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Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

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  • Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

    Oprah Winfrey just announced that she would be purchasing a large tract of land from Hana Ranch and turning it into a preserve so that no one will ever be able to develop it. She has plans to put only one house on the 63 acres near Hamoa Beach, which means that 5 multimillion dollar minimansions will not be built. If she also allows locals to continue to use the area, that would be a big win for the people of Hana, who have seen many outsiders snap up land in the area and deny access to the places that locals have always been able to visit.

    "...Winfrey will buy six lots covering 63 acres at Mokae, adjacent to Hamoa Beach, and she is expected to build a single residence there. The joint conservation project will be in the neighboring Haneoo and Hamoa districts.

    In addition, the ranch is in ongoing discussions with Winfrey, the land trust and other landowners for a separate project adding 26 or more acres to an existing 42-acre conservation easement at Makaalae.

    In a letter distributed to the Hana community on Friday, Hana Ranch Chief Operating Officer Dan Omer and Chief Executive Officer William Newsom said the arrangement would be “one of the most important private conservation efforts to occur on Maui.”

    If the deal goes through and Winfrey builds at Mokae, she is expected to forego plans to build on a 102-acre Lehoula property she bought in 2002 with her friend and personal trainer Bob Greene.

    The ranch’s announcement of its deal with Winfrey was greeted with elation by members of the Hana community contacted by The Maui News on Friday...."

    If rich people have to buy up land in Hawai'i, let it be people like Oprah and Jason Scott Lee (on the Big Island), who want to preserve large parts of Hawai'i from development.

    Miulang
    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

  • #2
    Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

    Oprah. What an amazing woman. She's come so far, she can laugh at herself, she's got more money than G*d and she does the world a lot of good. Speaking of who to be for a day, I'd GIVE ANYTHING TO BE IN HER AUDIENCE WHEN SHE DOES ONE OF THOSE "MY FAVORITE THINGS" SHOWS and everyone takes home all kinds of loot!
    Aloha from Lavagal

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    • #3
      Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

      I was chatting about Oprah awhile back with a friend on Maui and it seems that because Oprah paid so much for her property there it was causing a very dramatic rise in property taxes. So much so that it might force lifetime residents of Hana out because they can no longer afford the taxes.

      Anyone know more about that situation?

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      • #4
        Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

        Originally posted by onocoffee
        I was chatting about Oprah awhile back with a friend on Maui and it seems that because Oprah paid so much for her property there it was causing a very dramatic rise in property taxes. So much so that it might force lifetime residents of Hana out because they can no longer afford the taxes.

        Anyone know more about that situation?
        It's not Oprah per se and her purchases in Hana that are causing the problem because she will be turning the area into a conservation area so it can't be developed; it's all the other people who are moving in and buying up land to put their minimansions on them. Her land up in Kula is the same way; it was ranchland that she has kept undeveloped for the last 3 or 4 years.

        The people of Maui (especially the ones over 55) have tax rebates they can apply for annually that reduce their real estate taxes significantly. If they don't know or won't apply for those benefits, then they are the ones who will lose out.

        Because of its relative isolation, the possibility of overdevelopment is reduced considerably, but what you will get instead are rich people moving in because they like the isolation.

        I think Hana will remain rural for many generations to come; there's lots of kalo being grown on the Keanae Penninsula and every year that area hosts the East Maui Taro Festival in April (unless it gets rained out, like it did last year) to honor the history and the legends surrounding kalo. Hana is a lush, beautiful place with very friendly people. The locals who live there are proud of their town and are doing everything they can to keep it small.

        Miulang
        Last edited by Miulang; October 8, 2005, 06:02 AM.
        "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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        • #5
          Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

          Originally posted by Miulang
          It's not Oprah per se and her purchases in Hana that are causing the problem because she will be turning the area into a conservation area so it can't be developed; it's all the other people who are moving in and buying up land to put their minimansions on them. Her land up in Kula is the same way; it was ranchland that she has kept undeveloped for the last 3 or 4 years.

          The people of Maui (especially the ones over 55) have tax rebates they can apply for annually that reduce their real estate taxes significantly. If they don't know or won't apply for those benefits, then they are the ones who will lose out.

          Because of its relative isolation, the possibility of overdevelopment is reduced considerably, but what you will get instead are rich people moving in because they like the isolation.

          I think Hana will remain rural for many generations to come; there's lots of kalo being grown on the Keanae Penninsula and every year that area hosts the East Maui Taro Festival in April (unless it gets rained out, like it did last year) to honor the history and the legends surrounding kalo. Hana is a lush, beautiful place with very friendly people. The locals who live there are proud of their town and are doing everything they can to keep it small.

          Miulang
          In other words, I suppose Maui might turn into a Hawaiian version of the Hamptons, lol[ (the east end of Long Island, NY, which is a celebrity nest sitting near farmland).

          I wonder if Lahaina (my favorite Maui town - remember, I'm one of those Mainland Tourists) is affected by any of this.
          Last edited by Rickyrab; October 13, 2005, 09:00 AM. Reason: someone told me it was not a joke

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          • #6
            Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

            Originally posted by Rickyrab
            In other words, I suppose Maui might turn into a Hawaiian version of the Hamptons, lol (the east end of Long Island, NY, which is a celebrity nest sitting near farmland).
            Rickyrab, this is most definitely not a joke to the locals who are struggling to pay their taxes and make a living, unfortunately, for many of them, catering to the whims of pampered tourists. The people of Hana are decent, proud and hardworking citizens who cherish what they have and are not going to give in very easily to the lure of the dollar. A good portion of the state's taro is grown here, and to the kanaka maoli, a day without poi is like a day without milk to white folk.

            Lahaina is Babylon...there's no hope of ever going back to the days prior to statehood when that town was inhabited by locals. I absolutely loathe having to go there when I'm on Maui. Every other store is a tacky souvenir shop and the rest cater to upscale tourists. There's not much there to appeal to locals.

            Miulang
            Last edited by Miulang; October 13, 2005, 08:56 AM.
            "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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            • #7
              Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

              Originally posted by Miulang
              Rickyrab, this is most definitely not a joke to the locals who are struggling to pay their taxes and make a living, unfortunately, for many of them, catering to the whims of pampered tourists. The people of Hana are decent, proud and hardworking citizens who cherish what they have and are not going to give in very easily to the lure of the dollar. A good portion of the state's taro is grown here, and to the kanaka maoli, a day without poi is like a day without milk to white folk.
              I apologize if I offended anyone's sensibilities. (It was easy for me to joke about the Hamptons because the farms over there aren't as important as the Hana farms, as far as I know; furthermore, I don't even LIVE in the Hamptons, I live in Central New Jersey, which is not a tourist trap but an ex-New York City slicker trap. That is, Central NJ has plenty of former New Yorkers living there. However, I HAVE heard of the folks working on the Jersey Shore, which IS a tourist trap, and they also consider pampered tourists to be a nuisance (as well as the source of their money in the summertime). The frugal, hardworking American or Hawaiian is a good person, and he or she is a role model, so of course Hana folks have reason to be proud. And I agree with you about "a day without milk to white folk" - especially milk with chocolate chip cookies or other forms of chocolate, or milk with cereal, etc.

              Originally posted by Miulang
              Lahaina is Babylon...there's no hope of ever going back to the days prior to statehood when that town was inhabited by locals. I absolutely loathe having to go there when I'm on Maui. Every other store is a tacky souvenir shop and the rest cater to upscale tourists. There's not much there to appeal to locals.
              Miulang
              On the other hand, there is more for tourists and mainlanders, although tacky souvenir shops are a bit overdone and much too numerous as a proportion of commercial establishments in Lahaina (or other tourist traps). The good news: at least it's not certain ports in the Caribbean, like the one near Dunn's River Falls, Jamaica, where just about EVERY shop is a tacky souvinir shop. The problem here is that it's tough for someone who was an upscale tourist (like me when I went to Hawaii) to badmouth establishments that cater to upscale tourists. I wonder how one might be able to satisfy locals and tourists at the same time.

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              • #8
                Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                Hana has changed alot from a decade ago. So has the attitude of the Hana

                people. My family and I try to get to the Eastside as much as possible, get

                away from the Central area. My wife also is a Hana tour driver, I asked her

                how the folk`s in Hana are dealing with Oprah buying the lands. She said

                there all for it. As long as they she keeps her word and leaves everything as

                is, Mo Betta for all. Now day`s all the tourist need to remember the word
                RESPECT OTHER PEOPLES PROPERTY
                bin dea-dunn dat.

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                • #9
                  Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                  isn't the whole point here that the maui coastal land trust and oprah have signed on for a parcel and a purpose that will ostensibly preserve a massive tract of maui land for perpetuity? (or at least until it appreciates to the point that even "her holiness" flips it)
                  Don't be mean,
                  try to help.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                    Originally posted by jdub
                    isn't the whole point here that the maui coastal land trust and oprah have signed on for a parcel and a purpose that will ostensibly preserve a massive tract of maui land for perpetuity? (or at least until it appreciates to the point that even "her holiness" flips it)
                    Oprah signed a pact with Nature Conservancy for one tract in Hana and is negotiating to obtain another neighboring tract with the same type of agreement. She also owns ranchlands in Kula which she has said she will never develop, either. Since the Nature Conservancy is the conservator, the only reason they might sell land under their care is if the proceeds would be used to buy up other properties which might be in dire need of conservation (like the sand dunes on Moloka'i or the sand dunes in Waihe'e on Maui). There's also a Maui Coastal Land Trust which I believe is taking care of the Waihe'e sand dunes, which have lots of archeological artifacts still buried.

                    Miulang
                    "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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                    • #11
                      Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                      Originally posted by jdub
                      ..... ostensibly preserve a massive tract of maui land for perpetuity?
                      believe half of what ya hear and none of what ya see.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                        Well, I'll tell ya this. The Hana Highway was one of the better parts of our trip (winding, narrow road, go figure), and Hana itself was a lovely location (as of a few years ago, when I visited); I suppose it's still lovely.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Oprah Winfrey, friend of Hana

                          Originally posted by Rickyrab
                          Well, I'll tell ya this. The Hana Highway was one of the better parts of our trip (winding, narrow road, go figure), and Hana itself was a lovely location (as of a few years ago, when I visited); I suppose it's still lovely.
                          The "big city" folk in County administration every so often float a trial ballon about maybe improving that road to Hana (beyond the repairs that have to be made whenever there's a rockslide or flood), and every single time, the people of Hana have said NO. They don't even want the road widened in some spots that are dangerous. That's how serious they are about keeping Hana small.

                          Miulang
                          "Americans believe in three freedoms. Freedom of speech; freedom of religion; and the freedom to deny the other two to folks they don`t like.” --Mark Twain

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