Residents warn DHHL plan for Waipoli Courtyards could force many off Kauai

Residents of the Waipoli (Waipoli/Waipoli) Courtyards and community advocates told the Hawaiian Homes Commission on May 20 that the department’s current relocation plan for the proposed redevelopment lacks realistic, Kauai‑based options and could force many tenants to move off the island.

Speakers said the relocation budget in DHHL’s May 8 submittal—$2.2 million—falls far short of what will be needed to provide comparable housing on Kauai. Kenneth Summer Gibson, speaking for residents, said 42 households qualify for federal relocation assistance but island rents make comparable units scarce; he told the commission that moving those households on Kauai would require substantially more than the budget DHHL presented and that InterWest Group, the contractor managing relocation, has not produced a clear, HUD‑approved plan or consistent point of contact.

Several tenants described the…