A Billionaire's Land Purchases In Rural Hawaii Have Locals Worried
A Billionaire's Land Purchases In Rural Hawaii Have Locals Worried
The rolling hills of Waimea, HI, on January 30, 2024. The rural town is situated between Mauna Kea and the Kohala Mountains. Ronit Fahl/NPR hide caption
The rolling hills of Waimea, HI, on January 30, 2024. The rural town is situated between Mauna Kea and the Kohala Mountains.
Ronit Fahl/NPRHawaii is no stranger to extravagant homes owned by the super-rich. But when a tech billionaire started buying up land in Waimea, a small, rural town on the Big Island, the community got curious - and worried.
Locals fear it will become even more difficult for Native Hawaiians to afford to live in Waimea and buy property. In Hawaii, the average home price is close to a million dollars.
Who's purchasing all this land in rural Hawaii and how will it affect the already high cost of housing in Waimea?
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This episode was produced by Jonaki Mehta and Brianna Scott. It was edited by Jeanette Woods and Pallavi Gogoi. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.