Construction has begun on an initial phase of a 165-home rental apartment complex on Maui for seniors with low incomes.

The nonprofit Catholic Charities Housing Development Corp. held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Kahului Lani project Tuesday with development partner GSF LLC, led by Gary Furuta.

Kahului Lani is being developed as two six-story buildings plus a two-story multipurpose building with space for case management services and programs from Catholic Charities. The first phase will contain 82 homes on land about two blocks from Kahului Harbor and adjacent to Kahului Library.

Maui County said a priority it instituted earlier this year for processing affordable-housing permits allowed Kahului Lani to break ground six months to a year sooner than expected.

Residents who are 55 or older and earn no more than 60 percent of Maui County’s median income are eligible to be tenants in the project, which features one-bedroom apartments expected to rent for $860 or less a month.

The income limit equates to $39,660 for a single person or $45,360 for a couple. Eight of the units are expected to rent for about $450 and are reserved for tenants earning 30 percent of the median income.

The $34 million initial phase of Kahului Lani, mainly financed with state bonds, tax credits and loans, is expected to be completed in early 2020.

Priced Out Of Of Paradise by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd