Public housing getting modern renovations with private help

HONOLULU -

Granite countertops, energy star appliances and an organic rooftop farm. Sounds like a new high rise development? No. It's a low-income housing apartment in Kalihi. And an example of future affordable housing projects done with private and public partnerships. Ceremonies today marked what could become a template for the future of affordable housing in the islands.

Seattle-based Vitus Group bought the Banyan Street Manor Apartments last May for $8.5 million and spent just over $3 million dollars to renovate the units.

"We didn't spend a ton of money, but what we did was work things wisely," said Makani Maeva, Director of Vitus Group.

And the result is a dream come true for 20-year resident Oceana Falaniko.

"My new refrigertor, that can hold more food." said Falaniko about her new appliances. "My new vanity mirror, when I open the lights it makes me feel like I'm in Hollywood."

Each of the 55 units now has energy saving appliances, solid wood kitchen cabinets and granite counters. On the outside the largest "living walls" in the state. Reducing building temperatures by up to 10-degrees. And the building built in 1976 is now the first affordable housing project to have a USDA certified organic rooftop farm. It also has a protected urban play area just for kids. Honolulu Mayor Peter Carlisle says he hopes to see more of this type of result from private and public partnerships.

"What happens when you have something like this is it comes into a community that had some problems in the past. It revitalizes it," said Mayor Peter Carlisle. "It takes into account the kind of halo effect of this type of investment can create."

And for Oceana, the improvements have changed her life.

" It's made this place more of a place that we can take pride in." Oceana commented. "Where it's not just a dwelling place or an apartment where you rent a hotel room. There's no meaning to it, this is my home."

Excerpt from:
Public housing getting modern renovations with private help