HILO — A senior housing and veterans center at least a decade in the making is closer to coming to fruition.
Hawaii Island Veterans Memorial Inc. is teaming up with Hui Kauhale Inc., an affiliate of California-based nonprofit EAH Inc., to develop and operate a 75-unit senior housing facility, with preference given to veterans, on Kawili Street in Hilo.
Once Hui Kauhale has a land lease with Hawaii County, it will be able to secure financing and hold a groundbreaking, which hopefully will occur next year, said Bob Williams, project chairman.
“They’re on course to get that,” he said, regarding the $15 million to $20 million that would be needed. Williams said that would come from a mix of federal housing and private financing.
The group also plans to build a veterans service center next to the housing facility. He said pre-construction planning is nearing its end.
The property is located at the corner of Kawili and Kapiolani streets. Some ground clearing occurred last year.
On Tuesday, the County Council’s Finance Committee advanced a resolution allowing negotiations between HKI Kawili LLC, a subsidiary of Hui Kauhale, for leasing the land.
HIVM currently holds the lease, but that expires Aug. 31.
“This resolution breaks the logjam,” Williams said, regarding financing.
He said there’s no county or state money in the project, other than $425,000 state Department of Defense grant and in-kind contributions.
Hilo Councilwoman Sue Lee Loy, who introduced the resolution, said Tuesday it will help the county accommodate a growing population of seniors.
“This fits into the silver tsunami wave,” she said, adding this is a “real natural fit.”
For more information, visit http://hawaiiislandveterans.org.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.