After Representative Kong convened last month’s meeting on the Aiea Town Center properties (next to Aiea Public Library), I requested confirmation of the sources of funding and amounts expended to purchase the Aiea Sugar Mill parcels from the City’s Department of Community Services.
While we await verification of the funding sources, we received the following information from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): • The purchase price for the upper parcel (TMK 9-907-8006) was $3.84 million, and the source of funding was HUD Section 8 administrative fees (reimbursed to City and County of Honolulu).• The purchase price of the lower parcels #9-907-8007, 9-907-8008, 9-907-8009, 9-907-8010, 9-907-8011, 9-907-8012, 9-907-8013, 9-907-8014) was $5.12 million dollars, and the source of funding was City G.O. bonds.The use of HUD administrative fees for the acquisition of the upper parcel imposes restrictions requiring the development of senior housing or other affordable housing, while the use of G.O. bond funds does not include the same restrictions. Area legislators are evaluating fi nancing alternatives to help achieve the desired mix of community purposes for the properties.