WAIKOLOA — One by one, four families untied the maile lei at their doorstep, becoming the newest homeowners at Kamako Nui with the help of Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii. ADVERTISING WAIKOLOA — One by one, four families untied the
WAIKOLOA — One by one, four families untied the maile lei at their doorstep, becoming the newest homeowners at Kamako Nui with the help of Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii.
“It changed my whole life,” said Bobbilyn White, 34, a single mother of three. “It made everything so much easier and it was something I’ve been wanting for a while for my kids to have our own house.”
White moved from Hilo, from where she would commute to her job in Kona. She was among the four families at a Habitat for Humanity blessing Saturday morning.
In September 2013, Habitat for Humanity West Hawaii bought six lots from the county to build houses for families below 80 percent of the median income line, said executive director Pat Hurney. Construction started in December 2014 and four of the homes received final inspection in January 2017. Work on the other two homes is still underway.
Hurney said roughly 60 percent of the labor that goes into building a Habitat for Humanity home comes from volunteer labor, which they estimate to be about 40 percent of the cost savings.
Once completed, he said, Habitat sells the home to the selected family with a 30-year mortgage at no interest.
The house is also appraised for its market value. The difference between that appraised value and the build cost becomes a soft second mortgage, which can be forgiven if the family stays in good standing with the organization.
That second mortgage, Hurney explained, protects equity in the neighborhood. If a family, for example, wants to sell their home, they would need to repay both the first and second mortgage.
The money families pay toward their mortgage, Hurney added, goes into the organization’s build fund, which helps them construct more houses for families in need.
Hurney said 150 families applied for the six lots in the neighborhood. The four homes bring the organization’s total to 32 homes built in West Hawaii.
The organization only accepts applications from families during an open window of time and isn’t able to accept unsolicited applications, instead making announcements to officially open a window of time in which they take applications.
Selections were based on need, willingness to partner with the organization and an ability to repay the mortgage.
White said that while the application process was pretty easy for the most part, it was also “kinda nerve-wracking.”
“You know, just the wait,” she said. “Are they gonna pick me? Are they gonna pick me?”
Kahua Cagampang and his wife Ui Pali-Cagampang, also among the new homeowners, said they came up to Waikoloa for an open house for the new houses after seeing flyers for the open application term three years ago.
“It was really competitive,” Cagampang said.
The couple was formerly living in low-income housing above Costco before applying. Pali-Cagampang said two months after they applied, they found out they had been accepted.
With their two kids, Cagampang said, it’s a great thing.
“It’s important children at that age have a secure foundation and a place to call home,” he said. “It’s a sanctuary; it’s a refuge where they can be taken care of.”
Evette and Kirk Ichishita said they were living with family three years ago when they applied for housing with Habitat for Humanity.
The couple, moving from Kona, has four kids and one grandchild. They had been living with family, constantly moving from one place to another. Evette Ichishita said at first she was doubtful that their application would be accepted, but they gave it a shot anyway.
“I told my husband that the next time we move, it’s going be into our own house,” she said. “It just so happened we got approved and it was a blessing.”
All of the new families participated in their respective build, contributing their own efforts to raise their own home.
“The really exciting part for me was when we started putting up the rafters, our roofing,” said Cagampang. “I never did that kind of work before.”
The effort was a big group undertaking, involving not only members of his family, but also volunteers whom he had never met.
“We put up each rafter by hand,” he said. “We were passing them from the ground up. That was the most exciting thing for me, putting up my own roof to my own house. The sweat and the splinters and, you know, all that good stuff.”
White said participating in the build was a great learning experience.
“I was thinking, at least I know how to fix something if something breaks,” she said.
From Sept. 13-23, Habitat for Humanity will hold a “Blitz Build,” with the goal of building 10 homes in 10 days.
The organization’s last Blitz Build built five homes in 10 days in 2012.
Hurney said they have nine families already selected, with another three or four in the application process.
They aren’t accepting any more applications for those houses.
Hurney added that they already have the house permits and will be doing site work and then pouring slabs this spring or summer.
The organization is currently looking for volunteers who can serve as skilled construction workers and semi-skilled workers.
Hurney added that they really need assistance with hospitality, such as churches and other groups that can help feed volunteers.
