Seventeen months. That's how long it's been since the ground was broken on Kaleimaʻo Village in ʻEwa Beach, and the 126-unit affordable rental community is already close to welcoming its first families.
Gov. Josh Green, Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi and the development team gathered for a pre-opening blessing on Thursday, Oct. 15. According to the City and County of Honolulu's announcement, the $60 million project is nearing completion ahead of schedule.
"Just about 17 months ago, we were standing on this very site, breaking ground on Kaleimaʻo Village, and today we are celebrating a development that is preparing to welcome its first local families," Blangiardi said. "That is remarkable progress, and exactly what we need right now."
Kaleimaʻo Village sits on about 3.7 acres of city-owned land at 91-1400 Renton Road. It has 127 apartments in seven three-story buildings. One is a manager's unit, leaving 126 for renters. The breakdown is 28 one-bedroom, 87 two-bedroom and 12 three-bedroom apartments, counting the manager's unit.
The homes are for households earning 60% or less of the area median income, with seven units set aside for households at 30% or less. Demand hasn't been a question. The city says it received more than 1,000 applications during a short application window.
The community is pet-friendly and includes a community center with meeting space, shared laundry, landscaped open space, a community garden with planter boxes, a keiki playground, EV chargers and a secure surfboard rack. It's also close to two Skyline rail stations, Kualakaʻi and Keoneʻae. Layouts, rental rates and eligibility details are posted at kaleimao.com.
Who built it
Here's the part contractors will want to know. Coastal Construction Company served as the general contractor, according to the city. The developers are Stanford Carr Development and Standard Communities, working with the city's Department of Housing and Land Management and the Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation. Hawaii Affordable Properties, Inc. will manage the property.
The city supported the project with a 75-year ground lease and about $30 million in private activity bond financing.
"17 months ago, this entire parcel was a blank slate, just an open dirt lot," said Shigeru Carr of Stanford Carr Development. "None of this gets done if we don't work together."
Moving in while work wraps up
The project is opening in two phases, which is worth a close look if you've ever had to finish a job with people already living on site. The first phase, with 79 units and the community facilities, is nearly done, and the first residents are expected to move in in late October or early November. The remaining 48 units are expected to be finished by early December, with full occupancy targeted by April 2027.
The city says the finished areas and the active construction areas will be separated and secured to keep residents safe. Anyone who's run a site like that knows it takes extra fencing, careful traffic control, clear signage and crews who keep their staging tight. It's doable, and it gets families into homes sooner, but it does change how the last stretch of a job runs.
Construction started after an April 25, 2025, groundbreaking. Going from open dirt to move-ins in well under two years, on three-story buildings, is the kind of pace the mayor clearly wants to repeat.
"We are using City lands intelligently to rapidly and urgently address the affordable housing shortage on Oʻahu," Blangiardi said.
Building on city-owned land with a long-term ground lease and bond financing takes the land cost out of the equation and puts the focus on getting units built. If that approach keeps working, expect more projects like this on public land around Oʻahu.
Why it matters for Contractors
Seven three-story buildings with 127 apartments is right in the sweet spot for Oʻahu's residential trades, from site work and concrete to framing, roofing, MEP, drywall, flooring, cabinets and paint. Kaleimaʻo Village shows the city and its partners can move a project like this from groundbreaking to move-in fast, and contractors who can keep that pace will be in demand. The phased opening is a reminder that crews may increasingly be asked to finish work around residents who have already moved in, so safety plans and clean staging matter. Coastal Construction Company and Stanford Carr Development are names to know if you want in on the next city-land project.