Kupuna Soon Able to Apply for Hilo Housing

Applications for residency will be available this month for 92 units at a senior living community housing project in Hilo.

The Office of Housing and Community Development will soon open its project-based voucher housing assistance payment program waiting list for initial and future vacancies at Mohouli Heights Senior Neighborhood, according to a press release from the Hawai‘i Housing Affordability Coalition. The new units coming available are part of the community’s third and final phase in construction, which will be ready for occupancy in April 2020.

The pre-application form will only be available on Hawai‘i County’s website starting at 8 a.m. on Oct. 7. If the number of applications received exceeds 500, the OHCD will use a lottery system to select the initial applications processed for this program. Only applications received by 4:30 p.m on Oct. 21 will be included in the initial lottery.

The initial lottery will include participants in the Section 8 program who are interested in senior community living and applicants referred by the owner. Any application not selected in the initial lottery, along with any application received after the deadline, will be placed on the program’s waitlist based on the date and time the application was received by the OHCD.

All applications are electronic. Anyone with a disability that limits their ability to access the online process is advised to call the Office of Housing and Community Development at 808-959-4642 to request accommodations.

Mohouli Heights is senior community living for those 62 years or older. The first phase of the neighborhood was completed in 2014. Project details and specs can be accessed via pdf at Mohouli Housing.

Eligibility for PBV assistance:

• One member is a US citizen or national, non-citizen with eligible immigration status, or lawful residents of the Freely Associated States.
• Disclose the complete and accurate social security number assigned for all members.
  Consent to Authorization for the Release of Information/Privacy Act Notice and other consent forms.
• Meet regulatory requirements related to current or past criminal activity.
• Have a gross annual income that does not exceed 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI).
• Tenancy will not be approved if the owner (including a principal or other interested party) of the unit is the parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, sister or brother of any member of the family unless needed as a reasonable accommodation.