Hawaii probes unrequested bids for Maui property.
Hawaii Investigates Unsolicited Offers to Buy Land After Maui Fires
Hawaii is currently investigating cases of survivors of the devastating Maui fires receiving unsolicited offers to buy their scorched land, according to Governor Josh Green. The fires destroyed over 2,200 buildings and left many homeless or displaced in the town of Lahaina, Maui. Governor Green, a Democrat, expressed concern over opportunistic buyers taking advantage of those who have lost everything but their land. He emphasized the importance of keeping the land in the hands of local people and allowing them to decide whether they want to rebuild.
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In response to this issue, Governor Green signed an emergency order on August 19, making it a crime to make unsolicited offers to purchase affected properties in the three fire-impacted ZIP codes on Maui. The Hawaii Department of the Attorney General states that those charged with this crime may be able to defend themselves if they can prove that the property owner was not impacted by the wildfire emergency.
If found guilty, perpetrators could face up to one year in jail, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez condemned this criminal activity, promising to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.
The attorney general’s office advises residents who receive unsolicited offers to purchase their land to not provide any personal information and to hang up the phone, then contact the police. Prior to the emergency order, the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs warned property owners to be cautious of unsolicited offers, as they may result in receiving less than the property’s actual value.
Governor Green had already declared a statewide housing emergency before the fires, aiming to build 50,000 new homes in five years to address Hawaii’s housing crisis. This proclamation suspended certain home-building regulations and granted local governments and developers more flexibility in the approval process. The governor’s deregulatory approach received praise for addressing the high housing prices in Hawaii, although some expressed concerns over the use of emergency power.
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