59 “buildable” lots in the subdivision that will provide affordable homes.
“I have been tasked by the Kauai Habitat board to put out more than 30 homes a year,” Spears said. “These lots should be ready by this fall and work on building the houses can commence. Since we started work on Eleele Iluna, 12 families have moved in and this place is becoming a neighborhood with young children running around.”
Chris Young, a Habitat board member, said he is happy seeing wealth being created.
“I can’t wait for Kauai Habitat to deliver more than 30 homes a year,” Young said. “For those 30 to 40 families, Kauai Habitat is a wealth creation vehicle — imagine having $150,000 in equity from Day 1, and at a cost of about $1,000 a month. This is exciting. For the homeowners, this is wealth and security.”
Peter Wiederoder, Kauai Habitat board president, said it costs about $100 per square foot on Kauai to build the Kauai Habitat homes.
Officiated by Kahu Ipo Kahaunaele-Ferreira of Ke Akua Mana Church, herself a Habitat resident, the event was attended primarily by Kauai Habitat staff, board of directors and volunteers, including a Global Village unit working on projects in Anahola.
“(Affordable) housing remains one of the top priorities of Gov. David Ige,” said Carrice Gardner, the governor’s Kauai liaison.
“In his message, he commends this project which will eventually provide 107 much-needed affordable housing to local families. I applaud Kauai Habitat for providing hardworking families with the tools they need to become proud homeowners,” Ige said in his message delivered by Gardner.
