Hawaiians deserve to
be able to stay home
I am writing as a Hawaiian woman, a mother and a student on Hawaii Island who is deeply alarmed by the ongoing displacement of our people from their homeland.
Every day, more ‘ohana are being priced out due to wealthy outside buyers purchasing land at well above market value. This is not just a housing issue — it is a cultural crisis.
On the west side of Hawaii Island, approximately 30% of a major land area was purchased by private buyers, resulting in the displacement of nearly 50% of Hawaiian families in that region. These numbers are heartbreaking — and they represent only what has been possible to track. In reality, it’s almost impossible to gain fully accurate statistics due to limited reporting, land trusts and private sales, but the impact is visibly real in our communities.
For generations, our families have cared for this ‘aina. Yet today, many of us can no longer afford to live on the land our ancestors once walked. If this trend continues, Hawaii risks becoming a place where Hawaiians are merely visitors in their own homeland.
I was born and raised on the mainland, where my parents sought the opportunities that Hawaii could not provide at the time. When I returned to Hawaii in high school, I was bullied, called “haole” and made to feel like an outsider among my own people.
I don’t want that same experience for my children. I am doing whatever it takes to stay here and raise them connected to their identity and ‘aina — even after losing our own home to family members who are not Hawaiian, not from Hawaii, and not even descendants of plantation workers.
That home now sits empty, like so many others, while families like mine struggle in overpriced rentals, working jobs that don’t pay enough to survive — let alone to build a future or own a home.
We need bold, community-rooted solutions — ones that return land to the people, prioritize Hawaiian families, and create affordable, sustainable housing grounded in cultural values. Most importantly, we need communal housing projects and land opportunities for all Hawaiians, regardless of any setbacks they have ever faced — whether those setbacks are financial, educational, legal or generational. Every Hawaiian deserves a chance to come home.
I urge our leaders and neighbors to stand with us. We must ensure that Hawaii remains home to its people — not a playground for the wealthy. It is time to reclaim our future with aloha, kuleana and unity.
Mahalo for your time and consideration.
Melinda Yagin
Waimea
Pausing work on the
General Plan is a mistake
Mayor Kimo Alameda stated in his weekly county update why he paused work on the General Plan. He said the county will review the verbiage being used in the document and make it more inviting for local residents.
I strongly believe it is a mistake to cave in to this small group of conspiracy theorists. This group believes the United Nations will be taking our property away from us if this General Plan update is enacted.
Mayor Alameda’s decision to pause work on the General Plan only invigorates these clowns to hold this process hostage. This isn’t fair to longtime residents who have a vested interest in this island’s future.
Aaron Stene
Kailua-Kona
