Apply for Housing
Find the Right Housing Path
PAL Hawai‘i creates rental and affordable homeownership opportunities for Kaua‘i residents. Each community serves a particular group of households and has its own eligibility requirements and application or referral process.
Income eligibility is based on Area Median Income, or AMI, which compares a household’s total annual income with the number of people in the household. Applicants do not need to calculate their own AMI percentage. They can compare their household income with the current County of Kaua‘i Annual Income Limits.
Facing or at risk of houselessness?
PAL does not provide emergency shelter or immediate housing placement. Visit our Emergency Resources page to find organizations that may be able to help.
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Renting
PAL operates rental communities with different income, occupancy, and referral requirements. Review the information for each community before taking the next step.
Workforce Rental Housing
Kauhale O Kapaʻa offers studio apartments for income-qualified workforce households. Vacancies are filled from PAL’s rental waitlist, with priority and preference given to applicants who live or work in the surrounding area.
Rental Details
Home type: Studio apartment
Maximum occupancy: Two people
Monthly rent: $1,800, including electricity, gas, water, and trash
Minimum lease: Six months
Income eligibility: Household income at or below 100% AMI
Rental assistance: HUD Housing Choice Vouchers are accepted
Important Property Considerations
Apartments are accessible by stairs only.
No designated resident parking is provided.
Applicants should review the complete qualifying criteria before joining the waitlist.
Learn more about the property, location, and community:
Joining the waitlist does not guarantee housing. Applicants must meet all eligibility requirements, and units are offered as vacancies become available.
Supportive Rental Housing
Kauhale O Kekaha offers two- and three-bedroom apartments for income-qualified households, with priority and preference given to households experiencing houselessness. Residents also have access to support through PAL’s Beyond Housing Program, including an on-site case manager and connections to community services.
Rental Details
Home types: Two- and three-bedroom apartments
Income eligibility: Household income at or below 50% AMI
Rental assistance: HUD Housing Choice Vouchers are accepted
How Placement Works
Kauhale O Kekaha does not use PAL’s general rental waitlist and does not accept direct applications. Prospective residents must be referred through the Kauaʻi Community Alliance, the Kauaʻi chapter of Bridging the Gap Hawaiʻi.
Applicants should review the complete qualifying criteria and contact a Kauaʻi Community Alliance service provider to begin the referral process.
Learn more about the property, its supportive spaces, and PAL’s Beyond Housing Program:
A referral does not guarantee placement. Households must meet all eligibility requirements, and placement depends on the availability of an appropriate apartment.
Kauhale O Kekaha is currently undergoing renovations and is not accepting new tenants at this time.
Buying
A Lasting Approach to Homeownership
PAL offers affordable homeownership opportunities through the Ho‘omaluhia Community Land (HCLT) Program.
With an HCLT home, the homebuyer purchases and owns the home, while the HCLT program owner-developer stewards the land interest and leases it to the homeowner through a long-term Ground Lease.
This approach gives homeowners an opportunity to build equity while helping keep the home affordable for future Kaua‘i households.
Who Is Eligible to Purchase an HCLT Home?
To be eligible, a homebuyer must:
Be a current Kaua‘i resident
Be registered and in good standing on the Kauaʻi County Homebuyer List
Have a household income at or below 120% of the Area Median Income
Demonstrate the financial ability to purchase the home
Intend to use the home as their principal residence
Complete all required homebuyer education and HCLT Program requirements
Meet any additional eligibility requirements that apply to the specific project
Meeting these requirements allows a household to be considered for an available home, but it does not guarantee selection.
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Your Path to HCLT Homeownership
Purchasing an HCLT home begins well before a home becomes available. These five steps explain how to prepare, join the County Home Buyer List, learn about available homes, and participate in a homebuyer selection process.
01.
Complete Homebuyer Education
Register for homebuyer education with a HUD-approved housing education and counseling agency.
Applicants who are married must both complete the required homebuyer education. After completing the course, participants receive a Certificate of Achievement.
02.
Join the Kaua‘i County Home Buyer List
Complete the Kaua‘i Resident Affordable Home Buyer Registration Form and follow the instructions to submit it to the Kaua‘i County Housing Agency with a copy of the homebuyer education certificate.
Receive a Home Buyer Number
After the required documents have been accepted, the County Housing Agency assigns the applicant a permanent Home Buyer Number.
Applicants are responsible for keeping their household and contact information current with the County.
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04.
Receive Notice of Available Homes
When an HCLT home becomes available, information about the homeownership opportunity will be shared with eligible households through the applicable County and PAL process. The notice may include available home sizes, prices, eligibility requirements, deadlines, and instructions for submitting a Letter of Interest.
PAL will also share available homeownership opportunities on its website, social media, and through the PAL newsletter.
Being on the Kauaʻi County Home Buyer List does not automatically apply a household for an available HCLT home.
05.
Submit a Letter of Interest (LOI)
When applications open for an HCLT homeownership opportunity, interested households must submit a complete Letter of Interest by the stated deadline.
The Kaua‘i County Housing Agency reviews applicants for income and program eligibility and refers eligible households to the HCLT Program. The applicable HCLT project owner-developer then reviews referred households using the selection criteria established for the project.
Being on the Kauaʻi County Home Buyer List does not automatically enter a household into an HCLT selection process. A Letter of Interest must be submitted for each available opportunity.
View the HCLT Homebuyer Selection Criteria
Current and Upcoming Homeownership Communities
Application availability, construction timelines, home prices, and other details may change. Visit each project page for the most current information.
Location: Kīlauea, Kauaʻi
Status: Units 7–9 Homebuyer Selection
LOI Period: TBA Soon
Partners: PAL Hawai’i and
Kaua’i Habitat for Humanity
Location: Kalāheo, Kauaʻi
Status: Under Development
Partners: PAL Hawaiʻi and Affordable Housing Kauaʻi
Location: Kapaʻa, Kauaʻi
Status: Under Development
Partners: PAL Hawaiʻi and Kauaʻi Habitat for Humanity
Some communities include homes developed by Kauaʻi Habitat for Humanity. Habitat homes use a separate eligibility, application, and selection process.
Learn about Kaua‘i Habitat for Humanity homeownership opportunities
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Get ready to apply!
Start planning now to get ahead on your path to homeownership.
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Budget and pay bills on time
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Determine household size
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Get free credit report
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Have lines of credit
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Take homebuyer education class
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Attend financial workshop
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Organize financial documents
Equal Housing Opportunity
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.