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$1,400-$1,600 plus utilities in Wahiawa is a stretch. I'm surprised they're taking an urban-esque project and plopping it in that area. Wahiawa doesn't have the right demographics to support those rents.
This would do very well in town at even a slightly higher price point... but that $800K parcel of land in Wahiawa would cost over $3 million in town. Rent would have to approach $1,800-$1,900 per studio to service the additional debt.
Of course to most of the forum members here, that's a deal.
There are probably plenty of military personnel who would snap those units up. That rent is just half the average BAH
I have consulted my crystal and Magic 8 balls, and it's just a fad. While some people can get by in a small space, it's stressful and not normal for humans to live that way. Countless scientific studies, along w/ common sense, confirm that people need privacy and room to live happily. I think the tiny house movement is gonna fade out too for the same reasons. Stuff like that works for a while, then the new wears off and it becomes a trial. Micro units make sense in New York. I feel they're not for Hawaii, and just another example of the usual developer's greed and insensitivity.
Many years ago I went to Oahu w/ the ill conceived idea of living there. There was a mini hotel not far from the airport where they rented tiny Japanese rooms to people at outrageous prices. Didn't appeal to me at all. Nor did Oahu, and I went back to Hilo, but that's another story. Over the years, the Big Island has filled up w/ people fleeing the high prices and small living quarters on Oahu. But now, since they have built scant new housing there, the housing market in Hilo is becoming more and more like other areas of Hawaii. Oahu needs to either furiously start building new housing, which they won't do, or just live w/ the ever increasing cost of living until there is a meltdown of sorts. Even my crystal ball knows not when that will happen, but it's inevitable. As mentioned, climate change is the wild card that will make things unpredictable.
I have consulted my crystal and Magic 8 balls, and it's just a fad. While some people can get by in a small space, it's stressful and not normal for humans to live that way. Countless scientific studies, along w/ common sense, confirm that people need privacy and room to live happily. I think the tiny house movement is gonna fade out too for the same reasons. Stuff like that works for a while, then the new wears off and it becomes a trial. Micro units make sense in New York. I feel they're not for Hawaii, and just another example of the usual developer's greed and insensitivity.
Many years ago I went to Oahu w/ the ill conceived idea of living there. There was a mini hotel not far from the airport where they rented tiny Japanese rooms to people at outrageous prices. Didn't appeal to me at all. Nor did Oahu, and I went back to Hilo, but that's another story. Over the years, the Big Island has filled up w/ people fleeing the high prices and small living quarters on Oahu. But now, since they have built scant new housing there, the housing market in Hilo is becoming more and more like other areas of Hawaii. Oahu needs to either furiously start building new housing, which they won't do, or just live w/ the ever increasing cost of living until there is a meltdown of sorts. Even my crystal ball knows not when that will happen, but it's inevitable. As mentioned, climate change is the wild card that will make things unpredictable.
I disagree with everything you stated.
Please cite these "countless scientific studies" that show people that prefer small homes are unhappy and lack common sense. A bit presumptuous are we?
Hawaii is number 2 in the country for smallest home size compared to other states (Washington being #1). And for US cities, Honolulu is number 2 for the smallest homes (only behind New Jersey City). And it's been this way for DECADES.
AND we are consistently either number one or number two for the Happiest State and the Healthiest State in the country.
Again, curious to see those "studies".
Maybe you're not aware but micro units or micro apartments are just another term for small studio. And these small studios have been around for many years, particularly here in Hawaii. The MEDIAN size for a studio for sale right now on the MLS is 302 SF (with a median age of 42 years). The median size of a studio here has for many decades been "micro". The difference today is that developers here are talking about building NICER tiny units. Instead of furnishing these micro units with low grade appliances, finishes and fixtures (what you normally find in smaller apartments and condos), they are using the same high quality appointments you would find in a large luxurious home.
And it's clear people want that. Apparently I am another one of those unhappy clueless people. If I was living alone, I would much rather live in a 350SF home that is built with high energy efficiency and space efficiency in mind, long-term sustainability, high quality appliances, high end flooring/cabinets/countertops/plumbing and electrical fixtures, built in cabinetry and closet systems than a 525 SF home (50% larger) that has mediocre appointments of the aforementioned.
These "micro" units are not replacing single family homes, 2 and 3 bdrm condos or anything remotely close to it. They are meant to replace either studios or tiny one bedroom units - in other words, homes for people that live ALONE. In Hawaii, 1 in 4 people live alone. There will always be a huge demand for smaller spaces with quality appointments vs larger spaces with ho-hum appointments. The demand has always been there - it's just that nobody here wants to build that. And for good reason.
It is cost prohibitive to develop micro units here because of the 1:1 parking requirement the city imposes for all condo units and the "one size fits all" developer fees. I am all for tiny homes, but I don't support not requiring parking for these homes. Whether or not that is good for traffic on roads is another thing. I just don't agree with forcing micro unit residents to park their cars on already crowded city streets - it's bad for local businesses nearby. When you force the parking requirement on a developer (as it is now) it means they could build a fairly large 2 bdrm condo or a 250 SF studio and still require the design and construction of one parking stall. The cost to build the infrastructure for the parking of one vehicle is expensive. The cost to a developer is usually $40-$50K to build a single parking stall. Then factor in the cost of the city fees. It costs about $4K in fees just to get a sewer connection to a unit - whether it's a 3,000 SF condo or 200 SF condo - same cost. Same goes for the park dedication fee - $18-$20K (yes that is 18 to 20 THOUSAND) for the park dedication fee whether it's a 3,000 SF condo or 200 - same cost. You're already at $70K in costs for a micro unit and you haven't even got into the unit yet.
All the money goes into the kitchen and bathroom. A 1,000 SF 2 bdrm one bath has almost the exact same plumbing and electrical cost as a studio. Sure you might save a little on the smaller cabinets and countertops but the plumbing and electrical infrastructure is identical (which also means mechanical and electrical engineering costs are identical). You can't find a condo without a shower, a vanity or a toilet... or refrigerator. A square foot of open living space costs a fraction of the same square foot in the kitchen and bathroom space. It's not magic - it's just the way construction works.
The cost to build micro units is very, very high per square foot when compared to their larger counterparts. But for some strange reason, people (like you) seem to think that much smaller equates to much less $$. And if these tiny units aren't dirt cheap, it's guaranteed to be the fault of "greedy developers". Yes, of course there is a savings. But going from 600 SF to 300 SF is not going to cut the cost of the unit in half. Maybe 20-25% but nowhere near half. Same goes for rent. If a brand new 600 SF one bedroom rents for $2,000 (which is typical), a new studio with same appointments at half the size might rent for $1,600. Because the cost to the developer is nowhere near half for the half-sized unit, rent is obviously not going to be anywhere near half either. This has nothing to do with "developer greed". It's 100% common sense. If a developer is selling a 2 bdrm for anywhere near the same cost per square foot as the tiny studio in the same building, the developer is making all his profit on the 2 bdrm units and is either breaking even or LOSING money on the small studios. You ever wonder why the one bedroom units sell out well before the 2 bedroom units do in new condo projects? It's because they build less units that are less profitable and more units that are more profitable. In fact, contrary to what you believe, developers are being greedy by NOT building these micro units for the simple fact they are not profitable. You literally have it BACKWARDS.
But most importantly, micro units allow more people to live in the urban core without adding to the traffic nightmare that you support. This ultimately allows communities to become walkable and thus more desirable. It allows for thriving people-filled communities that many people yearn for but simply cannot afford. It fills the need from the demographic that wants this lifestyle the most - single working professionals and single retirees. There are people that live out their lives without the societal norms of marriage or children - they could reasonably live their entire lives in these micro units - and yes, they could do so very, very happily. Heck, even childless couples can live very happily and comfortably in micro units.
BTW, the small lifestyle phenomena has been hitting the automobile industry for years. A smaller car (like home) is a more efficient one... and auto manufacturers are responding by building small cars with luxury appointments. 20 years ago, the only small luxury cars were 2-seater sports cars. Today you can get a pint-sized luxury car from almost any auto manufacturer.
But heck, maybe the "tiny" thing is all just a fad. Please don't forget to cite a few of those countless studies.
I would bet, based on this single post above, you're a big fan of Bill Ayers aren't ya?
....socialism doesn't work and has never worked.
This micro unit concept is nary more than a thinly-veiled sociological catalyst to condition all the wee little people(serfs, peasants, working-class) out there to live within increasingly limited spaces and to boot, do so for what can only be called a ridiculously impractical pricetag when measured against what you are actually getting.
I would bet, based on this single post above, you're a big fan of Bill Ayers aren't ya?
....socialism doesn't work and has never worked.
This micro unit concept is nary more than a thinly-veiled sociological catalyst to condition all the wee little people(serfs, peasants, working-class) out there to live within increasingly limited spaces and to boot, do so for what can only be called a ridiculously impractical pricetag when measured against what you are actually getting.
Actually, no. I just think people should't be forced into the ideology that everyone should get married, have a family and move into a great big house. There are many singles out there that CHOOSE to be single (I am one of those people); some, for their entire life. This segment of society has, for all history, not been offered desirable housing options. Micro housing (i.e. small single-occupancy homes) will hopefully change that.
As someone like yourself with a myopic view on housing, I know it's hard to comprehend that any one person can live in a 250-350 SF apartment. To many people, privacy, location, convenience, quality of finishes and living among neighbors who share their lifestyle (i.e. NOT families) trumps a SINGLE feature of a home - square footage.
Too some, having a home with nicer and higher quality finishes ALONE can negate the loss in square footage. Add in a more convenient location and this further improves their quality of life. Living among people that share your lifestyle (NOT living among families and kids) further yet improves quality of life.
As someone who suffers from social anxiety disorder (15 million of us in the US) I can attest to the significant mental health benefits to single-person living. I did the roommate thing in college... and I worked harder than ever just to get myself out of that living situation. As much as I love my roommates (I am very good friends and spend time with them even to this day), I was not happy sharing my home with others. Private space and lots of downtime alone is important to me; having only 100 SF (my bedroom) of real private space was suffocating. If my bedroom was 2-3X bigger had its own separate entrance, its own kitchenette (just a sink, hot plate, microwave/toaster) and private bath, I would have been 1,000,000 times happier. But no such housing options existed unless I paid 2X+ more in rent than what I was paying. And that simply wasn't affordable to me in my late teens/early twenties.
I think it's reasonable to expect anyone earning $50-$70K should be able to afford their own place in the urban core. In that salary range, rent should not exceed $1,500. There is no such thing as a nice/newer studio with parking in the urban core for under $1,500. Everything in that price range is going to either be a dump in an old building or have ho-hum finishes/appointments. Sure, you might get real lucky and find a nicely remodeled studio or even a tiny one bedroom in a decent building in Waikiki at that price point... but chances are you'll be constantly living among transient neighbors (which is highly undesirable to many people) and not everyone finds living in Waikiki long-term appealing (particularly those that prefer the freedom of car ownership - getting in and out of Waikiki by car during rush hour these days is like living in Ewa Beach). So can we all agree that housing options for single people in the urban core in the sub-$1,500 range (newer place with parking) is rare or nonexistent? The only other option to live in a nice place in the urban core would be to get a roommate. A typical 2 bdrm, 2 bath condo with two parking stalls in a newer condo in town runs about $3,000. So it is possible to live close to or around $1,500/mo but then you would be sharing your home with another person. And even then you would still only have about 100-150 SF of real private space (bedroom).
85,000 out of 343,000 homes on Oahu are occupied by one person. In 1960 there were only 12,000 one-person households. That's a staggering growth factor of 700% for one demographic in just 55 years.
It's sad that you can't recognize the need for affordable AND desirable living arrangements for this rapidly growing demographic. Aside from addressing the obvious demographic/market demand issues, there are other realities that promote and support micro-apartment housing. I don't know if you've realized this but we live on a tiny island thousands of miles away from food and other resources required for modern life. Being on an island means our land is limited (yes, this is the way it works - I know, hard to comprehend) yet our population continues to grow. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that to provide the same quality of life to a constantly growing population utilizing the same limited/finite natural resources, something has to give - in this case it is the footprint of one's home.
Sarah Susanka (an architect) wrote a book called "The Not So Big House". It was mostly in response to the too big houses which folks have been building in the past few decades, but she has a lot of good advice on how to build smaller houses that are comfortable to live in. Her version of a small house is still pretty big by Hawaii standards, though.
Since a lot of living in Hawaii is done outside the house and we don't need to keep things enclosed because of the weather anywhere near as much as many other places, we can have smaller houses and still be comfortable.
As for finishes and such, a lot of that can be done on the renter level instead of the builder level. Furnishings are a large part of a living area so even in a studio with not so fancy finishes, I'd think that adding in some nice furnishings could make up for that. And, you get to take the furnishings to the next apartment as well.
Sarah Susanka (an architect) wrote a book called "The Not So Big House". It was mostly in response to the too big houses which folks have been building in the past few decades, but she has a lot of good advice on how to build smaller houses that are comfortable to live in. Her version of a small house is still pretty big by Hawaii standards, though.
Since a lot of living in Hawaii is done outside the house and we don't need to keep things enclosed because of the weather anywhere near as much as many other places, we can have smaller houses and still be comfortable.
As for finishes and such, a lot of that can be done on the renter level instead of the builder level. Furnishings are a large part of a living area so even in a studio with not so fancy finishes, I'd think that adding in some nice furnishings could make up for that. And, you get to take the furnishings to the next apartment as well.
I own that book
I mostly agree with Sarah's philosophies on smaller home living. I think it's important to note, however, that some people feel that a large house is more of a cultural/lifestyle thing. It's obnoxious to tell some guy in rural Alabama who has a 5,000 SF home on 40 acres of land that they should cram their 4-person family into a much smaller 1,500 SF home because they don't need those extra rooms, it's more sustainable, blah blah. These people feel that far-left "socialist" liberals are forcing their small-living ways on their own. I totally understand how that can be annoying. There is really no compelling reason for them to be forced into smaller homes.
But in the case of advocating for small housing here, it's really to address other things like affordability (which is among the worst in the nation), reducing traffic congestion (which is among the worst in the nation) and allowing single people and people that live alone to have affordable AND desirable housing options like two-earner couples and families do.
Some people have a hard time differentiating between the NEED for smaller housing vs the DESIRE for smaller housing.
Here we need it. And we need it bad.
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