Colors of Hōkūao
On December 7, 2023, during the Maile untying ceremony, AJ Baldeviso stood in front of a crowd that included the first tenants of Hōkūao as well as Pūlama Lāna‘i employees. “I think I was a little more nervous that day with all the people around,” AJ said later. For many families, including AJ’s, this moment marked the beginning of their new lives at the Hōkūao housing project.
Life Before Hōkūao: Challenges and Aspirations
The Baldeviso Family
Prior to Hōkūao, AJ, his girlfriend Makana Nuesca, and their children Izaizee and Aizen, lived in an apartment at the Courts. “The only downfall about having that two-bedroom apartment was it being upstairs. I have kids, so they can’t be too loud,” AJ said. The conditions were tough, with frequent appliance breakdowns and a lack of outdoor space for the children. “There are kids that play in the parking lot and on the street,” he said. “There was a point where our fridge completely broke down, and other renters were waiting for new fridges too for months.”
The Reintegrado Family
Growing up in Vigan City, Philippines, Anabel Reintegrado always dreamed of life in America. Her vision was one of owning a large home with a sprawling yard, complete with housekeepers to help manage the household. However, the reality proved different when she moved to Lāna‘i. Anabel, her daughters Kelly and Kyla, and her partner Travis Wright, who is originally from Ohio, lived in a one-bedroom apartment at the Courts. The space constraints were an issue. “When you’re really young, it doesn’t matter. But as I got older, it just made me realize I wish I had my own room,” Kelly said. Besides the lack of space, they also dealt with frequent maintenance problems. “The fridge was starting to have issues, and the property management said they were going to replace it, but who knew when,” Travis said.
The Williams Family
Jane and Eduardo Williams moved from Austin, Texas, to Lāna‘i in 2021, drawn by work opportunities with Sensei Lāna‘i. They quickly settled into the small-town life of Lāna‘i, but the need for a more sustainable living situation became apparent with the arrival of their daughter, Nori, in 2023. Jane chose to reduce her work hours to care for her. “Our last house had some bug issues, but the main reason for moving was affordability,” said Jane. “Knowing that I wanted to stay home for at least the first year or two with [Nori], we just knew on one income that our housing situation wasn’t going to be sustainable.”
The Decision to Move: A Turning Point
The lottery for Hōkūao was a pivotal moment for these families. “I was at work when my girlfriend texted me that we got a house and were the first picked. I was kind of stoking,” said AJ. Moving to Hōkūao meant their children would have a yard to play in away from the street. “Super stoked about the yard for the kids,” he said. Additionally, yard service and landscaping are included to keep the outdoor spaces maintained.
The convenience of having their own washer and dryer was also an improvement. “There was a laundry room at the Courts, but we would never use it. We would go to my parents’ house to do laundry because most of the time, some of the laundry machines would be broken or just occupied,” AJ said. Each home came fully furnished with living room, dining room, patio and bedroom furniture, as well as window and floor coverings. This meant the families needed to be selective with what personal furnishings they could bring to Hōkūao. “That was one of the most overwhelming parts is like, what are we going to do with all the stuff that we have, like TVs, couches? So, we pretty much got rid of everything, kept what we could,” AJ said.
One challenge tenants face is taking care of the provided furnishings, which are light in color, whites, and off-whites — a challenge to keep clean in a rural town surrounded by red dirt. “That’s what I was most nervous about. I’m not saying something bad will happen, but what if something does and I have to go out and buy replacement stuff again? So, that was a little bit on my mind,” said AJ.
Modern conveniences like a washer and dryer, TOTO electronic toilet, hot water heater, dishwasher, refrigerator, electric stove, microwave, and air conditioning were included. “The experience has been awesome. At first, it did have that kind of like, what time is checkout vibe, like a hotel. But I’m sure as the year goes by and holidays come, it’ll feel more like home,” said AJ.
For the Reintegrado family, Anabel was initially hesitant about the move but soon saw its benefits. Hōkūao brought her youthful dream of a spacious home closer to reality. The new environment provided space for the children to have their own room, privacy, and a sense of independence. “I’ve always wanted a vanity ever since I was little, but I couldn’t get one because there was no space. But now I can make my own at the little desk, with a little mirror and my own lipsticks,” Kelly said. “I could have my friends over now. When I was younger, they used to come over, but then they stopped because we didn’t have space. Now they can just come whenever. If you need to get ready for prom, you can use this as the central place. We’re actually having a sleepover tonight.” Anabel added, “Our apartment is the center of their friendship.”
The Reintegrado family also found relief in the prompt maintenance services. “If it does break down, I can call them, and they’ll probably be out here the same day,” said Travis. This quick response was an upgrade from their previous experiences at the Courts, where maintenance issues often lingered for months.
Jane and Eduardo saw the move to Hōkūao as both a financial necessity and a step toward a cleaner, safer environment for baby Nori. “We had been on the housing list for a while, trying to find a more affordable place,” Jane said. Jane and Eduardo appreciated the yard, which was perfect for Nori and their dog Kona. “Having the dog and our little one enjoy the space is a big improvement,” said Eduardo.
Energy Management
Hōkūao is completely off the grid, relying solely on solar power. Each home is equipped with Tesla solar roofs that generate up to 12 kW and three Tesla Powerwall batteries with a total storage capacity of 40.5 kWh. The Tesla Solar Roof can fully charge the Powerwall batteries in about 3.375 hours under optimal conditions. AJ mentioned the need to be mindful of electricity consumption, “We try not to run the AC super a lot just because we actually don’t need it during the overcast days. It’s not that hot,” he said.
Jane recounted a time they ran out of power “because I did five loads of laundry on a cloudy day,” she said. On average, a typical Lāna‘i home uses about 13.3 kWh of electricity per day, which the system can easily handle under optimal conditions. However, during prolonged overcast periods, Hōkūao tenants must carefully manage their usage to avoid depleting the stored energy.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have a way to look at the energy levels throughout the day. We just get a call from housing if our energy level is low and about to shut off. I would love it if there was some way we could monitor the energy levels ourselves,” said Eduardo.
Ongoing and Future Developments
The Hōkūao rental project, spearheaded by Pūlama Lāna‘i, aims to address the island’s housing shortage by developing 150 rental homes on approximately 76 acres. This project is divided into 74 market-rate units and 76 affordable units, with the latter representing 51% of the total homes, thus qualifying for the state’s fast-track approval process for affordable housing.
As of July 2024, 94 units are currently occupied. The project is expected to be completed in 2025, with additional tranches of tenants moving in as different stages of construction are completed. The community center, along with a 1-acre park and additional infrastructure, is scheduled to be built next year to finish out Hōkūao.