HALEIWA (HawaiiNewsNow) – From the start, many community members have been voicing opposition to the Haleiwa Backyards development, which involves building about 150 two-bedroom, long-term rentals on the empty lot behind the Ace Hardware store.
“I think this project puts profit over the people. Nothing about it is for our community. It’s just going to get worse, especially with all the infrastructure set up already,” area resident Zaz Dahlin argued.
Rent for the units would be between $2,500 and $3,800 a month, and about a third of the homes would be affordable.
“I know the backbone of our community is basically the lifeguards, the teachers, the restaurant workers, the retail shop workers. And I know they make near the amount to pay what they’re proposing back here,” Zaz Dahlin added.
Residents are concerned that more new homes could add more new vehicles to the area, meaning more traffic in an already congested tourist hot spot.
“Our traffic in the country here in Haleiwa, in a 1.5 miles, it’s a madhouse,” area resident Earl Dahlin said. “We get traffic, takes you 20 minutes just to get through the town.”
Jack Reid, a Waialua resident, agreed with Earl Dahlin, adding, “I don’t come to town. I live Waialua side. I do not come into this town after 10 o’clock in the morning. You can’t. From Waialua to the harbor takes me 20, 25 minutes. That’s ridiculous.”
But developer D.G. “Andy” Anderson said the homes could go to workers in the area who could walk to work instead of drive, which he said could lead to fewer cars hitting the road, reducing traffic.
Anderson added there needs to be more housing to keep local families here in Hawaii.
The Honolulu City Council is set to discuss the project on Monday.
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