We are thrilled to share a historic milestone for HTA: Our supporting non-profit has officially purchased our Kona campus property.
Securing the West Hawaii Today building marks a major milestone for HTA, transforming our Kona site into a permanent, forever home for our school community.
Moving away from traditional renting is a game-changer for how we direct our resources. Throughout HTA’s history, a significant portion of our funding has gone toward paying rent and renovating spaces we don’t own. The non-profit HTA Campus Development Corporation (HTA CDC) can acquire properties, secure financing, and lease the facilities back to the school. This ensures that more funds can be directed right where they belong — directly inside our classrooms, supporting our teachers, and expanding opportunities for our students.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR OUR KONA CAMPUS?
Our Hawai‘i Island program has come a long way since launching in 2010 with a virtual learning model where students and staff met in local community spaces. The $7.4 million purchase of the West Hawaii Today building opens the door to exciting developments for our Kona families.
Under the existing lease, West Hawaii Today remains a tenant through 2028, after which HTA will take over the rest of the facility — tripling the size of our campus.
That extra space gives us a blank canvas to design learning areas tailored specifically to our hands-on, ‘āina-based approach. We look forward to creating flexible indoor-outdoor learning areas, collaborative project labs, and dedicated spaces for career readiness and student-led projects.
“Our Kona students and staff have built a strong kaiāulu and school culture over the years, and this permanent home provides the foundation to continue that momentum,” says Kona campus director Makala Paakaula. “Knowing this space is officially ours gives us endless possibilities to grow a program deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi — its unique culture, wahi pana, and the gifts of the people and communities who call Hawaiʻi home.
“We want to create deep roots for our students here in Hawaiʻi, helping them recognize that what they learn and experience on Hawaiʻi Island is a gift — one they can carry with them and share wherever their journey takes them. These roots connect them to a sense of purpose and remind them of their kuleana to their kaiāulu, ʻohana, and themselves.
“We truly believe that every keiki has a gift, and it is our kuleana to help them recognize that gift, nurture it, and ultimately share it with others. Indeed, ʻO ke kahua ma mua, ma hope ke kūkulu — first, we build a strong foundation, and then we build upon it to develop the next leaders of our kaiāulu. This is a special program made possible by dedicated staff and ʻohana, and we are excited for all that lies ahead.”
A STRONGER FUTURE FOR HTA STATEWIDE
The move also gives our entire statewide network long-term stability, giving protection from rising rental costs and keeping more funding focused directly on student learning. This huge step forward was made possible thanks to the tireless work of our Governing Board and the HTA CDC.
“All of our board members are unpaid volunteers — they are local community members and HTA parents who generously give their time and professional expertise simply because they believe in our students and our mission,” says HTA executive director Matt Zitello. “Their leadership has made this permanent home a reality.”
Mahalo to our Governing Board and the HTA CDC teams for helping us reach this incredible milestone.
Acknowledgements & Project Partners
An achievement of this scale takes a dedicated network of community partners. HTA and HTA CDC extend a sincere mahalo to:
Financing provider Raza Development Fund
Real estate advisory Alexander Peach & Brandon Bera | Colliers Hawaii
CDC legal counsel Stephanie Chen, Jaehee “Lauren” Choi, and Isabelle Constant | Carlsmith Ball LLP
HTA legal counsel Turner Wong | State of Hawai‘i Department of the Attorney General
Financial advisory Jim Ford | Ford Research & Solutions
