History of the making of Puna's subdivisions

[macuu222]

Im glad that Puna is still considered rural because I pay very little tax. Where else can you have a $400,000 home and pay under $1000.00 a year when you factor in the exemptions? That plus the fact that they don't tax government retirement income makes this place extremely desireable for retirees on limited income. By the time Puna actually increases its infrastructure to the point that water and sewer lines are the norm....I'll be long dead and gone.

[bodysurf]

oprah said she.. "likes investing in land in hawaii especially waterfront because god ain't making more...so if you get a couple thousand acres...right along the beach?"...well.. there is new land bein made...but anyways...that was in 2005 ..but she frequently talks about how she loves hana and small town hawaii...etc...

[missydog1]

It was Donald Trump who told people the Big Island was the last great deal around.

So I blame Trump for opening his big mouth ... Oprah was Hana, as you said.

[gtill]

The west coast has treated Hawaii about the same as China has treated Tibet, and with the same results. Tax em off their landholdings, and control their lifestyle with regulation. Lingle tried to allow Hawn Homes to build without all the infrastructure required (250K per lot), but was defeated by those who make out on infrastucture installs. What they call keep Puna rural is BS. The Tent Ammendment (allowing same) would have been good, because it would allow grass shacks, but no, it would hurt the property value.

[JerryCarr]

Of course it doesn't HAVE to cost $250K per lot to do infrastructure improvements for Hawaiian Homelands lots. It just costs that much to do it the DHHL way with their "insider" contractors. I suspect the bidding process is skewed, but have no hard evidence other than conversations with contractors who say the cost is ridiculously inflated.

When some DHHL beneficiaries expressed a willingness to have gravel roads and catchment water, they were told "no how, no way." So they have people dying of old age on the waiting list while others get rich off the slow process.

[Rob Tucker]

An interesting source of DHHL data is to examine their budget documents which are public record.

Last time I did this it only took a few seconds to find out they shovel way much money to their buddies.

One line item I recall clearly was a surveying contract for seven small house lots. Now my own property survey of my house lot cost me
$700. DHHL did the contract I refer to for seven lots for $67,000. I'm quite confident a good chuck of that flowed back into the hands of the DHHL managers.

It makes me feel real bad for the Hawaiian people that this is the way the State of Hawaii tends to their affairs.

[gtill]

I believe right now, a contractor who took some 20 deposits from the new leasees, went belly up before the roofs went on. The owners are just going to have to wait till someone does somthing. (an island contractor no less).