Councilman wants 19 more affordable units in Keeaumoku tower

Honolulu City Councilman Ikaika Anderson is endorsing a city administration suggestion that the developer of a planned residential tower on Keeaumoku Street make more homes in the building affordable to moderate- income residents.

Anderson released a draft resolution Wednesday that would require the developer of ProsPac Tower to include 19 more affordable units in its proposed 429-unit building.

ProsPac Holding Group had agreed to provide 78 affordable rental apartments at a cost of $20 million. The city Department of Planning and Permitting suggested that 19 more was appropriate because of added height and building density being sought by the developer, but did not include the extra affordable units in its draft resolution for approving the tower’s development plan.

Anderson’s draft of Resolution 17-333 makes the 19 units, or a total of 97, a condition for project approval. The 19 units would have to be for sale and affordable to residents earning up to 120 percent of Oahu’s median income. DPP suggested this as a way to maintain the tower’s design. The affordable rentals would be for residents earning up to 80 percent of the median income.

A Council hearing to consider the ProsPac plan has not yet been set.

Earlier this month, the Council canceled a public discussion of the plan at a meeting because of concerns over the tower having separate and unconnected entrances for the affordable- apartment portion in the tower’s lower floors and market-priced condominiums above.

The entrance to a lobby and elevators for the rentals was on Makaloa Street while the entrance to a lobby and elevators for the condos was on Keeaumoku. Some community members criticized the separate entryway for moderate-income renters as a “poor door.”

Anderson’s draft resolution includes a requirement that the two lobbies be connected via an internal ground-floor corridor. The developer recently agreed to this change, which was announced by Councilwoman Kymberly Pine on Monday.

ON VACATION

Christine Donnelly is on vacation. Kokua Line returns Jan. 4.