Coconut Condos partners with Habitat for Humanity Maui
LAHAINA – Coconut Condos’ mission statement is: “We treat our guests with aloha, our owners as partners, our team as ohana, and our community as our kuleana.” The fourth tenet of their mission and purpose is community as their responsibility.
Since Coconut Condos provides housing for vacationers, the company decided that it made sense for them to give back in housing for their local community. That’s why they choose to partner with Habitat for Humanity Maui.
Since this partnership began, Coconut Condos has been donating a percentage of profits to the nonprofit every year.
Recently, they had the honor to present Habitat for Humanity Public Relations Manager Max Tornai a donation check for $2,645.
Upon walking up the stairs into Coconut Condos’ new office location in Emerald Plaza, Tornai noticed that directly behind their office, right outside their window, is one of Habitat’s newest affordable housing projects.
He explained that Habitat for Humanity Maui is partnering with West Maui Land Co. ?to build affordable housing in Lahaina.
This project consists of 68 single-family lots, ten of which will be built by Habitat for Humanity Maui?.
Habitat serves individuals and families earning between 25 to 80 percent of the median income of Maui County.
The remaining lots will be built by other providers and will be accessible to individuals and families earning up to 140 percent of the median income of Maui County.
Habitat is expecting to build mostly two-, three- and four- bedroom homes, but the exact number of each will be determined by the size of the families that qualify and are selected through Habitat’s Family Selection Committee and board of directors.
The project is located on a 16.7-acre site within the Lahaina area and is bounded by the Kahoma Flood Control Channel to the north and existing residential area to the south.
Kahoma Residential Subdivision is located within easy walking distance to the Lahaina Business Park, Lahaina Gateway Plaza and surrounding light industrial areas. Lahaina Cannery Mall is less than a mile away.
The project will include sidewalks and bike paths along a central connect road to encourage alternative modes of transportation.
Habitat is not currently taking applications for this project yet, but the nonprofit is taking contact information, so that it can inform those who are signed up when applications will be available. People who are interested in learning more about this project are encouraged to contact Habitat for Humanity Maui at 242-1140.
Coconut Condos is located literally next door to this new project. Staff can watch the construction under way through their window.
“It is very exciting to see its progression from the ground up, and we are thrilled for Habitat for Humanity to have this opportunity,” stated Michele Heile, project manager at Coconut Condos.
“It’s our goal that not only would our staff have the opportunity to help with the build of these Habitat for Humanity homes, but that the guests in our vacation rentals would also be inspired to come and serve as well,” reported Angela Leone, owner of Coconut Condos.
Coconut Condos has information on its website, www.coconutcondos.com, for guests to participate in volunteer travel while staying with them on Maui at one of their 44 condos. For more information, contact Heile at (808) 419-1000.