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Office of Housing posts plan, issues RFQ for four city properties and advances grant solicitations
Summary
The mayor’s Office of Housing presented its recently posted housing plan, multiple solicitations for city land and grant funding, and status updates on several vacant city properties. The committee noted timelines and raised questions about site readiness and community alignment.
The mayor’s Office of Housing delivered an informational briefing on Feb. 11, reporting that the administration’s housing plan was posted on Jan. 31 at Honolulu.gov/housing and that a set of solicitations for city land and grants is underway.
Executive Director Kevin Auger told the committee the Department of Land Management posted an RFQ (DLM 2051) on Jan. 30 for four city properties: 436 Anna Road; 1615 Ala Wai Boulevard; 130 South Britannia Street; and a Pensacola Street lot (listed in committee handouts). The RFQ schedule in the briefing calls for a pre‑proposal conference on Feb. 14, a clarification deadline of Feb. 28, submission deadline March 21, and selections by April. Auger said a pre‑proposal conference will be held and staff expect to score proposals and make selections in April.
Auger also reported active grant work: an $8,000,000 intent‑to‑award is outstanding subject to conditions precedent; a $5,000,000 Affordable Housing Fund request for grant proposals was posted Jan. 29 with a clarification deadline of Feb. 20 and proposal deadline March 18; the office stands ready to reissue a follow‑on grant if there is strong response.
On property status, Chair Paul Weier and Council member Brandon Ruetupola asked for more detail. Auger said 436 Anna Road has been vacant “at least two years,” contains deferred maintenance and was once funded with Community Development Block Grant dollars; the city is seeking proposals for renovation or redevelopment. He said 1615 Ala Wai Boulevard has been vacant for more than 20 years and was recently acquired via condemnation; the state historic preservation office concurred the property is not historic and it is slated for demolition. The 130 South Britannia parcel is a mini‑park that Auger described as underutilized and occasionally attracting people experiencing homelessness; the Pensacola site is a vacant lot.
Auger discussed internal reorganization plans: the Office of Housing is in union consultation on one federal‑funding related issue; once union consultation and Budget & Fiscal Services sign‑off are complete, the administration will submit a combined budget reflecting an anticipated reorganization of housing functions. Auger said an RFQ for the Ewa project (Evollet Center) is slightly delayed while the administration completes procurement for a relocation consultant; the RFQ itself is prepared and will be posted after that consultant is onboard.
Council members pressed for clearer district‑level plans and better clarity on property lists. Council member Ruetupola said he wanted district‑by‑district clarity and cautioned that some properties listed (for example a Waianae Transit Center listing) appear unlikely for the scale listed in the handout and asked for staff and council coordination on site suitability. Auger offered to meet with council members and provide follow‑up briefings and district‑specific updates after RFQ and grant deadlines pass.
The briefing was informational; the chair invited future updates including an April report after the RFQ closes.
