Workforce Housing

YOU COULD QUALIFY FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING IN HAWAII

The heart of Wailuku, Kaulana Mahina introduces 324 brand new apartment homes with 195 designated Work Force Housing reserved for households earning more than 50% and up to 140% of the area median income (AMI), which include Studios, 1-bedrooms, and 2-bedroom units. The lottery will determine the order in which applicants will be screened. All applications received after the application deadline will be added to the bottom of the waitlist after the lottery has been run. Lottery results will be posted on our website within 10 days of the lottery.

Workforce Housing Timeline

Check out our Lottery Ranking List here!

Are you a qualified applicant? Keep reading to find out!

General Below Market Rate (BMR) Information

What are the income/rent limits?

Building Selection Criteria

Households must also qualify under the rules of the building. 

Qualifications to Rent a Residential Workforce Housing Unit

Housing Agent or its designee will verify applicant households meet all the following eligibility requirements, as set by the definitions in MCC Section 2.96.020 and eligibility criteria in MCC Section 2.96.090(B)(l), (2), (3), (4), and (5).

In order to be eligible for a Residential Workforce Housing Unit, an applicant must meet the following criteria:

1. Be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident alien who is a resident of the County.
2. Be eighteen years of age or older.
3. Have a gross annual family income (not to include the income of minors) which does not exceed one hundred forty percent (140%) of the County's area median income as established by HUD, or as adjusted by the department, for Hana, Lanai, and Molokai; and
4. Have assets that do not exceed one hundred forty percent (140%) of the County's area median income as established by HUD or as the department adjusted for Hana, Lanai, and Molokai. Assets shall include all cash, securities, stocks, bonds, and real property. Real property shall be valued at fair market value less liabilities on such real property.

Provided that per Section 2.96.IOO(B)(l), MCC, if the Project is receiving federal and/or state assistance (e.g., low-income housing tax credits or subordinate financing made available by HHFDC), the applicable federal and/or state eligibility criteria shall control.

Application and Lottery Processes

Step 1: Application Distribution

• Lottery applications available from October 02, 2023, through October 08, 2023, between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Friday, with evening hours from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Wednesday and Friday, 11 am – 5 pm Saturday and Sunday. A reasonable accommodation will be made on an individual basis for applicants to pick up and submit applications electronically.
• Applicants must submit only one (1) completed application per household.
  1. Each application will be numbered as received and will be logged into a spreadsheet and checked to ensure no duplications are accepted.
  2. Duplicate applications will be removed, keeping one per household.
• To be eligible for the lottery, applicants must submit their completed application on or before October 29, 2023, by 5:00 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (HST). 
• Applications received after the due date and time will be added to the bottom of the waitlist after the lottery has been run.
• Each application will be entered into a spreadsheet in the date and time order in which it was received. 
• Each application received will be pre-qualified prior to being entered into the lottery. 

Step 2: Lottery 

• The Kaulana Mahina Housing Project residential workforce housing units will be offered for rent.
  1. through a lottery to be held on November 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. HST, virtually only, and the link will be posted on the property website.
  2. Residential workforce housing units will be offered to qualified applicant(s) definitions in MCC Section 2.96.020 and eligibility criteria in MCC Section 2.96.090(B)(l), (2), (3), (4), and (5).
  3. The lottery will be held once, at the commencement of the Project.
• Lottery logistics
  1. Draws 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively, income category groups: Below 80% AMI, 81 – 100% AMI, 101 – 120% AMI, and 121 – 140% AMI (four separate draws)
  2. Each qualified applicant’s name will be printed on colored paper that is representative of their respective income category group.
  3. Colored paper pieces will be placed in four different receptacles. Each receptacle will represent the appropriate income category group.
  4. DHHC representative will draw the names from the four receptacles in income category order from low to high.
  5. As each name is drawn, it will be given a number, starting with 1. Each name will be assigned a number for their income group category. This will decide who is awarded a unit in their respective income category and who will be placed on the waitlist for their respective income category.
  6. The number will govern each qualified applicant’s place “in line” for their respective income category.

Step 3: Household Qualification

Within the first 10 days following the lottery, the property manager will contact the first 50 households in the final ranking order of the lottery list to begin the income certification process:

1. Verification of eligibility requirements, as set by the definitions in MCC Section 2.96.020 and eligibility criteria in MCC Section 2.96.090(B)(1), (2), (3), (4), and (5).
2. Credit/ background screening to be run prior to income and asset qualifications.
3. Income and asset qualification based on HHFDC requirements overseen by Spectrum LIHTC.

Households will be income and asset-qualified in batches as each building is delivered. Unit delivery will happen in stages, starting with building one (1). 

Required Documentation Due Post-Lottery 

After the lottery, the following documentation is due for each household member who is 18 years old or older. Required documentation including, but not limited to:

Income

If you work and receive paystubs, you must submit:

• Copies of 3 months consecutive paystubs, beginning with the most recent paystub. Provide employer's contact name and email to Payroll/Human Resources Department which may complete the Employment Verification Form.  
• If hired recently, provide Employment Offer Letter.
• If you are Self-Employed, you must:
  1. Complete a Self-Employed Declaration form.
  2. Submit Year-to-Date Profit and Loss statement.
  3. Submit most recent Federal Income Tax Returns. Include all Schedules, attachments, and W2(s)
  4. Submit Non-Filing Verification from IRS (if applicable) If receiving severance pay, Social Security, unemployment benefits (EDD), retirement/ Pension income, disability, public assistance, etc., submit:
• Taxes - Submit most recent Federal Income Tax Returns. Include all Schedules, attachments, and W2(s)
• Most recent benefits letter(s) stating your monthly award If you are Unemployed and have ZERO income, you must:
• Complete an Unemployment Declaration form.
• Complete a Certificate of Zero Income form.

Assets

• Six (6) consecutive and most recent statements for all Checking, include ALL pages.
• One (1) most recent statement for all Savings accounts and all other assets (IE: 401K, Money Market, etc.) and include ALL pages.
• A written and signed explanation with supporting documentation for any deposit over $100 or recurring, other than that of your documented employment.

*Additional documentation may be requested. 

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Reference Our Sample Application Packet Here!

More questions? Click here for our FAQ Video!