Wailuku Redevelop Plan
93 Families To Move

BY BUCK QUAYLE

Wailuku Redevelop Plan

Wailuku residents and businessman got together with members of the County Council and the Maui Redevelopment Agency at a public meeting last week to discuss the proposed redevelopment of north Wailuku.

Several residents expressed concern over the possibility of losing their present homes to the redevelopment program, and not being able to afford to purchase others.

They appeared to be somewhat mollified by reassurances of the Redevelopment Agency that they would be provided with housing.

The proposed redevelo0pment program is being studied by the County Council's Committee of the Whole. If the Council agrees, the County will submit a funding request to the federal government for $825,000. The money would be used for planning, design and survey costs.

Of the total, $346,000 would be allocated for an overall plan for the 157-acre area described as the North Wailuku General Neighborhood Renewal Area.

Another $479,000 would be allocated for planning of the first redevelopment phase within the area, the 27-acre Vineyard Project.

Following the Vineyard Project would come three more increments in the redevelopmkent program. They are the areas designated as Happy Valley, which encompasses 54 acres; Muliwai, 28 acres, and Kaniela, 48 acres.

The Vineyard Project, which would be carried out in an area bounded by Iao Stream, Market St., Maui St. and Muliwai Drive, is expected to cost some $14.35 million for purchase of land, wrecking of old buildings, and improvement of the properties.

Of this amount, some $9 million would be borne by the federal government. Two and one-half million dollars would be gained through selling of improved land in the redevelopment zone. One million dollars would come from the State Rental Housing Project, and the County of Maui would pay the remaining $2 million.

The majority of last week's discussion centered around the vineyard project phase of development, because some 93 families are expected to be forced to move.

Robert Ohata, project consultant, estimated it would take at least six months before the planning funds could be approved. The Vineyard might not be completed until ten years after that, he said.

Willard Eller, chairman of the Maui Redevelopment Agency, said they now are in the process of formulating policies to decide who may purchase the Wailuku redevelop plan land that has been improved by the agency.

He said present residents and business owners probably would be given the opportunity to stay where they are if it fits in with the plan. If not, he said they probably would be given the first opportunity to buy other land.

Eller said the federal government also has assistance loans for people who must relocate.

Legal Aid Attorney Joel August said he had been involved with redevelopment programs in the San Francisco area. He said he helped to stop the programs.

He said the major problem there was the relocation of families to new homes. "But it looks like the people here," he said, "are aware of the problems, and I want to commend you on that."

August said he was in favor of the Wailuku redevelop plan project "as long as the low and moderate income families are taken care of-as required by federal law."