With a second $150,000 grant from the Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative, Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae has achieved a major milestone with its community-based plan to provide new, affordable housing for houseless residents living in tents at Waianae Boat Harbor.
The nonprofit Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae has utilized the grant to both complete the purchase of a 20-acre parcel of land in Waianae and launch its fundraising efforts to build a permanent village of affordable homes for up to 250 residents who are currently houseless.
REITs in Hawaii provided the $150,000 grant to Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae through the Nareit Hawaii Community Giving Initiative of the Nareit Foundation, a section 501(c)(3) organization. This is the second $150,000 grant the Nareit Foundation has presented to Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae, with the first grant awarded in December 2018.
“It’s an honor for REITs to support Pu‘uhonua O Wai‘anae and help these families, keiki and kupuna escape from being houseless,” said Gladys Quinto Marrone, executive director for Nareit Hawaii. “REITs are committed to providing affordable housing and it is a privilege to offer our support and see the inspiring vision of this aloha-inspired community of homes coming to fruition.”
The Nareit Hawaii Giving Initiative, a program of the Nareit Foundation, a section 501(c)(3) organization, is funded by REITs active in Hawaii and, since 2018, has provided over $700,000 to a variety of nonprofits focused on forward-thinking initiatives to address the affordable housing crisis in Hawaii. For more information, visit Nareit Hawaii’s website.
(Contact: Gladys Quinto Marrone at gmarrone@nareit.com)