NIMBY in Kauaʻi: Wealthy Kōloa Residents Fight to Stop Attainable Housing for Locals

In another classic case of Not-In-My-Back-Yard or NIMBY, today’s Civil Beat reports (link to article) that residents are opposing a 148-unit housing project in Kōloa targeted for locals who “…make too much to qualify for affordable housing subsidies but don’t make enough to purchase market-rate homes.” 

The units, according to the developer, will range from the low $500K to the high $600K, depending on the unit size. 

That’s way more affordable than the median single-family and condominium house prices for Kauaʻi. According to LocationsHawaii.com, the January 2026 median single-family home price is $987,500, and the median condominium price is $965,000.

The proposal should be welcomed with aloha, but instead is getting pushback from wealthy neighbors. 

Opponents Live in Multi-Million Dollar Homes

The article lists Friends of Māhā‘ulepu and Save Kōloa as the groups leading the opposition to the project. A few quick Google searches find that these two groups have worked together in multiple lawsuits against projects in Kauaʻi for years. 

Bridget Hammerquist, a retired attorney, is President of Friends of Māhā‘ulepu, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In a search of her nonprofit’s documents, we found her address in Kōloa that, according to Zillow.com, gave an estimated value below: 

John T. "Jay" and Eileen Kechloian are listed as the VP/Secretary and Treasurer for the nonprofit. He's a retired developer. Their most recent home is valued at the following by Realtor.com: 

Ke ʻōlelo nei ʻo Hammerquist he kanaka Hawaiʻi maoli ʻo ia, akā ke kānalua nei nō mākou. The Kechloians are from Washington state. 

Wealthy NIMBYs like these are more frustrating than the failed Department of Hawaiian Home Lands. They say all the right things publicly about the need for ‘affordable housing,’ but they’re the first to fight it when it’s proposed near them. 

The project they are fighting here isn’t even ‘affordable’ housing, it’s ‘attainable’ housing for locals who need more options.

Makemake Ka Poʻe Hawaiʻi i Nā Hale Kūpono

According to a 2025 Hawai’i Perspectives Report, 71% or residents statewide agree the state should build more housing as quickly as possible. Below is a snapshot of the report from the January 18, 2026, Kauai Now article: 

Friends of Māhā‘ulepu and Save Kōloa may do good things for the land and the people. And, of course, not everyone is a wealthy homeowner like Hammerquist and the Kechloians.

Nonetheless, they are wrong in their opposition here. 

Let’s hope the Planning Commission votes for the locals and ignores the legal threats from these groups.