In the December 10th, 2021 article, Chinatown May Get More Affordable Housing For Older Adults, Plus A Hotel, Cassie Ordonio writes about our Chinatown projects in Honolulu. This ground-up hotel development will serve as an anchor for the Chinatown community and catalyst for investment and redevelopment of the area. It will bring jobs, foot traffic, and tax revenues that have historically only benefited areas such as Ala Moana and Waikiki to Chinatown.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
Chinatown, one of the oldest neighborhoods on Oahu, consists mainly of two-story buildings with shops on the first floor and living quarters on the second. Towering over those buildings are several mid-to-high-rise apartment towers – some deemed as affordable housing.
But some residents say there is need for more affordable housing in the 15-block neighborhood, especially for those aged at least 65, who make up 18% of Oahu’s population of 1 million.
“People just need housing,” said Chu Lan Shubert-Kwock, president of the Chinatown Business Association. “The city isn’t affordable. A lot of seniors are on fixed income, and some are on social security right now. Many seniors barely receive $600 a month.”
According to city officials, Chinatown has about 14 apartment buildings, including two already designated for older adults.