Proposed senior housing project would help Chinatown move forward

Chinatown is Honolulu’s historic and cultural center. It’s a neighborhood that has seen boom and bust, and always endured. 

Chinatown is alive, yet in need of new life. We’re now seeing our community rebound; a sense of pride is returning to Chinatown. It’s cleaner, safer and attracting new businesses. 

But we have a long way to go to restore our neighborhood to its former glory. 

One area of Chinatown that is overdue for a turnaround is the city property near the corner of River Street and Vineyard Boulevard. Surrounded by temples and trees, this underutilized city property can be redeveloped to enhance and complement a block rich in culture. 

In 2010, the Chinatown community spoke loudly and clearly, sharing our vision for the property. A controversial proposal to place hundreds of homeless into "Housing First" on the site galvanized the community in opposition. Rather than a homeless hotel, with one voice, Chinatown said, “We want affordable senior housing.”

Five years of working closely with the city led to City Council resolutions calling for affordable senior housing and a community center at the River Street property, with the most recent two resolutions introduced by Councilmember Carol Fukunaga. The community input codified in those resolutions was inserted directly into the request for proposals for the River Street property. 

Last week, I was proud to join Mayor Kirk Caldwell, Fukunaga and leaders from the Chinatown community along River Street to share the proposal chosen by a selection committee to finally bring the city’s River Street property back to life. It was everything we asked for, and more. 

The name selected for the development, Halewai’olu, translates to "house of comforting or enriching waters." 

After years of hard work, cooperation and anticipation, we are now one big step closer to realizing the Chinatown community’s vision for River Street. The proposal by Michaels Development Co., an experienced builder of affordable housing, presents the comforting, enriching waters we’ve sought for so long. 

Michaels Development plans to provide 151 units of affordable housing for people age 62 and over. These units would be rentals, affordable to kupuna making less than 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), which is $53,700 for one person. Most of the units will be available to seniors making about $40,000 or less. This is the type of truly affordable housing our community needs and we welcome it with open arms. 

The proposal calls for more than housing; it also includes the community center we asked for. The community center is even bigger than requested, and could host activities from tai chi classes to anniversary celebrations, and everything in between. 

Halewai’olu will be fortunate to have good neighbors, like the Lum Sai Ho Tong Chinese Society, who can help make the facility a true center for the Chinatown community, steeped in the traditions of Honolulu’s oldest neighborhood. 

Chinatown is special and it is essential not to lose its identity or charm. Everything from the project’s design to the addition of features like a living wall or Chinese-inspired artwork fronting Lum Sai Ho Tong echo and enhance Chinatown’s unique, iconic sense of place. 

We’ve waited long enough, provided our input for our community, and are presented with a project that meets our needs. Both sides still have to agree on terms, and Michaels remains open to incorporating additional community input into the project. What has taken place on River Street is proof that government can respond to the will of the people. It’s time to move forward and move Chinatown forward.