O‘ahu’s Great Neighborhoods: Kaka‘ako
Prime location in the heart of the city with affordable options for the lucky few.
O‘ahu’s Great Neighborhoods
Kaimukī | Mililani | Kāne‘ohe | Kaka‘ako | Lē‘ahi | Kapolei/Makakilo | Hawai‘i Kai
O‘ahu is full of notable neighborhoods, each with its own character. Some are havens for urban singles and couples, others for young and growing families. Hot spots for foodies, emerging local businesses, retro charm, outdoor activities, nightlife: Here are seven of our favorites.
I’m 29, independent and living on my own for the first time—and I’ll soon be a homeowner in Honolulu. It’s a milestone achieved with some good luck and fortuitous timing.
Kaka‘ako: Intersection of Keawe and Auahi streets. Photo: Anthony Consillio
Hip but not pretentious, artsy but not posh, urban but not grungy, Kaka‘ako is home to a diverse mix of small businesses, artists, urbanites and off-the-wall entertainment.
Where else are you going to find a rock-climbing gym, cat café and rage room all within blocks of each other, not to mention the diverse eateries and boba shops? Kaka‘ako makes supporting local easy and cool, and even before I moved there, it’s where I hung out.
I have my mom to thank for my foray into homeownership. She learned about Ulana, an affordable housing project in Ward Village, and encouraged me to enter the lottery. She insisted that owning is better than renting, and that the upfront investment required to buy a home would pay off long term. What did I have to lose? And in March 2022, I found out I actually won—the hand of fate rolled my number out of the lottery wheel, 55th out of 880.
Long story short, that’s how I secured a studio apartment with my mom’s help. It’ll be a tiny studio, but it’ll be mine, and in the heart of Kaka‘ako, a neighborhood full of art and energy and ingenuity. “Prime location,” my mom likes to say.
Kaka‘ako: Corner of Ala Moana Boulevard and South Street. Photo: Anthony Consillio
Ulana won’t be built for another two years, and I needed a place to stay in the meantime. At the top of my list while looking at rentals was Our Kaka‘ako, where several condos offer affordable programs to middle-income residents. And after getting through the rigorous rental application process, it was a relief and joy to move into a place to call my own.
I spend many evenings just walking around the area. I see cute dogs on the street and in elevators. I pick up groceries at H Mart and Whole Foods, meet up with friends at Ward theaters, check out community events and pop-up markets. I’m settled in and making a life for myself.
It looks like I got my Hawai‘i dream, and it might sound like it was easy. But the reality is that Honolulu’s cost of living is becoming exorbitant, and many people need to choose between scraping by living in town or living somewhere more affordable and dealing with an awful commute. Some people can’t make ends meet at all and move off-island.
That easily could’ve happened to me, so I’m grateful for the opportunities and sheer luck of the lottery that brought me to Kaka‘ako. Because of affordable housing and rental projects, I can live here. Say what you will about gentrification, but without these kinds of community-driven initiatives led by the government and big corporations, locals would have an even tougher time surviving and thriving in the Islands.
I’m almost 30, but I feel like my life is just getting started. Growing up means letting go of what you thought being an adult would be like and acknowledging how much your mom was right.
Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako Population: 26,338 Ala Moana-Kaka‘ako homeownership rate: 44%, rental rate: 56%Source: City and County of Honolulu 2021 data
The Hawai‘i Community Development Authority Reserved Housing program, which allows eligible purchasers to buy homes below market rates, targets Hawai‘i residents earning 80%–140% of the area median income ($85,000/1 person; $97,100/2 people; $109,250/3 people; $121,400/4 people; up to $160,250 for 8 people)
Howard Hughes affordable housing units Kaka‘ako: 1,121 units (424 at Ke Kilohana; 697 at Ulana)Source: Howard Hughes
Our Kaka‘ako: 1,211 Residential Units (456 affordable/workforce units), 351 Units are rented (Keauhou Lane, The Flats @ Pu‘unui, 680 Ala Moana)Source: Kamehameha Schools
