Project: Self-help housing in Waianae

Maʻili & Pokai Bay Self-Help Housing

Empowering Families Through Homeownership

The Maʻili and Pokai Bay Self-Help Housing projects have successfully empowered 142 low-income families on Oʻahu’s west coast to achieve the dream of homeownership.

This initiative is a collaborative public-private partnership between the HHFDC, the City and County of Honolulu, U.S.D.A. Rural Development, and the Self-Help Housing Corporation of Hawaii (SHHCH).

The Self-Help Method

Under the guidance of SHHCH, participating families learn the skills necessary to build their own homes through a team-based approach. This method creates unique benefits:

  • Sweat Equity: Builders contribute 1,700 hours of labor over the course of a year, working together to complete the homes. This labor serves as a down payment, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for low-income households.
  • Affordability: With loans and grants from federal, state, and local partners, SHHCH offers fee-simple house and lot packages well below market prices.
  • Community Impact: Approximately 25% of these homeowners have incomes below 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI), and many are paying less for their mortgage than they would for comparable rent.

Home Specifications

  • Structures: One- and two-story homes.
  • Configuration: Three- and four-bedroom, two-bath layouts.
  • Efficiency: All homes are equipped with integrated solar water heating systems.

Inquiries

For more information on the Self-Help Housing Program, please contact the Self-Help Housing Corporation of Hawaii: