Encountering the Billionaires Acquiring Hawaii

One year ago, Oprah Winfrey acquired 850 acres on Maui for $6.4 million, supplementing her existing ownership of 1,280 acres on the island. Positioned inland, her primarily contiguous property sprawls across verdant hillsides and extends into a forest preserve on the slopes of the Haleakala volcano. Much of the land remains undeveloped, with grazing cattle, as Winfrey actively works to preserve its natural beauty. Describing the scenery, her fitness trainer turned property manager, Bob Greene, likened it to Scotland but with consistently pleasant weather.

Winfrey, who spends approximately four months a year in Hawaii, initially purchased a ranch on Maui two decades ago. Her property remained untouched during the wildfires that ravaged Maui last August, consuming 6,625 acres and claiming 100 lives. In response, she provided assistance to survivors by distributing pillows, diapers, and other essentials. Additionally, alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, she established the People’s Fund of Maui, personally contributing $10 million to support relief efforts.

However, a surge in luxury real estate transactions amid the pandemic has exacerbated tensions between native Hawaiians and affluent out-of-state landowners. This tension culminated in the introduction of a contentious bill last week, proposing to prohibit non-Americans from purchasing land in Hawaii. Despite Winfrey’s efforts to aid wildfire victims, she faced criticism for filming her relief activities and soliciting public donations, actions perceived to divert attention from Maui. Questions arose regarding the promised $100 million in aid from Jeff Bezos and his partner, Lauren Sánchez, who own a 14-acre estate 12 miles south of the fire zone. A spokesperson informed Forbes that Bezos has thus far donated $15.5 million to nine charities.

While America’s wealthiest individuals have been investing in Hawaii for years, the extent of their land holdings remained largely unknown. Forbes undertook a comprehensive investigation, analyzing thousands of property records across Hawaii’s six largest islands. The findings were startling: 37 billionaires collectively own at least 218,000 acres, representing 5.3% of the state’s total land and 11.1% of all privately owned land. This figure likely underestimates their true ownership due to deliberate concealment tactics. Put differently, these 37 individuals, comprising just 0.003% of Hawaii’s population, possess 11% of its private land.

Some billionaires, like Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, have deep ties to the community and have contributed significantly to local causes. Others, such as Meta cofounder Mark Zuckerberg, prioritize privacy, evident in his reported construction of a bunker on his partially enclosed estate. Wayne Tanaka, director of the Sierra Club of Hawaii, remains cautiously optimistic, suggesting that affluent residents could foster meaningful connections with their surroundings. However, he acknowledges the growing trend of Hawaii becoming an enclave for the wealthy.