Ke Aka Ho‘onā
About the Program
Ke Aka Ho‘onā is a self‑help housing development in Waiʻanae in Hawai‘i’s Honolulu County that Consuelo helped launch in 1991. At the start of the program, Waiʻanae leaders and residents told us that their greatest need was affordable homeownership opportunities for families as a crucial foundation for health and well-being.
In response, the Foundation purchased 14 acres of land and designed a long‑term approach to supporting families through affordable owner‑built housing and wrap‑around programs. To be considered for this program, residents had to be first‑time homeowners and meet eligibility requirements, such as having young children, earning no more than 80% of the area median income, and committing to values covenants for building a strong community free of violence, drugs and alcohol abuse. Between 1993 and 2001, the Foundation and the selected families built 75 homes, a community center, and a playground. This required support from many stakeholders, including rezoning approval from the City and County of Honolulu, an advisory committee of developers, assistance from local banks, technical work and training from Trimline Construction, and services from diverse nonprofit organizations.
Today, most of the original Ke Aka Ho‘onā residents still reside in the community, and over half have paid off their related mortgage. As housing prices continue to rise, the residents remain an example of how community stakeholders can work together to provide stable housing that can change the trajectory of a family’s path.
We collaborate with the Ke Aka Ho‘onā Homeowners Association which helps connect residents and manage the community and their shared assets.
Read more in the Ke Aka Ho‘onā case study and summary in the Resource Hub for more detailed information.
