(Race Randle, Forest City’s development manager, submitted this guest commentary in response Chuck Flaherty’s recent op-ed about the proposed Kamakana Villages project)
Forest City Hawaii, in partnership with the State of Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation, is proposing to create Kamakana Villages as an affordable, livable community that is a compact, walkable, transit oriented development.
Designed to be a comfortable, safe, and ecologically sustainable community for Kona residents, Kamakana Villages aligns with the award-winning Kona Community Development Plan and County of Hawaii land use policy. Its location is considered an ideal site for transit oriented development to support Kona’s growing population and to meet the affordable housing demand for the local workforce.
Affordability Goals
The Average Affordable Home price at Kamakana Villages at Keahuolu is targeted at $256,000 while the Average Market Home price is targeted at $459,000, both in today’s dollars.
Of the 1,169 affordable homes being built, we have been targeting approximately 825(or 70%) in the 80% to 100% AMI (average median income) range, 286 (or 24%) in the 100% to 120% AMI range, and 58 units (or 5%) in the 120% to 140% AMI range.
For example, at 80% AMI this equates to a family of 4 with a household income of $55,300 being able to purchase an affordable home at a sales price of $253,000.
These figures are based on the Affordable Housing Guidelines for Hawaii County which consider 1) a 30-year conventional fixed mortgage, 2) a fixed rate interest rate of 5.0% and 3) a housing expense of 28% of gross annual income and lastly, 4) a down payment equal to 5% of the sales price.
Smart Green Exemptions
There’s been much ado in the press recently regarding Forest City Hawaii working through the planning process and its request for exemptions from the County Code.
None of the exemptions requested will adversely affect health or safety.
In fact, most of the 56 requested exemptions are simply needed to build a model project and meet Kona Community Development Plan (CDP) guidelines, LEED Neighborhood Development, and SmartCode principles.
Some of the exemptions will reduce the costs of the affordable homes to make them more affordable for working families, and some will expedite building permit reviews and project approvals.
Implementing smart, green thinking at Kamakana Villages means having to ask for exemptions to meet newer, more stringent goals and guidelines. One day in the not too distant future, these exemptions will most likely be considered “best practice” and will be adopted within the County Code, thereby eliminating any need for exemptions.
Lighting The Way
The Kona community was actively engaged in developing the Kona CDP, and Forest City Hawaii is among the first to implement the Kona CDP.
Unfortunately, the proactive Kona CDP – which advocates using the SmartCode and various other sustainable development concepts – doesn’t yet sync up with existing codes. One example of this: the installation and dedication of County-approved solar street lights presently requires an exemption to the current code.
What Others Are Saying
Kona’s Alex Woodbury, President/Owner of Woodbury Green Building Consultation, a US Green Building Council Member, a LEED Accredited Professional, and the only LEED for Homes Green Rater in Hawaii County writes,
“Forest City Hawaii has a plan before you for Kamakana Villages at Keahuolu. I support bringing a cutting-edge, sustainable affordable mixed-use community here to Kona. The broad vision of an affordable community knitted together by design where residents of all income levels have the opportunity to interact with each other has the potential to become a model development. I am very excited to finally see a properly master planned community in West Hawaii and be a part of building a green affordable housing community here. Innovations in sustainable building require departure from the methods of the past.
The County should not assume that Forest City is intent on circumventing current requirements for the sake of cost cutting or other such agendas as has been incorrectly portrayed in recent media inaccuracies, but rather, understand that in order to deliver a community that is resident friendly and environmentally cutting edge, some of the past excesses must be culled in order to provide for limited sprawl, ease of walk ability, limited resource consumption and increased quality of life.”
