KAHUKU — The Kahuku Village Association was hoping a vote Tuesday night would provide a unified front on whether the lessees would agree to Continental Pacific's offer to sell them their homes for $75,000.

Instead, after a vote where only 40 of 72 residents qualified to cast a vote agreed on Central Pacific's 10-point purchase proposal, the Village Association remains unclear as to whether it will recommend terms of the purchase.

"We'll take (the vote) back to Continental Pacific and ask them if these numbers are good enough for you to feel confident to moving forward," said Leslie Llanos, Kahuku Village Association board member and chairwoman of the planning committee that was working with Continental Pacific on the proposal.

Llanos said she also would ask for another meeting for the people who voted no so they can voice their concerns. Twenty-five no votes were cast and seven eligible voters didn't show up for the meeting, Llanos said.

The $75,000 price tag for a three-bedroom, one-bath plantation home — which most are — may sound like an enticing offer on an island where the median-priced home sells for more than $600,000. However, other points of the purchase are under contention.

If the proposal goes through, Continental Pacific, for example, would build 18 beachfront homes in Kahuku, which could fetch millions of dollars and change the area's landscape.

Llanos, who didn't vote, said she was disappointed in the survey response, which amounts to a 55 percent approval, because she thought the proposal was fair and the company offering it was reputable. She said she was hoping for something closer to 100 percent so she could recommend to the full board that the project move forward.

During the summer, Continental Pacific bought 230 acres in Kahuku that included the Kahuku Village Association homes on 200 acres of land, 20 acres along the beach and land under the Kahuku Hospital.

Previously, the company had purchased 1,470 acres of farmland in Kahuku from the Campbell Estate's Aina Nui Inc.

Founded in 2000, Continental Pacific purchases large tracts of agricultural or residential lands, subdivides the land, builds infrastructure and sells the undeveloped lots to builders or individual homeowners, who construct the homes themselves.

A group of the Kahuku Village lessees have opposed the village/oceanfront project from the start, citing the loss of precious beachfront property, tax consequences once high-end homes move into low income neighborhoods, flood issues for renters in a floodway, and burial sites on the beach.

Margaret Primacio, an association board member, said before the vote that she would like to see concerns addressed in writing. She's calling for more research into alternative plans such as redesignating the floodway and selling the property to OHA or the Trust for Public Lands.

Primacio, who opposed the proposal, said she thought residents were being railroaded and that they felt threatened.

"I'm not just representing myself," she said. "It's because some people can't speak up or won't speak up, but they have concerns and it's my duty as a board member to represent them."

Kay Afalava, a village resident, said the home purchase is a great deal, but she opposed the proposal because of the 18 beachfront homes.

"Me personally, that's too much to sacrifice," Afalava said. "We've given up too much of this island and this state. That's what I'm opposing, development on the beach."

But Sherry Martinez, a village resident, said the sacrifice is realistic and residents haven't had a better option in years.

"I think this company is true to their word," Martinez said. "From the research I've done, I haven't had any negatives. I believe that their hearts are true for the villagers. I believe that they want the village to get their properties."

Robert Cartwright wants a chance to purchase a home. He is in the floodway and would have to be relocated and pay more for a new kit-home, but he is willing to do that.

"I'm fourth generation there," Cartwright said. "From my great grandfather to my dad, they made the wrong choices about not buying when we had offers. So now that we have another proposal, I don't want to make that same mistake. I need some place where my kids can call home."

Reach Eloise Aguiar at eaguiar@honoluluadvertiser.com.