Proposal for condo towers in Kakaako Makai dies

Kicking off a Save Our Kakaako Coalition rally Tuesday morning on the steps of the state Capitol, state House Speaker Scott Saiki announced the death of a bill seeking to change existing law to allow the state Office of Hawaiian Affairs to build housing in Kakaako Makai.

All residential development in the area has been banned by state law since 2006, after an Alexander &Baldwin proposal for two residential towers was defeated. And it will stay that way for another year at least.

Saiki said SB 1334 — which had sailed through the Senate and passed a first reading in the House — would not receive another hearing.

“I want to inform you that I spoke with the chair of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs to inform her that the House will not advance SB 1334,” he said, addressing through his face mask and a megaphone an audience of about 100, many clad in red T-shirts emblazoned with “Save Our Kakaako” in gold.

“As you know, the prohibition on residential development in Kakaako Makai has been in place since 2006,” the speaker continued, adding, “There is not a compelling reason for the Legislature to reverse this prohibition.”

After attentively listening to the soft-spoken representative’s remarks, followed by a brief summary in a louder voice from coalition member Ron Iwami, the crowd broke into applause and exuberant cheers.

The coalition opposed the bill for its provisions allowing OHA to build 400-foot-high residential towers — twice the current height limit for Kakaako Makai — on two lots and permitting OHA to sell the parcels to third parties for development.

In a statement released after the rally, OHA Chairwoman Carmen Hulu Lindsey said the agency “is deeply disappointed that a bill that would allow Native Hawaiians to develop housing in Kakaako Makai appears to be dead,” and “saddened that Native Hawaiians were robbed of an opportunity to have their voices heard in a single hearing in the House of Representatives.”

Lindsey said the agency would continue its planning for Kakaako Makai, and she looked forward to returning to the Legislature next year “to continue the discussion of allowing Native Hawaiians to build housing on our lands.”

Kapono Nawiliili, who bicycles in Kakaako parks with his wife and three children, said he was glad the bill was dead.

“You know, not everybody agrees with OHA and how they do things, and for me, in terms of this, they’re not speaking for all of Hawaii. I didn’t see a vote, especially on the Native Hawaiian side,” he said.

The bill’s rationale was for OHA to bring in more income to help its Native Hawaiian beneficiaries, which seems like a good thing but could open the door for other developers to build in the area, Nawiliili said.

Nawiliili, who is half Native Hawaiian, added that the bill made no mention of providing housing for Native Hawaiians or affordable housing, but beyond that, he opposed all residential development in Kakaako Makai so that the entire community could continue to benefit from open space along the shoreline.

Another speaker at the rally, state Sen. Sharon Moriwaki, said she will continue to seek passage of a Senate resolution she introduced, SSCR 216, which requests that Gov. David Ige convene a task force to discuss future development plans in Kakaako Makai, including identifying public lands of comparable value for a possible land exchange with OHA for some or all of its 30 acres in Kakaako Makai.

The land was given to OHA in 2012 in exchange for $200 million in ceded-land back revenue the state owed Native Hawaiians.

“I think that (OHA residential development) will come up again as it did in 2012 and 2014, so now it’s really important for the community to come together to find a way forward together and stick to it this time,” Moriwaki said.

Saiki, who has introduced a House resolution to create a working group on the issue, said he would join Morikawa in attempting to work with OHA to explore alternatives to developing Kakaako Makai, and called upon the public to participate, because “preventing residential development will prevent uncontrolled development and preserve this open space for the next generation and the next next generation.”

Moriwaki said the rally had made her feel positive about the future.

“A lot of people came out, and lots of young people,” she said, “a good sign the community is transmitting its caring about this place to the next generation.”

Other speakers at the rally included state Sens. Gil Riviere and Donna Mercado Kim, state Reps. Dale Koba­yashi and Andrew Tam, as well as other Save Our Kakaako Coalition members representing Friends of Kewalos, Save Our Surf, Surf­rider Foundation, Malama Moana, Kaka‘ako United, Point Panic Bodysurfers, Free Access Coalition, Kamehameha Canoe Club and others.