Episode 20: Properties that benefit all of O‘ahu

This week, Department of Land Management Acting Director Catherine Taschner joins host Brandi Higa on the One O‘ahu Podcast to discuss a leadership hire, Transit Oriented Development as we close in on opening day for Skyline (rail system), and increasing the City’s affordable housing inventory.

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A new Deputy Director

On June 20, 2023, Mayor Rick Blangiardi announced that Keith Suzuka will serve as Deputy Director of the Department of Land Management

Suzuka will join the Department of Land Management on Monday, July 3, 2023. He fills the vacancy left when Catherine Taschner, the former Deputy Director was elevated to Acting Director in April 2023.

Prior to joining the Department of Land Management, Suzuka was a partner with McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon LLP. He has more than 30 years of business law, residential and commercial real estate experience both in the U.S. and Japan. Suzuka completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, and his law degree from the University of California, Hastings College of Law.  

Transit Oriented Development

The first phase of the City and County of Honolulu’s long-awaited rail transit system will officially begin interim passenger operations on June 30, 2023. This first phase covers a roughly 11-mile stretch between the Kualaka`i Station in East Kapolei and the Hālawa Station near Aloha Stadium.

“The City owns some lands along that corridor and so part of our job is how do we maximize that,” explained Taschner. “How can we better utilize them and building housing and build these services along the corridor. It also impacts our acquisitions. As we look to bring property into the City portfolio, TOD really is a priority for us.”

Passenger services to additional stations further east along the rail line are scheduled to commence in phases over the coming years.

More Affordable Housing

On October 27, 2022, the City announced it finalized the $37.75 million real estate acquisition of the Waikiki Vista building in Mōʻiliʻili, a transaction that will add more than 100 new affordable housing rental units to the City’s inventory.

“As we look at affordable housing, we’re trying to figure out what is the City’s role,” added Taschner. “We are acquiring properties and I think we’re trying to shift towards larger acquisitions like that (Waikiki Vista). I think we’re also looking at how do we activate vacant land. For example, the City has vacant land out in Kapolei. we entered into a public private partnership with a private developer to activate that property. And so there are various tools that we can use to advance affordable housing.”

To learn more about the Department of Land Management’s current projects, visit https://www8.honolulu.gov/dlm/.