Aloha Protect 'Ophihale Ohana. As of today, nearly 2,500 of you have demonstrated your staunch opposition to The Kona Estates at 'Opihihale! Considering how rural and remote our South Kona & Ka'ū communities are, that says A LOT.

Still, we have only just begun! We have a long fight ahead. We need everyone to stay involved and stay informed!

Along with continuing to sign and share this petition, please take a moment to let the Hawai'i County Planning Department know how you feel about this proposed development by submitting your thoughts, questions, & comments via this simple online form. 

You can also hop over and submit commentary that will be delivered directly to Hawai'i Island Mayor, Mitch Roth. Let Mayor Roth know how this proposed development would negatively impact you, your ohana, our beloved home, and our cherished way of life. 

Mahalo piha for your continued kōkua and vigilance! 

Here's what some have already written in opposition to Kona Development Partner's plan: 

“I'm very concerned for the negative impact on our rural community (which is why we love it down south). We must stop further development to protect our farmlands, our dark night skies, and prevent the golf course chemical runoff into our beautiful waters and protected fishing areas. We must STOP further development of our last remaining coastlines.”-Sandra Yim

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“We have a lack of affordable housing on Hawaii island, local people and especially kanaka maoli can not afford to live in their homeland. We currently import 95% of the food consumed and all of the plastic packaging which is polluting the land and sea.... this area could be utilized for food and affordable homes for people or left in its natural state! Luxury homes, a helipad, golf course, etc is an absolute insult and exploitation of the limited resources of this occupied nation.”-Alison Yahna

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“This developer is using a Ponzi scheme to pay for his project. He has not applied for any permits other than a grubbing permit which is allowing him to bulldoze not only barren lava flows but also some of the last native ohia forest that extends all the way to the ocean. In addition, this land has many archeological sites on it which will be bulldozed before they apply for permits. The permits probably will be denied or take many years to be put in place. The developer is telling potential investors that they will be making 22% interest on their money. Do not invest in this scheme.”-Emily Burt

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“The development is not compatible with ag5 zoning. It will take forever to get the SMA permit for the lodge unless some people in the county offices are being paid off. Shut down the bulldozers before any more raw land goes under the blade.”-Bri Kuahiwinui

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“My ohana are direct lineal descendants in ‘Opihihale. This is heartbreaking.”-Jan Kekua-Spencer

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“Enough already with high-end, sprawling, water- and electrify-sucking, gated communities that keep Hawaiian people in servitude and unable to afford their own homes.”-Janice Palma-Glennie

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“My grandfather was born at Opihihale and as a young man, moved about 2 miles down the coast to Hoʻopuloa where our ʻohana (now including his great, great, great moʻopuna) still go to get refreshed and reconnected to ʻāina and moana...”-Leon Siu

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“This development is the definition of what Kona DOES NOT NEED AND IN NO WAY BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY. Locals cannot afford these properties. Obscenely unaffordable development resulting in housing displacement for local families. This is a dry area, water needs to be conserved for locals THIS IS AN EXISTING FARMING AND RANCHING area, already rooted here, not for egregious water usage to waste on luxury pools, etc to serve a small group of greedy wealth. There is no existing infrastructure in this area to support this community, the land will be heavily dug, bulldozed, cleared, and trenched just to create infrastructure, let alone buildings. More traffic to an already compacted small dangerous 2-lane highway. There are many many strong reasons this is not something that should be built in Kona, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA. Absolutely no.” -Ashley Medeiros

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“There's no infrastructure to support this development. I live across the highway. It's remote. We don't need another gated community where the public is denied access. There are many reasons to say no to this project. It's a destructive and isolationist community for the wealthy few. This island already has enough of those! Invest in affordable housing for the many who live here already. No more mansions.”-Ivy Cheek