Maui County moving forward with Lanai housing project

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) - Maui County officials are seeking a private developer to build 400-unit affordable housing project on the island of Lanai.

The Maui News reports that county Department of Housing and Human Concerns Director Carol Reimann said at a Thursday meeting the department is drafting a proposal request, which is expected to be completed early next year.

The $30 million project was stalled in August by Mayor Alan Arakawa's administration. Arakawa said the project site was too far from existing infrastructure and expressed concerns over cost.

The project was originally planned to include 239 single-family residential lots and 173 multi-family units on 73 acres of land.

Councilman Riki Hokama says the affordable housing project is necessary for the island, which has faced economic hardship following the closure of two major hotels due to renovations.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.