Not every important housing story on Kauaʻi is about brand-new buildings. Sometimes it's about keeping the homes folks already have in good shape. That's the story at Kalepa Village in Līhuʻe, where a $7 million rehabilitation has wrapped up.
The Kauaʻi Housing Development Corporation marked the finish on Oct. 15 with a small gathering and a blessing by Kahu Jade Waialeale Battad at the Kalepa Village community center, Kauaʻi Now reported.
What got done
The project, known as Kalepa 23, covers Kalepa Village Phases 2 and 3: eight two-story residential buildings with one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, 80 homes in all. They serve households earning no more than 60% of the area median income, with units set aside at the 30%, 50% and 60% levels.
Shioi Construction served as the general contractor. Here's what the crews tackled:
- Replaced the solar water heating system.
- Repaired exterior dry rot.
- Repainted interior and exterior surfaces.
- Put new flooring, appliances, cabinets and light fixtures in the apartments.
- Replaced numerous plumbing fixtures and interior doors.
Here's the part any remodeler will appreciate: the work was done in all 80 units while they were already occupied. That's a different job than gutting an empty building. It takes careful scheduling, clear communication with residents, and crews who clean up at the end of every day because somebody's going to be cooking dinner in that kitchen tonight.
Kauaʻi Now said the improvements were meant to make life better for the residents living there now while also extending the life of the development.
"This investment ensures that 80 affordable homes on Kauaʻi will remain available to local families and kūpuna for years to come," said Andy Friend, executive director of the Kauaʻi Housing Development Corporation.
The money came from a mix of public and private sources. Kauaʻi Now reported that funding included federal and state low-income housing tax credits, support from the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation's Rental Housing Revolving Fund, Bank of Hawaiʻi, and the Rural Community Assistance Corp., which also provided financing. Kauaʻi County owns the land under the development.
Adam Roversi, housing director with the Kauaʻi County Housing Agency, said the project had been a long time coming. "It's a long time in the planning and a lot of hard work went into this, and it was a much-needed rehab project, so it's exciting," he told Kauaʻi Now. "It sets this place up for another 30 years of smooth operations."
Mayor Derek S.K. Kawakami said the county is working on two fronts. "We're trying our best to get more units online, rehabilitate existing units," he told Kauaʻi Now. He also had a message for families still waiting for housing: "I know the list of people that are trying to get into housing is long, but don't give up hope because you never know when things open up, so just stay in it."
Friend made the case for preservation work plainly. "Preserving existing affordable housing is an important part of addressing Kauaʻi's housing needs, allowing the island to retain homes for local residents while improving established communities," he said.
It's a point worth repeating. On an island where new housing takes years to plan and build, keeping 80 existing homes livable for another few decades is a real win, and it's work that keeps local crews busy.
What's next
The Kauaʻi Housing Development Corporation isn't stopping here. Its next big project is phase two of the Lima Ola subdivision in ʻEleʻele.
"There'll be another 175 new homes out there when that happens, and we're hoping to break ground in early 2027," Roversi said.
Why it matters for Contractors
Rehab work like Kalepa Village is bread and butter for Kauaʻi's remodelers, painters, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, flooring installers and cabinet crews, and there's a lot of aging affordable housing across the islands that will need the same kind of attention. Solar water heating replacement and dry rot repair are skills that come up again and again in island buildings. Working in occupied units takes a particular kind of crew, and contractors who can do it well, without disrupting residents, have a real edge on these jobs. Shioi Construction carried this one. And with Lima Ola phase two and its 175 new homes on the horizon, the Kauaʻi Housing Development Corporation is a name to keep in touch with.