S05E03 | The McMansion Theseus - Wailea 670

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.

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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: planning@mauicounty.gov

📜 County Agenda & Meeting Details:
🔹 Official Maui County Agenda for the Public Hearing

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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)

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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.