HONOLULU, HI – The Nareit Foundation presented a grant of $72,548 to the Institute for Human Services (IHS) that will be utilized to improve the water utility services for the 144 affordable housing units at Kahauiki Village.
Located at 2475 N. Nimitz Highway in Kalihi Kai, Kahauiki Village is an affordable housing community for formerly homeless households. There are 129 families and 568 residents currently living at Kahauiki Village, comprised of 278 adults and 290 children.
The grant will be utilized to pay for the complete replacement of blackwater pump floats serving all housing units that are needed to maintain a clean and healthy water utility system for sanitation needs. The replacement project became necessary due to the increased capacity of families living at Kahauiki Village. None of the improvement costs for the pump float replacement project will be incurred by the village residents. The project will begin soon and is expected to take four to six weeks to complete.
IHS Executive Director Connie Mitchell cited the connection between the purpose of Kahauiki Village and the Nareit Foundation grant. “Kahauiki Village is a community that was built by our community to give residents and families who once faced homelessness a place to live free of worry. This grant is funding an important quality-of-life project that allows these residents to continue living in a safe and clean environment where they can raise their kids and work toward a better future.”
The IHS grant is funded by the Nareit Foundation, a Section 501(c)(3) organization, and REITs operating in Hawaii as part of the Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative, which supports affordable housing projects provided by nonprofits like IHS.
Nareit President and CEO Steve Wechsler presented the grant to IHS, along with Nareit Senior Executive Vice President Tony Edwards and Nareit Hawaii Executive Director Gladys Quinto Marrone. “The commendable work being done by the Institute for Human Services and this project for Kahauiki Village shows how the support of our REIT members is making a crucial difference at enhancing the lives of people who live, work, and raise families in the communities we serve,” Wechsler said.
Marrone commented, “Kahauiki Village is one of Hawaii’s heartwarming success stories in providing solutions and opportunities for families, working adults and kupuna to escape homelessness and live in a safe and secure home and community. We are proud to support IHS with this essential home improvement project that is helping hundreds of our fellow residents to have a better life today and strive for a brighter future tomorrow.”
