Press Releases

Actions Developed as Next Steps to Homeownership Preservation Meeting (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Approximately 40 individuals representing elected officials, city/county governments, financial institutions, nonprofit homeownership counseling organizations, and federal government agencies attended the July 25 meeting coordinated by Housing Hawaii, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, and HUD. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the current level and geographic concentrations of foreclosures, assess the effectiveness of current assistance being provided to distressed borrowers, and brainstorm ways to prevent future foreclosures... Read More >

Friday, May 9, 2008 | New data on home-buying is daunting - by Janis L. Magin of Pacific Business News

Can a firefighter and a school teacher afford to buy a modest home in Honolulu?

Not on their salaries alone.

A married couple working in those occupations would need the salary of one more person earning comparable pay, and then some, to afford a median-priced single-family home on Oahu, according to new data compiled for a nonprofit group.

The data found that it would take 3.19 firefighters earning the median salary to purchase a house priced at $599,000. It would take 3.63 elementary school teachers earning the median salary of $39,596 to buy that same house... Read More >

Pacific Mountain Network News | Housing Hawai’i Conference Builds Consensus

Honolulu meeting focused on removing regulatory barriers to solve the state’s affordable housing crisis - By Kristin Middaugh, Rural Community Assistance Corporation, public affairs specialist

Hawaii’s desperate need for affordable housing was the topic of a recent conference that featured more than a dozen speakers and attracted more than 200 attendees.

Held Oct. 17, at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, Housing Hawaii’s fall conference addressed such topics as developers’ perspectives; advocating for affordable housing; and what’s working and what isn ’t in the affordable housing field... Read More >

Executive Chambers Honolulu | Governor Lingle Establishes Affordable Housing Regulatory Barriers Task Force

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle has established by executive order the Affordable Housing Regulatory Barriers Task Force to identify regulatory barriers that add to the cost of housing or prevent construction of housing in the state. The Governor announced the new task force today at the blessing and dedication of the Courtyards at Mililani Mauka Affordable Rental Apartments, as part of the Lingle-Aiona Administration’s ongoing effort to find solutions to the affordable housing shortage in Hawai‘i. “Our Administration has been working collaboratively with diverse sectors of the community to address the affordable housing shortage in the state, ” said Governor Lingle... Read More >

Rural Community Assistance Corporation | RCAC Gives Thanks for Wathen's $50,000 Donation to Support Housing Hawaii

From left to right: Charles P. Wathen, Denise Boswell (Executive Director Housing Hawaii), Bruce Newman (RCRA) and Richard Knight (HUD)

West Sacramento, Calif. — Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving small rural and tribal communities is giving special thanks this holiday season for a recently received $50,000 grant from Charles Wathen. Wathen is a real estate developer and entrepreneur dedicated to finding viable solutions to the affordable housing and homeless situation in the State of Hawaii.

RCAC shares similar goals, addressing affordable housing and homelessness issues through training, technical assistance and access to resources. RCAC is designated by the federal government as a Community Development Financial Institution and operates a $60 million loan fund that provides low-cost loans to communities and nonprofit organizations. RCAC recently hosted the Hawai’i Statewide Homeless Forum. The grant will be used to help fund a local RCAC executive director position to address affordable housing issues in Hawaii.

“This donation is something my wife and I felt compelled to do,” Wathen said. “There’s no other way to explain it, we were compelled to do something about this housing crisis.” Toward that end, Wathen last year was one of several Hawaii residents who, during RCAC’s National Conference on Affordable Housing in High-Cost Areas held in Honolulu, formed “Housing Hawaii.” Housing Hawaii is a broad coalition of public, private, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to creating, preserving, and supporting affordable housing through advocacy, education, and development.

RCAC facilitates the organization and the U.H Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Community Planning and Development in Honolulu provides guidance on its programs. “We are honored that Mr. Wathen chose to donate these funds to our organization,” said RCAC Chief Executive Officer, Bill French. “The grant will allow our affordable housing work in Hawai’i to progress at a much faster pace, ultimately benefiting all Island residents.” Wathen’s donation is one of only a few donations RCAC has received from individuals. The organization obtains the bulk of its funding from various government, business and foundation grants and loans. Wathen is encouraging other individuals concerned with affordable housing issues to become similarly involved with RCAC.

Headquartered in West Sacramento, California, and serving 13 Western states including the State of Hawaii, RCAC is a nonprofit agency providing technical assistance and training to rural communities seeking to develop a wide range of local services including, community facilities, affordable housing and water treatment facilities. The organization operates a loan fund with $60 million in lending capital that provides low-interest loans and grants to further rural communities’ goals. RCAC maintains field offices in Honolulu and Hilo. For more information visit www.rcac.org.