For 37 years, the Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) has focused on the vision that is coming to life in Kakaako today — one of creating vibrant communities in underutilized urban areas.

The HCDA’s mission goes well beyond residential development — we are in the business of building communities.

Our guidelines help developers create cohesive gathering places that promote an energetic community lifestyle and bring in new businesses and services.

Our team of urban planners ensures that we create neighborhoods with something for all — giving the keiki of Hawaii a reason to lay down their roots here at home.

In Kakaako, change is not happening overnight. Many years of planning and public involvement went into creating the 2011 Kakaako Mauka Area Rules that guide the HCDA in making thoughtful development decisions.

In addition, the master-planned neighborhoods currently being developed by Kamehameha Schools and the Howard Hughes Corp. were preceded by years of planning and incorporated significant public input. Each of these master-planned developments play a role in revitalizing Kakaako and creating a modern community where all residents of Oahu can live, work, shop, learn and play.

The future of Kakaako includes a mix of pedestrian promenades, more than six acres of green belts and community plazas, bike lanes, retail shops, restaurants and residences.

Every new development approved for Kakaako is the result of long-range planning aimed at transforming the area and providing for the needs of future residents.

The HCDA invites public involvement in decision-making, and we are committed to taking feedback to heart and revising plans accordingly. We host a minimum of two public hearings, plus supplemental comment sessions, and one-on-one meetings for every proposed development, giving residents multiple opportunities to be heard.

The HCDA’s lines of communication are always open to ensure that the concerns of the public are acknowledged and addressed.

The HCDA’s 2011 Mauka Area Rules include built-in allowances that incentivize the creation of workforce housing and encourage developers to play their part in delivering the 5,700 new housing units that are needed in Hawaii each year.

While our state still falls short of meeting that demand, the HCDA recognizes the need, and works to increase the supply for all income levels, increasing homeownership opportunities for all of Hawaii’s residents.

To date, the HCDA has overseen the development of 1,766 affordable and reserve housing units in the Kakaako Community Development District. An additional 1,612 reserve and workforce housing units are either under construction or will soon break ground.

Working professionals and young families will have the opportunity to purchase new homes in Kakaako, living near work, eliminating hours spent commuting, and realizing the dream of homeownership.

The HCDA’s mission includes the incorporation of housing for all income groups, and to further support that mission, we recently provided funding for the construction of Halekauwila Place, a 204-unit affordable rental development for low-income families. The building will be completed in March, with a range of affordable rent topping out at about $1,500 for a spacious three-bedroom loft that overlooks Mother Waldron Park.

A well-planned community takes time and requires leadership.

The vibrant Kakaako community growing around us today is not the result of many different projects being thrown together at random, but the result of careful plans, oversight, public involvement and more than 30 years of foresight.

The HCDA shares your hopes for a thriving Kakaako, and we look forward to working together to create a remarkable community for future generations.