Hawaii is under attack again! The Discovery Land Company is plotting to build an expansive golf course, clubhouse, and around 900 luxury housing units on 1,000 acres of land in Southern Maui. Only 60–100 of these units could be considered “affordable.” All over the island, people are outraged by the initiative. One local summed up the common sentiment at a public meeting, saying that the so-called “Makena Mauka Project” would be “an enclave for the ultrawealthy.”
The median cost of a single-family home in the archipelago is now close to $1 million. Increasingly unaffordable housing forces Hawaiians to flee to the mainland. According to the 2020 US census, just 47% of Native Hawaiians actually lived in the state compared to 53% who lived on the mainland. In 2010, 55% lived in Hawaii and 45% on the mainland. This sharp decline is sure to worsen in the near future, as greedy real estate gangsters continue their campaign to transform Hawaii into a playground for the rich.
Sacrificed on the altar of profit
Makena Mauka is just another in a long line of housing developments looking to capitalize on the growing tourism industry. Locals can’t afford to stay in their family homes and many are compelled to leave, with parasitic landlords eager to swoop in. Maui and Oahu are now entirely reliant on tourism, and many Native Hawaiians depend on resort jobs to survive.
Maui is still suffering in the aftermath of the 2023 Lahaina fires. / Image: U.S. Coast Guard Hawai’i Pacific District 14, Wikimedia Commons
Tourism places a massive strain on the islands’ infrastructure and environment. During peak travel times for school and work, cities not designed for such high population density are choked by massive traffic jams. Resort and hotel construction often disrupt natural sand migration, preventing some beaches from replenishing lost sand—not to mention the copious water usage on islands already suffering from drought. And let’s not forget the damage from the 2023 Lahaina fires. The bottom line: Hawaii’s natural beauty, rich culture, and indigenous people are being sacrificed on the altar of profit by big landlords and capitalists.
The Maui Planning Commission is allowing residents to voice their concerns at public meetings, feigning sympathy with the interests of working-class Hawaiians. These concerns are sure to be politely pushed aside—if not rudely shot down. Stan Franco, an affordable-housing activist, developed a comprehensive plan for the island. He called for building 5,000 affordable homes within five years. Naturally, this was rejected by the commission. Over the last three years, fewer than 700 affordable housing units have been built. Instead of investing in new working-class housing, the Maui County Council is encouraging homeowners to build “accessory dwelling units” on their own properties as rentals.
Take the fight to the class enemy!
The main issue facing working-class Hawaiians is the capitalist mode of production. Under capitalism, housing—a vital need for all humans—is bought and sold like any other commodity, and the relentless drive for profits is forcing thousands to the mainland. The city councils and planning commissions are loyal servants of big money, brushing aside the pleas of workers in favor of catastrophic wealth accumulation. The capitalist class has no interest in keeping the Native Hawaiian population at home; they are more interested in stripping the island of its resources to make a quick buck.
The only way out is for workers to come together on a class basis and fight back against those who seek to profit off of the once pristine islands. Workers of all industries, particularly tourism, must be united under a common revolutionary banner to take the fight to the class enemy. When workers win political and economic power we will have the collective power needed to ensure everyone has safe, quality housing—and much more!