KAHULUI — Phase one of the Kahului Lani affordable senior housing project, with more than 80 units, is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with move-in targeted for Feb. 1, according to developers.

“We’ve received a lot of support from the county. . . . The process itself took a couple years, but the actual construction started early this year,” project manager Jeff Furuta said Wednesday.

Hale Mahaolu and Catholic Charities Housing Corp. announced that they have been accepting applications for the 81 one-bedroom, one-bath units — with rents set by income — since Monday and will continue through Aug. 30.

“It’s an even playing field,” said Grant Chun, executive director of Hale Mahaolu, a nonprofit property management and development company. “So we encourage any interested individuals to come and apply. . . . We’ve had a lot of interest and people coming to pick up applications. We hope it’s just a start to a large pool of applicants.”

Applications are available for pickup at the Hale Mahaolu central office at 200 Hina Ave. in Kahului from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday. Original applications must be completed and submitted to the office no later than Aug. 30. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed in the order they were received.

Eligible renters must be 55 years or older and earn 30 to 60 percent of the area median income.

The 164-unit Kahului Lani senior complex off Kane Street, near the Queen Ka’ahumanu Center and Foodland, is being built in two phases on 3.9 acres. Phase one of the six-story housing complex includes 81 one-bedroom, one-bath units, ranging from $470 to $875 a month, with leases renewed annually. Rent includes water and electricity.

All units include an oven, garbage disposal, refrigerator, air conditioning and window coverings. Amenities also include laundry rooms and elevators. 

There will be a two-bedroom manager’s unit on-site, as well as tenant and guest parking.

Phase two will include an additional 83 rental units and a two-story multipurpose building. It is scheduled to begin construction at the beginning of 2020.

The total project cost is $34.1 million. It received support from Hawaii’s Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, Hula Mae Multi-Family Program, the state Rental Housing Revolving Fund and other private funds, the developers said.

The cost of a unit for a single occupant with a maximum income of $20,520, or 30 percent of the median income, would be about $470 per month. The cost of a unit for two people with an income of $23,430, or 30 percent of the median income, would also be $470 per month.

For occupants with an annual income of $34,200 (single) and $39,050 (couple), or 50 percent of the median income, the same one-bedroom unit would be about $765 per month. And, for occupants earning about $41,040 (single) and $46,860 (couple), or 60 percent of the median income, it would cost about $875 a month.

There are 16 units reserved for applicants earning 30 and 40 percent of the median income and 65 units for those earning 60 percent.

About traffic concerns, Furuta said that “traffic tends to be a lot less” near senior housing. “We’re also doing improvements to the road and things to account for the extra traffic and extra pedestrian traffic,” he added. 

Additionally, a new bus stop will be installed right next to the complex, Chun said.

Chun said that Hale Mahaolu is “very excited and optimistic” about its partnership with nonprofit Catholic Charities Housing, which will provide occupants with social, developmental and case management services.

Rick Stack, president of Catholic Charities Housing, said that his corporation operates as a subsidiary of Catholic Charities Hawaii. This is the corporation’s first affordable rental project for seniors on Maui, he said.

“We’ll also work with the people already receiving services in the housing,” said Thelma Alika Kealoha, Maui County director for Catholic Charities Hawaii. “The folks on Maui, everybody is really excited about the progress of the building and how quickly it went up, and we’re really pleased with the networking we had.”

To learn more about Hale Mahaolu, visit halemahaolu.org or call the office at 872-4100. For more information about Catholic Charities Housing Corp., visit catholiccharitieshawaii.org or call the Maui branch at 873-4673. 

* Dakota Grossman can be reached at dgrossman@mauinews.com.