By Benjamin Finnerty (S), REALTOR® (RS-83812) with Keller Williams Realty Maui · Kīhei, Maui · 808-481-9748

Quick Answer: Waikapū is a Central Maui area about two miles south of Wailuku, along Honoapiʻilani Highway. Its biggest planned project, Waikapū Country Town, is approved for 1,433 homes plus about 146 ʻohana units, but as of the developer’s February 2026 report to the State Land Use Commission, construction had not started.

I’m Benjamin Finnerty, a REALTOR® in Kīhei with Keller Williams Realty Maui, and if you’re looking at homes in Waikapū, here’s what’s planned, what’s actually built, and what to check before you buy. Waikapū sits between Wailuku and the road to Māʻalaea, so it’s on the way to both West and South Maui. Over the next several years, a new master-planned town, a new road and a new public middle school are all planned here, which is why I think it’s worth understanding now.

Where is Waikapū, and what is there today?

Waikapū is in Central Maui, about two miles south of Wailuku town (per the Waikapū Country Town Final EIS). Today it’s mostly established single-family neighborhoods, agricultural land, and the Maui Tropical Plantation at 1670 Honoapiʻilani Highway, which is the center of the planned Country Town. King Kamehameha Golf Club, a private 18-hole course with a clubhouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is at 2500 Honoapiʻilani Highway.

Weather is part of the picture too. NOAA’s 1991–2020 normal for its Waikapū rain gauge is 27.31 inches a year, compared with 16.21 inches at Kahului Airport. That’s a useful rule of thumb on Maui: rainfall changes a lot over just a few miles.

What is Waikapū Country Town?

Waikapū Country Town is a planned community around the Maui Tropical Plantation, approved for 1,433 homes plus about 146 ʻohana units on about 499 acres. About 800 more acres are planned to go into an agricultural conservation easement. The Maui News reported the mix as 1,000 single-family and 433 multifamily homes, and Maui Now reported 500 affordable units.

The approval history:

Step	Date
State Land Use Commission accepts Final EIS	January 2017
LUC district boundary decision	February 2018
County zoning ordinances (Ord. 4997 and 4998)	2019
LUC approves amended conditions	October 2022
Planning Commission recommends zoning amendment	December 13, 2022

As of the developer’s annual report to the LUC filed February 11, 2026, no construction start was reported. Two potable wells had pump-capacity permits as of March 2025, a new public water system application was under state Department of Health review, and water tank permits were applied for in early 2026. The plan for an on-site wastewater plant is on hold, because the County plans a regional Central Maui wastewater facility, with construction targeted for 2027 and completion for late 2029. Under the LUC conditions, the backbone-infrastructure deadline is about February 2028.

What new housing is planned in Waikapū first?

The first phase is Aikanaha Residences, 212 rental homes for households earning 60% of area median income or less, built in two phases of 106 by Pacific Development Group. The County Council approved a $14 million Affordable Housing Fund loan in March 2024. A 2024 projection had construction starting in August 2025, but the February 2026 LUC report showed no start, so I’d treat the timing as open.

The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands is also building its Puʻuhona homestead in Waikapū: 161 single-family lots on about 47 acres (137 turnkey homes and 24 vacant improved lots), with DHHL estimating completion in 2026. DHHL homestead leases are awarded through DHHL’s own process under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act. They aren’t sold on the open market.

What is the Waiʻale Road extension, and when will it be built?

The Waiʻale Road extension is a planned 1.6-mile, roughly $73 million County road that would serve the Country Town and give Central Maui another north-south route. The Department of Public Works issued a finding of no significant impact, and Maui Now reported in August 2025 that construction was scheduled for late 2025, pending permits. The February 2026 LUC report called the schedule “uncertain” and noted $18 million in County capital funds for the bypass. If road access matters to your plans, check the current status with Public Works before you buy.

Is a new school planned in Waikapū?

Yes. The Hawaiʻi School Facilities Authority and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education are planning a new public middle school on a 26.2-acre Waikapū campus. Phase I is for grades 6–8 and 600 students, and as of August 2026 it was in schematic design. Opening estimates range from 2030 (LUC report) to 2031 (Maui Now, August 18, 2026). School assignments depend on your address, so confirm them directly with the Hawaiʻi DOE. My guide to public school assignments on Maui explains how that works.

What do homes in Waikapū cost?

Neither the REALTORS® Association of Maui nor Maui Now publishes a Waikapū-only median, so I price Waikapū homes from specific recent comparable sales. For context, the Maui County single-family median was $1,150,000 in September 2026, down 11% from a year earlier, and the condo median was $660,000, up 1.1% (RAM data via Maui Now, October 9, 2026). For nearby Wailuku and Kahului, see my Central Maui guide.

My Take: What I’m Telling Buyers Looking at Waikapū

Waikapū is one of the places on Maui where the next decade could look quite different from today, so I’d separate what’s built from what’s planned. The Country Town, Aikanaha, Waiʻale Road and the middle school are all real projects with approvals or funding, but none had a confirmed construction start for its main phase as of early 2026. Plan your purchase around what exists now and treat the rest as possibilities with uncertain timing.

If you’re buying an existing home near the planned Country Town, I’d look at the LUC docket and County planning maps to see what’s planned next to the property, including roads, density and the agricultural easement areas. Ask about the home’s water service and whether it’s on the County system. Verify flood zones with the state Flood Hazard Assessment Tool. And if you’re hoping to buy new construction there, keep an eye on the developer’s annual LUC filings, which are public and are the most reliable status updates I’ve found. For other projects in the pipeline, see my post on new housing developments on Maui.

FAQ

How far is Waikapū from Wailuku?
About two miles south of Wailuku town, according to the Waikapū Country Town Final EIS.

When will Waikapū Country Town be built?
There’s no confirmed date. As of February 2026, the developer reported no construction start, with water permits in progress and backbone infrastructure due around February 2028.

Is King Kamehameha Golf Club public?
No. It’s a private club.

How much rain does Waikapū get?
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normal for its Waikapū gauge is 27.31 inches a year.

Ask Benjamin

If you’d like to see homes in Waikapū or compare them with other parts of Central Maui, I’m Benjamin Finnerty, and I’m happy to pull recent sales and what’s planned nearby. Call or text 808-481-9748 or email benjamin@the808team.com.

Sources: Hawaiʻi State Land Use Commission (Docket A15-798 Final EIS and 2026 annual report); County of Maui; Hawaiʻi Department of Hawaiian Home Lands; NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 climate normals; Hawaiʻi Tourism Authority (gohawaii.com); The Maui News (Jan. 19, 2017); Maui Now (Feb. 8, 2024; Apr. 7, 2025; Aug. 26, 2025; Aug. 18, 2026; Oct. 9, 2026), citing REALTORS® Association of Maui data.