The Department of Hawaii Homelands Wednesday morning broke ground in Kealakehe to mark the beginning of a $13.8 million capital improvement project that will provide 125 lots for Native Hawaiian beneficiaries.
The Villages of La‘i ‘Opua Village IV Hema Phase II subdivision will include a mixture of turn-key homes and vacant lots overlooking the Kona Coast above Kealakehe High School. The project is funded in part through an $11.1 million legislative appropriation and a $2.7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Water and Environmental Program.
Work is expected to begin in the coming days and take about 14 months to complete. The contract awarded to Nan Inc. includes grading, construction of roads, and utility improvements for the 125-lot residential subdivision.
“The plan is to start clearing soon. We’re getting our final approval from the county, then we’ll be able to really get into everything,” said Tyler Lokepa Gomes, who serves as deputy to the chairman of DHHL. “Let’s give this land more meaning, to the people of Hawaii, let’s give them hope and more opportunities.”
Kahu Danny and Anna Akaka, who officiated the blessing ceremony Wednesday, started by blowing into a conch shell to honor the four corners of the land, north and south, east and west.
“All our alii would be smiling to create more homes for our Hawaiian people to be able to love and thrive and raise their children here,” said Danny, adorned in Hawaiian lei, standing next to his wife.
Next, they sprinkled the land with salt and water in a “very traditional ceremony” called pikai.
Part of the importance of the ceremony is to make pono with the land, the past, and anyone who may walk to ancient lands. It’s done to break the ground, which invites the spirit of God to join in, Danny described.
Not lost on the group was the significance of building more homes for Hawaiians.
“It’s been a great challenge in the past for people to find a home here and live in the islands they are born, but this is a great effort and this will help,” Danny said.
The Villages of Laʻi ʻOpua is a master-planned community with 572 acres of Hawaiian Home Lands transferred to DHHL in the mid-1990s. There are currently 284 residential homestead lots in the subdivision. The homestead community is expected to hold nearly 600 homes at final build-out, though that is dependent on water credits from the county.
The department expects to break ground on two additional capital improvement projects next month on Hawaii Island. In Honomu, DHHL will prepare 16 Subsistence Agricultural lots for award and in Kaʻu the department will begin the installation of a new water tank for pastoral lessees.