Marc and Lynne Benioff continued their gifts to increase the supply of affordable housing on Hawaiʻi Island with another land donation. Yesterday, Hawaiʻi Island Community Development Corporation (HICDC) announced that it received an additional donation of 158 acres from the Benioffs for affordable housing at Ouli in Waimea.

The donation will add to the 282 acres they previously donated to Hawaii Island Community Development Corporation in December 2023. The new land donation, which is adjacent to the 282 acres, brings the total land given by the Benioffs to increase affordable housing to 440 acres. The additional land had been held since purchase in a nonprofit for charitable use, awaiting a determination by HICDC as to whether it would be able to make use of the full acreage.

The Ouli Project is intended for self-help housing, turnkey-single-family-for-sale housing and potentially low-rise multi-family housing. It will include accessory facilities including parks, community spaces and open space on the 440 acres. The project can be accessed from Kawaihae Road by way of Waiula Drive, which also provides access to an existing County of Hawaii rental housing project.

The project will begin with an initial 43-unit Self Help Affordable Housing phase. During this phase, HICDC develops the lots, evaluates eligibility and processes loan applications, manages house plans, procures specialty work, trains and supervises households on construction and safety, manages subcontractors and manages receipt and payment of loan funds through project completion.

 

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Total Land Gifts for Affordable Housing on Hawaii Island Now Exceed 440 Acres