It was a warm Saturday in Waimānalo with blue skies hung above the rich green Koʻolau mountain range. The whirring sounds of machinery and clanging of tools filled the air around the subdivision off Kakaʻina Street, where homes awarded to beneficiaries of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (DHHL) are still being built.
The Ho Family has walked through the process of homeownership with nonprofit affiliate Honolulu Habitat for Humanity. The multi-generational home with two bedrooms, one bath, will soon be move-in ready, according to the project’s independent contractor, Mike.
He adds that while the severe storms in March set them back, they are close to finishing.
More than 10 people — mostly volunteers — were on site that day focused on exterior painting and interior finishes. Each home build requires about 250 volunteers overall, with the timeline spanning between three to six months.
Vernon Akina, a carpenter who helps oversee Honolulu Habitat’s critical home repair program and volunteers on home builds, underwent the same process on his family’s home just down the road. He and his mom, who is the DHHL lessee, moved into a four-bedroom house in August of 2024 with mortgage assistance from Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Akina said. The build was completed within three months.
“It’s too expensive to buy a house in Hawai’i,” he told Aloha State Daily. “When we went to Hawaiian Homes in 2019, I had always wanted a house in Waimānalo. And when we got it, I thought we struck gold.”
Originally from Hālawa Valley on Molokaʻi, Vernon says he volunteers because “I’m retired and need something to do.”
He adds: “Through my own house build, the challenging part was not to work too quickly. I met good people. Honolulu Habitat really helped with the paperwork, funding, permits and inspection.”
Neighbors Mokihana and Ben supplied lunch to the crew.
Former director of operations Nerine Asbel was also on-site volunteering.
“It feels good to give back to where I served before,” she said. “I still believe in the mission. … Not everybody has the time, tools or resources to build and own a home in Hawaiʻi, but this program provides guidance and gives first-time homebuyers a safe place to call home.”
Executive Director Melissa Bruhl started in the role on Feb. 11.
Born in Rhode Island, Bruhl and her husband moved to Oʻahu in 2003 and live in Kailua. She earned her bachelor's degree in finance from Boston College and spent more than two decades in global infrastructure and telecommunications. Prior to joining Honolulu Habitat, she served as chief commercial officer of RTI Cables responsible for the company’s strategic growth and partnerships.
“I love the intimacy of the nonprofit sector,” said Bruhl, who was first introduced to Honolulu Habitat as a volunteer. “I think everyone’s really invested versus just coming to work. The team [of four office employees in total] is fantastic, and I’m getting to know them, see their strengths and see them shine. We’re small but we’re mighty.”
Bruhl noted that amid the transition, she’s been “doing a lot of listening.”
“I really want to learn and observe. I told the team I’m not coming in to make a bunch of changes, but what I do hope to bring is more efficiency and effectiveness. As a leader, I want to help them do their jobs better, and I want them to feel valued.”
When asked what the nonprofit’s biggest needs are right now, she said, financial and in-kind donations in addition to volunteers both for workdays and its board of directors.
“We’re looking for key volunteer board members with legal backgrounds and/or fundraising, grant writing and development skills,” she said. “On the home build side, we’re also looking to hire specialized trades workers and supervisors to complete more projects in a year.”
Funds donated to Honolulu Habitat will contribute to more affordable housing projects on Oʻahu, apart from the area served by Habitat for Humanity Leeward Oʻahu. There are other Habitat for Humanity affiliates that serve on Hawaiʻi Island, Maui and Kauaʻi.
Honolulu Habitat said DHHL’s federal NAHASDA funds — specifically the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant — helped aid the two ongoing builds in Waimānalo. It reported $7.52 million in total assets for fiscal year 2024, per ProPublica. Since 1988, Honolulu Habitat has served more than 450 individuals across Oʻahu through new home construction and critical home repairs.
In FY2025, more than 20 million people "gained the potential to improve their housing conditions" via Habitat for Humanity International Inc.," per its website.
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Kelsey Kukaua Medeiros can be reached at kelsey@alohastatedaily.com.
