The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands held a groundbreaking ceremony Dec. 13 for Hale Mō‘ili‘ili, O‘ahu’s first high-rise affordable rental project exclusively for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, with construction expected to reach completion in 2026.

Stanford Carr Development LLC is the developer for the project, with Hawaiian Dredging Construction Company Inc. as the general contractor and Alakea Design Group providing architectural design services.

Located on approximately two acres in Mō‘ili‘ili adjacent to Old Stadium Park, the $155-million development will include a 23-story tower with 271 rental units, a two-story townhouse with seven rental units and a 290-stall parking structure. The high-rise will include 23 studios, 23 one-bedroom units, 203 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units, while the townhouse will offer three-bedroom units overlooking Old Stadium Park.

The project will serve beneficiaries with incomes ranging from 30 percent to 100 percent of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s annual median income, with monthly rents expected to range from $657 to $3,460 per month.

The O‘ahu residential waitlist currently exceeds 11,400 applicants, representing the highest demand for DHHL beneficiary housing statewide. According to DHHL, beneficiaries who rent units at Hale Mō‘ili‘ili will be notified of application opportunities approximately six months before the project’s completion.

The Hawai‘i Housing Finance & Development Corporation contributed to the development of Hale Mō‘ili‘ili through $41.5 million in low-interest loans from the Rental Housing Revolving Fund, $4.7 million in annual federal and state tax credits via the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and $80 million in tax-exempt private activity bonds.