Community Savings Score

There are many ways to measure progress in addressing homelessness. We can look at how many people are housed, how many transition into permanent homes, or how well support services are delivered. These are all important. But as a nonprofit developer, HomeAid Hawai‘i’s primary focus is to build housing. 

Our impact is rooted in construction. We track how many deeply affordable homes we build and how efficiently we can deliver them. One way we communicate this is through the Community Savings Score, which reflects how much of a project’s cost is offset by community contributions like donated land, labor, materials, and private funding. By making these savings visible, the score helps illustrate how collaboration directly reduces costs and increases access to housing. As more organizations participate in the process, they also gain a deeper understanding of the problem we are working to solve together.

How do we arrive at this score?

A score of 100 means no taxpayer dollars were used. A score of 0 means the project was entirely publicly funded.

Community Savings Score Diagram

To achieve the highest score possible, we use every resource available.

Emergency Proclamations

  • Allows us to fast-track permitting. 
  • Enables flexible site planning and use of modular homes to lower costs and accelerate construction.

Builder Discounts

  • Builders contribute through discounted labor and materials. 
  • Reflects our roots in the construction industry and ongoing partnerships with firms who want to give back.

Donated Land

  • Secured through partnerships with state agencies, private landowners, and community organizations.
  • Every site is chosen with community input to ensure cultural respect and local relevance.

Private Donations and Grants

  • Helps fund project elements not covered by public dollars, like community spaces or infrastructure.

  • Supports our ability to innovate and remain flexible.