KVA Working To Keep Families

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Kahuku Village Association (KVA) is working to secure fee-simple homes for families on the former sugar mill property.

Right now, Continental Pacific (CP) owns the Kahuku Sugar Mill land and a few of its plantation houses, while KVA owns the majority of the homes and the master leases to them.

CP wants to turn the homes on the land into a condominium property and bring in a new company to manage and lease it out. A handful of homes, however, will need to be moved to make way for the condominium project, because they are in a flood path.

The company demanded that KVA terminate leases with its tenants by July 31, and it is offering another housing option to the current residents. One offer is for each family to pay $150,000 to have their home moved to a different location on the land.

However, because many of these homes would need renovations to meet building codes, families would end up having to pay much more. Thus, the CP option may not be feasible.

KVA has made an offer to purchase the land so it can convert the properties into fee-simple homes to be sold to families at a more affordable price. KVA hopes CP will accept the offer.

“We are afraid the future looks bleak for these families if we do not succeed,” noted KVA manager Deborah Sarsona.

KVA has been meeting with state Sen. Clayton Hee, Rep. Gil Riviere, City Council Chairman Ernie Martin and Councilmember Ann Kobayashi to discuss other options that would let families to stay put.

“Kahuku Village Association is very appreciative of the efforts of our elected officials to commit their time and provide guidance to find a way for the families to continue to afford to live in these homes,” said Sarsona.