Sharon Har is passionate about affordable housing.
The former state legislator, who served in the Hawai‘i House of Representatives from 2006 to 2022, has joined Catholic Charities Housing Development Corp. as its housing development director.
In her new role, Har will focus on the day-to-day development of Hale Pilina, CCHDC's newest affordable housing project located in Kahului, and serve as the primary point of contact for financing, construction and consulting partners, a recent announcement noted.
Hale Pilina is CCHDC's first development designed for families, the announcement says. The 178-unit community, which will offer one- and two-bedroom apartments across four buildings, will serve families earning up to 60% of the area median income. And for the first two years, priority will be given to those affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Har says she started her career as an attorney — her background was in land use, real estate and construction, "and I think that was my first foray into any type of development."
She represented developers, general contractors and architects.
"I've always just wanted to help people," she recently told Aloha State Daily. "That's why I became a lawyer; I thought I was going to help people, and then I had an opportunity to run for office back in 2005 and I thought I would be helping people on a greater scale, so I ran for office."
While in the state Legislature, Har represented Kapolei and Makakilo.
"There I really focused on doing the same thing," she says. "It was about affordable housing. It was about public policy and getting sound public policy so that we could really help build affordable housing, making it a little bit easier."
She joined The Michaels Organization in 2019, where, the announcement notes, she most recently served as vice president of development and operations for the organization in Hawai‘i, leading the execution of affordable housing developments and overseeing statewide development activities. Har says that's when she "really started working nuts and bolts as a real estate developer, as an affordable housing developer, and it's been such a passion of mine."
"It is so hard. It is so hard and it is one of the hardest things I've ever done in my entire life, but it is so rewarding," Har says. "Anyone who understands the real estate development process, especially affordable housing — I mean, it can take anywhere between five to seven years to get a building online — you really have to be passionate about it. But at the end of the day, it's worth it because it's about putting our local residents in and giving them access to affordable housing here in Hawai‘i."
Her past experiences have prepared her for her new role.
"I tell everybody, as a former attorney, you can go to law school but law school doesn't prepare you to be a lawyer,” Har told ASD. And the same goes for real estate development; Har says that you don’t really understand the complexities of development “until you've actually done it. I think serving as a vice president for The Michaels Organization here in Hawai‘i really prepared me for that role."
Most recently, Har said she was project manager for the developer’s Halewai‘olu Senior Residences on River Street.
"It was just such a learning experience and I think that really kind of put me into that echelon of being able to speak to the issues and why affordable housing is so difficult to deliver, and dealing with all the obstacles that you deal with in trying to build affordable housing and trying to bring it online so that our community has greater access to it."
Har says her background in real estate and affordable housing development also aligns with CCHDC's mission to provide affordable housing to local residents.
There was a "synergy there and that's why it was so exciting to come work here," she says. “ ... I've only been [here] for a few weeks, but I consider it a great honor because I feel that [CCHDC's] mission, it comports with my passion, just trying to continue on that momentum statewide of building affordable housing."
Stepping into this new role, Har says her first priority will be ensuring that Hale Pilina, which is slated for delivery next year, is “delivered on time and on budget, so that we can, again, begin leasing up as soon as possible so that our residents on Maui can have access to affordable housing. In the meantime, I also plan on doing our best to build pipeline.”
“Bringing Sharon onto our team strengthens everything we’re building at CCHDC,” Executive Director Denise Iseri-Matsubara said in the announcement. “Her experience and deep commitment to Hawaiʻi’s future will help us expand what’s possible, not just at Hale Pilina, but throughout the Islands.”
Catholic Charities Hawai‘i has been around since 1947, but CCHDC was incorporated in 1999 as a nonprofit affiliate. It owns, develops and manages real estate properties across the Islands for seniors, families and those in need.
In addition to Hale Pilina, CCHDC manages six other affordable housing developments on O‘ahu and Maui.
Stephanie Salmons can be reached at stephanie@alohastatedaily.com.
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