Rabbit Holes

S05E03 | The McMansion Theseus - Wailea 670

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In this episode of Rabbit Holes, we take a deep look at the Wailea 670 (Honuaʻula) development and the long-standing fight over its impact on Maui. What started as a plan to provide mixed-use residential housing has morphed into yet another luxury-driven project, with broken promises along the way.

We explore:

  • The history of Wailea 670, from its original approval in 2008 to its latest legal and environmental challenges.
  • The shrinking affordable housing commitments—how 700 promised units became just 288, and what that means for local families.
  • Environmental and cultural concerns, including threats to one of Maui’s last dryland forests and over 200 cultural sites, including iwi kūpuna (ancestral burials).
  • The political landscape, the legal loopholes developers use, and how similar projects across Hawaiʻi follow the same pattern.
  • A conversation with Stacey Alapai, breaking down what’s at stake and how people can take action.
    • How to Testify Against Wailea 670

    The Maui Planning Commission is holding a special public hearing on March 11, 2025 to determine the future of Wailea 670. Your voice matters.

    📍 In-Person Testimony:

    🔹 Location: The Malcom Center, 1305 North Holopono St., Kīhei, HI 96753
    🔹 Time: 9:00 AM HST (until pau)

    💻 Virtual Testimony:

    🔹 Submit online testimony: https://bit.ly/311-WAILEA670

    📧 Email Written Testimony:

    🔹 Email: [email protected]

    📜 County Agenda & Meeting Details:

    🔹 Official Maui County Agenda for the Public Hearing

    Sources & Further Reading

    For listeners who want to explore more about Wailea 670’s history, the legal battle, and environmental concerns, here are key resources we used in this episode:

    🔹 History & Background

    📜 Wailea 670 (Honuaʻula) Development History – Maui Tomorrow

    📜 Maui News: Honuaʻula Back Before County Council (Jan 2024)
    📜 Civil Beat: Maui Council Questions Affordable Housing Reductions (Nov 2023)

    🌱 Environmental Concerns

    🌿 Sierra Club Maui: Honuaʻula Project Update (2024)

    🌿 Center for Biological Diversity: Hawaiian Dryland Forest Conservation
    🌿 Honolulu Magazine: Wildlife & Water Concerns Stall Maui Developments

    🏛️ Cultural & Historical Significance

    📜 Maui News: Honuaʻula Project Clears Planning Commission (2022)

    📜 Office of Hawaiian Affairs: Protecting Iwi Kūpuna on Maui
    📜 Ka Wai Ola: Protecting Hawaiian Burial Sites

    ⚖️ Legal & Political Landscape

    ⚖️ Maui County Official Archive – Wailea 670 Approvals

    ⚖️ Maui News: Legal Challenges to Honuaʻula Continue (Feb 2024)
    ⚖️ Maui Now: Council Reviews New Conditions for Honuaʻula Project (Jan 2024)

    🌊 Community Response & Activism

    📢 Sierra Club Maui: Community Action Against Honuaʻula

    📢 Hawaiian Council: Community Opposition to Honuaʻula (2023)
    📢 Maui News: Council Hears Testimony Against Wailea 670 (Jan 2024)

    📌 Current Status & Delays

    📅 Civil Beat: Honuaʻula Project Delays Continue Amid Legal Disputes (Feb 2024)

    📅 Maui County: 2024 Honuaʻula Hearings & Decisions
    📅 KHON2: Maui Development Halted Due to Cultural Concerns

    🌺 Ties to Land Sovereignty & Hawaiian Self-Determination

    🌎 Office of Hawaiian Affairs: Land Sovereignty & Honuaʻula Case Study

    🌎 Maui Now: Native Hawaiians Call for Preservation of Honuaʻula (Jan 2024)
    🌎 Civil Beat: Maui Land Rights Dispute Highlights Need for Sovereign Governance (Feb 2024)

    Credits

    🎙️ Host & Producer: Kawika Hoke

    🎛️ Produced by: Laulima Public Broadcasting, Kīhei, Hawaiʻi
    🎧 Guest: Stacey Alapai

    🎵 Music in this Episode:

    🎶 Moarn - If You Like The Blues (Instrumental)
    🎶 Miles Kvndra - I am Satoshi Nakamoto (Jam No. 4) (Instrumental)
    🎶 Seb - Elements

    📢 Help us grow the conversation. If this episode resonated with you, share it, leave a review, and let people know what’s at stake.

    🌿 Stay informed. Stay engaged. Keep questioning everything.

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    Rabbit HolesBy Kawika Hoke