Q.  What is the HCDA doing at Kalaeloa?

A.  HCDA is a state agency established in 1976 to respond to areas in need of economic development and renewal.  Kalaeloa was designated as such an area in 2002 by the State Legislature.  HRS 206E tasks HCDA to further the work of the former Barbers Point Redevelopment Commission that oversaw the initial planning and closure of the former air station.  HCDA has the authority to establish the land use and zoning to facilitate redevelopment activities.

Q.  Where and what is Kalaeloa?

A.  The Kalaeloa Community Development District encompasses the entire former Barbers Point Naval Air Station and covers an area of approximately 3,700 acres.  Kalaeloa presently contains an: elementary school, airport, National Guard, Coast Guard, Hale ‘Ulu Pono shelter, veteran’s services, post office, U.H. aerospace center, various Navy facilities, rental housing, commercial entities, public beaches, and recreational areas.  Most of Kalaeloa, however, remains undeveloped.

Q.  Who owns Kalaeloa?

A.  When Barbers Point Naval Air Station closed in 1999, roughly 1,050 acres were retained by the Navy, 472 acres were transferred to other federal agencies, and 2,165 acres were surplus and made available to various state and city agencies.  At present, only 44 percent of the land has been conveyed from the Navy.  HCDA does not own any land in Kalaeloa.

Q.  Will the existing landowners in Kalaeloa be displaced? 

A.  The current landowners at Kalaeloa are either federal or state government entities that provide services to the community.  It is not HCDA’s intention to displace these entities.  Instead, it is HCDA’s desire to recognize their importance to the community, build upon their presence, to hopefully foster other means of compatible private sector investment and development.

Q.  What is HCDA’s vision for Kalaeloa?

A.  Kalaeloa is envisioned as a center for excellence or “wahi ho‘okela” for education, research, industry, recreation, cultural, environmental, and commercial activities.  Development plans for the leeward region show a significant growth in residential development.  However, it seems that professional employment, educational, and recreational opportunities for the area have not kept pace.  Given the history and diversity of uses that currently exist, HCDA hopes to build upon this so that Kalaeloa will be known as a place that excels in providing services, education, careers, and recreation.

Q.  What development plans have been developed for Kalaeloa?

A.  HCDA has adopted a Kalaeloa Strategic Plan that defined the Authority’s vision for Kalaeloa.  HCDA recently adopted a Kalaeloa Master Plan that gives greater definition to this vision and updates previous planning efforts.  The Plan contemplates a 20-year development horizon where Kalaeloa can become a dynamic and vibrant area that complements the regional vision for Kapolei as the new urban center in Leeward Oahu.  Over the build-out period, Kalaeloa offers the potential for creating 7,000 jobs, providing workforce housing for 6,500 families, and establishing a higher density live-work environment that can be integrated with mass transit and located close to schools, beaches, recreational areas, and cultural and natural resources.