FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 22, 2026
MEDIA ADVISORY
Union members demand more from developers of 1588 Ala Moana
When & Where: Thursday, July 23 from 3:30-4:15 p.m. Along Ala Moana Blvd. between Atkinson Dr. and Pi‘ikoi St.
What: Rally to urge developer BlackSand Capital to include more affordable housing in its proposed 1588 Ala Moana project.
Who: 200 UNITE HERE Local 5 members
Why:
Local 5 members are taking to the streets today to urge developer BlackSand Capital to do more to benefit the community with its latest project. BlackSand is planning a hotel and condominium development at 1588 Ala Moana Blvd., in place of part of the Ala Moana Shopping Center parking structure. The developer is seeking height and density bonuses and other variances. If approved by City Council, the project would allow BlackSand to build a 400-foot hotel tower with 291 rooms and a 200-foot condominium tower with 145 market rate units and 69 affordable rentals. Local 5 members argue that with the housing crisis and the cost of living going up, the developer should give more back in return for what it would be getting. Local 5 urges developers to offer more affordable housing and to set rents lower than the maximum allowed.
Local 5 member Joy Melegrito works at the Ala Moana Hotel. Melegrito stated, “One job should be enough, but one job will never be enough without housing that working families can truly afford. Too many people are struggling to get by in Hawai‘i, or moving away. We work hard every day – we need to be able to survive.”
Local 5 members have consistently called on developers and the City to provide community benefits such as increased affordable housing at better prices in return for upscale developments throughout Hawai‘i. They have repeatedly pointed out that developments impact our communities in a variety of ways: from traffic, to water and utility usage, to public services like police, fire, and schools, to cultural and environmental impacts. Now, they say, developers profiting from these projects need to step up and do more to offset the negative impacts through positive things like enhanced affordable housing.
###
About UNITE HERE Local 5
Local 5 represents 10,000 workers throughout Hawai‘i who work in the hospitality, health care and food service industries and is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, an international union that represents over 250,000 workers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.unitehere5.org.
