All articles tagged with #land purchases
Locals in the rural town of Waimea, Hawaii, are concerned as a tech billionaire's land purchases raise fears of further exacerbating the already high cost of housing, making it even more difficult for Native Hawaiians to afford to live in the area where the average home price is close to a million dollars.
Tech billionaire Marc Benioff has been quietly buying hundreds of acres of land in the small town of Waimea, Hawaii, sparking concerns among locals about the impact on housing and the community. While Benioff has stated that he is only looking to create a home for his family and give back to the community through philanthropy, the secretive nature of the land purchases has raised questions about his intentions and the potential impact on local residents and the housing market.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has donated $150 million to medical organizations in Hawaii, with $50 million going to the Hilo Medical Center and $100 million to Hawaii Pacific Health. This marks one of the largest private gifts in the state's history. Benioff and his wife have now donated over $250 million for philanthropic causes in Hawaii, with a significant portion of the land they purchased being donated to charitable causes, including affordable housing initiatives. The disclosure of Benioff's land purchases has renewed concerns about the impact of wealthy individuals on Hawaii's housing market and native population.
Tech billionaire Marc Benioff has been quietly buying up hundreds of acres of land in Waimea, Hawaii, sparking worries and speculation among locals. The CEO of Salesforce has purchased over 600 acres of land, including residential, commercial, and agricultural properties, leading to concerns about rising housing costs and the potential impact on the local culture. Despite the community's uncertainty about his intentions, Benioff has expressed his love for Hawaii and the aloha spirit, and his land purchases have raised questions about the future of the area.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, along with 16 Republican governors, has written a letter urging the Biden administration to take action against China's efforts to purchase U.S. land, citing national security concerns. The governors argue that allowing adversarial governments to infiltrate the country poses a threat to national security, farmers, and citizens. They highlight a Chinese law requiring collaboration with Chinese security officials and express concern over recent land purchases near sensitive facilities. The letter criticizes the Biden administration for failing to act and leaving states like Arkansas to pass their own laws on foreign ownership. Sanders previously ordered a Chinese-owned seed company to divest its land holdings, and the company recently paid a fine for violating a state law.
Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, along with 16 Republican governors, has written a letter urging the Biden administration to take action against China's efforts to purchase U.S. land, citing national security concerns. The governors expressed their dissatisfaction with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States for failing to block a recent land purchase by a Chinese state company near a national guard facility in Michigan. Arkansas has already passed laws regarding foreign land ownership and has ordered a Chinese-owned seed company to divest its ownership of land. Governor Sanders emphasized the need to protect national security and not trust those who pledge allegiance to a hostile foreign power.
Wealthy investors from Silicon Valley, including Laurene Powell Jobs and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, have been identified as the group behind the purchase of over 50,000 acres of land in Solano County. Flannery Associates, LLC, has spent over $800 million to acquire more than 140 properties over the past five years. The purchases have raised concerns among local leaders and federal government agencies, with the company expressing plans to build a new city on the land. Communication between mayors and Flannery Associates has been limited, but the company intends to engage with residents, elected officials, and officials from Travis Air Force Base regarding the project.