Council committee advances Kealpai Place affordable rental project in Kailua

The Committee on Housing, Sustainability, Economy and Health voted on Feb. 11 to report out a resolution authorizing the City and County of Honolulu to enter into a development contract and ground lease with TC Kealpai LLC and Kealpai Place Apartments, L.L.P., to build an affordable rental project at 734 and 735 Kealpai Place in Kailua.

The project team, led by Chris Fong of Tradewind Capital, described a three‑story building with ground‑floor parking and 42 one‑ and two‑bedroom units targeted for households at up to 80% of area median income (the RFP requirement). Fong said the developer’s “base case” anticipates serving households between 30% and 60% of AMI. The design preserves a 40‑foot A‑2 height limit, includes 54 on‑site parking stalls and is sited at the entrance to Kailua Town along the Ka‘elepai/Kawainui Marsh edge.

The committee considered a…