Wahiawa housing a sweet senior deal
A affordable complex gets a warm welcome from itss residents
Sixty-eight-year-old Augustina "Tina" Choy smiled yesterday as she brushed her fingers across the new maple kitchen cabinet doors in her apartment at the affordable senior residential building in Wahiawa.
"Look at this," she said.
Choy and more than a dozen other residents joined officials and developers who celebrated the dedication and grand opening yesterday of the new 42-unit affordable senior rental housing project at 220 California Ave.
The senior rental housing complex is an example of a partnership between the private sector and the state that is necessary, Lingle said yesterday after the ceremony.
The state is continuing to work with the federal and county governments and the private sector to develop more senior rental housing projects.
Officials recently held a groundbreaking for a 60-unit senior rental housing project at Aeloa in the Villages of Kapolei.
"The elderly population is growing by large amounts each year," Gov. Linda Lingle said.
Baby boomers are slated to retire within the next few years, and the state will make certain that senior citizens have safe, clean and affordable places to live in, she added.
Occupancy at the senior rental housing complex is almost half-full, with many lining up for available units. "We're filling up pretty fast," said Alvin Wong, general partner of California Dreaming.
The complex has a security entry door where each resident is assigned a key for access.
A recreation hall is also available on the property for residents to rent for $25 for private parties. A large-screen television and free Internet access will also be added to the facility shortly, Wong said.
Activities such as movie and karaoke nights and educational classes that will include a senior wellness program will also be held in the hall.
California Dreaming acquired the parcel from a private owner three years ago. Twenty old homes and duplexes on the property were demolished to make way for affordable units to target the senior population.
Under a deed between the state and the project developer, California Dreaming agreed to set aside use of the property for the next 50 years as a senior affordable rental complex. In turn, the state Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corp. is to provide about $9 million in federal and state tax credits in the next decade which will help finance the three-story building, Wong said.
"With the completion of this project, it brings us a step forward to increasing the inventory of affordable housing for seniors," he added.
"It's a triple win: a win for the public sector, the private sector, but most of all I think it's a big win for the seniors," Wong said.
Elvin Gandeza, 67, a retired police officer of the Maui Police Department, said he decided to move into the building from a rental unit in Kalaeloa because of the cool, breezy weather and the proximity to the supermarket and eateries.
"Everything is centralized," Gandeza said. "I'm so happy ... I have the right spot."
AFFORDABLE RENTALS
A look at affordable senior rental units at 220 California Ave.:
» 41 apartments plus one apartment for the resident manager
» Each unit is 403 square feet, one bedroom, one bathroom.
» Monthly rent: $605 also covers electricity, water, sewer and parking costs.
» Features include a garden park, picnic and barbecue area, coin-operated laundry on each floor, security entry door to the complex, community hall for recreation and educational activities, and tenant and visitor parking.
» Units are targeted for those age 62 and older with an annual income ranging from $26,100 to $29,800.
For those interested in applying for a rental unit, call Prudential Locations Property Management Division at 738-3100.
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