Betty Sakamoto
Aloha. Welcome to Betty’s Real Estate Corner, brought to you by Sakamoto Properties and Coldwell Banker Island Properties. In the studio today, Roy and I have a lot to talk about, but for now, I will have him start on something. We spent a lot of time yesterday, and Roy has spent a lot of time over the past year working on the 50 homes built at Kapalua for the golf course employees. So, I think he should share some of that story, and then I’ll interrupt.
RS: As we’re doing the show today, we’re about a year and a week from the devastating August 8th fire in Lahaina. It’s very, very sad. The principal owner of the Kapalua golf courses, a company called TY Management, learned after the fire that about 40 families, specifically golf course employees, had lost their homes.
There are 150 employees at the Kapalua golf courses, and about 40 families lost their homes. When the owner, a very wealthy individual from Japan, found out about the situation, his heart went out to his coworkers and all the residents of Lahaina and Maui.
This gentleman has been visiting Maui for over 20 years. He loves everything about Maui—the people, the weather, and especially the golf. After the fire, he wanted to focus on helping the employees first.
We looked at various parcels of land throughout West Maui, including Kaanapali, Mahinahina, Kahana, and Napili. We also considered some of his own holdings and golf course properties at Kapalua. For those familiar with old Maui, the number one hole of the former Village Golf Course at Kapalua turned out to be the ideal site.
We aimed to build around 50 homes and worked with Daiwa House from Japan. Daiwa is a large conglomerate with modular housing components, and we began exploring the possibility of shipping these houses over from Japan.
BS: And did they use similar housing in Japan for something like this?
RS: We had to modify the homes slightly to meet Hawaii’s building codes, but they were used as examples. After the Fukushima earthquake about 12 or 13 years ago, Daiwa House put their factories to work 24/7 and produced 10,000 modular homes in three months to help displaced residents.
Hearing that was staggering—10,000 homes in three months. Here, we had health personnel on the ground and worked with engineers, including Reed Ariyoshi from Warren S. Unemori Engineering, Inc., whose engineering was extremely helpful. We also worked with other professionals like Lars Wernars from Cutting Edge Development.
BS: Lars was really great.
RS: Oh, fantastic. We piecemealed the plan to install these homes, which was a struggle. We had to modify the homes slightly for shipping to fit in containers from Japan. We then found out there was only one freighter from Japan to Honolulu per month or week. Much of the space was already promised to electronics and car companies, so we had to work around their schedules. Once the homes arrived in Honolulu, we coordinated with Young Brothers to transfer them to barges for Maui.
There was a lot of logistics involved, but it all came together. Adam Kaspersky from Kaspersky Designs was a huge help. We faced many dead ends with county approvals, but we finally worked through all the difficulties. This past Tuesday, we had the opening ceremony, and two golf course employees displaced by the fire have already moved in. It was a happy and emotional experience with many smiles and tears, making all the efforts worthwhile.
BS: It was amazing. And then the blessing.
RS: Yes, Governor Green was here on Tuesday. He was instrumental in helping us navigate all the various permits.
BS: He actually took the time to meet Mr. Yanai in Japan, didn’t he?
RS: Yes, he did. He met with Mr. Yanai in Japan and helped lay the groundwork for getting all our approvals.
BS: That definitely helped a lot.
RS: Absolutely. Our mayor, Mayor Bissen, was also there, and Kahu Wilmont Kamaunu Kahaialii performed the formal blessing. It was a real “chicken skin” moment.
BS: That was totally “chicken skin.” It was great.
RS: We also had officials from Daiwa House Corporation. Mr. Keiichi Yoshi, the CEO, and chairman of the board gave a short speech, and Mr. Tadashi Yanai, the principal at TY Management, also spoke. It was a fantastic ceremony.
BS: Mr. Yanai was fun. He usually speaks well in English, but he mentioned that his English isn’t perfect and used a translator for the big crowd.
RS: A translator.
BS: Yes, the translator spoke right after him, so everyone could understand.
RS: Yes. And very emotional. It showed the true sincerity of Mr. Yanai and his feelings about helping Maui recover. And this is just the first step. But he is basically footing the whole bill. There’s no taxpayers’ money involved. And what a grand gesture, you know, and he’s just doing this for his love of Maui and West Maui. Quite a gentleman. Absolutely.
BS: It’s been amazing, everything he’s done for Kapalua. Over time, I heard some people say, “They’re just going to be small houses; nobody will be happy,” and so on. I mentioned this to Roy and have repeated it, so let’s share it on the radio.
One thing I think will happen is that on a Sunday morning, maybe the second one, you’ll get up, have a cup of coffee, grab the kids, and go outside. You’ll realize that everyone in the neighborhood either works or has worked for the golf course, Kapalua, or the Ritz.
It’s going to be amazing. Their kids will be there, and you’ll be in the middle of a beautiful forest. If anyone remembers the first fairway of the Village Course, it was spectacular with lots of greenery. The houses will be landscaped, and Mr. Yanai will handle all of that. It’s a beautiful setting, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the kids, but it’s great, right?
RS: Absolutely fantastic. I’d also like to acknowledge some of our other partners who were instrumental in helping us. Nippon Express was crucial, as was Matson Maui, which helped with shipping issues. IKEA furnished all the homes and was a major contributor with significant discounts. Costco was fantastic as well. Leighton Construction served as our general contractor, and Goodfellow Brothers did a lot of the groundwork. It was truly a Maui community effort, but also an international one. Our sincere thanks go to all these companies that really helped.
BS: Another person, Kalani Kaleiopu, worked so hard with everyone. He was there the other day, and you could just see the pride in his eyes. Alex Nakajima as well.
RS: Yes.
BS: Everyone involved.
RS: Absolutely. Many people contributed efforts—too many to name, including some county officials and public works staff. Many thanks to all of them.
BS: The other day, I took a lot of videos while we were there. I’m not great at it, so the footage is a bit of a mishmash, but I think we’ll give it to, Meyer Computer Inc., who manages our website. I don’t always view it the way I should, but I think it’s really great. They’ll try to put some of these videos up. The cabinetry is beautiful, and everything, including the washer-dryers and appliances, is fully furnished.
RS: Yes, fully furnished. The furniture is fantastic, the cabinets are great, and the full kitchen is well-equipped. There’s a 50-inch color TV and split-system air conditioning. It’s got everything you could want.
BS: It’s everything they need, and it’s beautiful. I know it’s hard right now for everyone because life is difficult and will be for a long time. Some people have lost their homes entirely, while others have lost their rentals. It’s a tough time for everybody, but at least they will have 5 to 7 years to stay at Kapalua in the middle of the resort and hopefully find some happiness. The kids will be able to go to school not too far away, which is great. Roy, you did so much.
RS: Well, many people contributed to this effort, so it’s very gratifying to see it come together. As I mentioned, the first two tenants have moved in, and we hope to have all the homes occupied by mid-September. We’re looking forward to working with all our tenants to ensure their happiness and well-being.
We’re very pleased with the outcome. Again, thanks to Mr. Yanai. On Tuesday evening, we had a thank-you dinner for all our contractors and everyone who helped with the project. It was a real “chicken skin” evening at Hua Momona Farms in Kapalua.
Thanks to Gary Grube, the owner of Hua Momona Farms, and Zach Laidlaw, the executive chef. Zach was a finalist on *Next Level Chef* with Gordon Ramsay. Although he didn’t win, he prepared some fantastic dishes. I also want to acknowledge Hua Momona Farms for their incredible work—they’ve been preparing 400 to 450 meals a day for displaced residents of Lahaina through their foundation, Hua Momona Foundation, with contributions from various purveyors.https://www.huamomonafarms.com/pages/hua-momona-foundation
Many thanks to Gary Grube and your crew for everything you do for Lahaina. They are also sponsoring a three-day event—two days at the Ritz-Carlton and one day at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center—with well-known recording artists performing. All proceeds will go to The Hua Momona Foundation to continue their fantastic work. We hope the Maui community will come out and support these upcoming events.
BS: Another thing to clarify is that we were never paid for our involvement. Roy got involved almost as an idea of his own, and it all happened from there. Occasionally, someone assumes that, because we’re realtors and were involved, it must have been a big moneymaker for us.
Well, not for us, but we’re thrilled that we could contribute. Most of the people involved weren’t paid; the contractors were, but they provided really great rates to complete the work quickly and effectively. Is there anyone else you think we should mention?
RS: There’s a long list, and I’m sure I’m missing some names, but none come to mind right now. Interestingly, I’ve asked Mr. Yanai and his right-hand person, Mr. Kenji Huey, who has been leading this project, about the costs several times. The bottom line, it’s none of my business; they don’t want to disclose the costs, and I respect that Mr. Yanai prefers not to put a dollar figure on it. We’re proud to say that not one penny of government money was used for this project; Mr. Yanai is covering the entire cost.
BS: At the event the other day, they mentioned that this is the first project of its kind that wasn’t funded by the government. That says a lot about Mr. Yanai. Did you mention the architect, Adam Kaspersky?
RS: Yes, I did.
BS: I just wanted to make sure it was noted.
RS: Adam and his team were fantastic from the very first day we contacted him. Adam’s attitude was incredible—he was ready to help immediately. He and his team did a wonderful job. Adam has been working on various floor plans for the Lahaina residents and is offering them free of charge. If Lahaina residents displaced by the fire want to rebuild, one option is to contact Adam, who will assist with the permitting process at no cost. So, Mahalo to Adam.
BS: It’s amazing how many professionals stepped up and did their usual jobs for free. Some people couldn’t offer their services for free due to their own constraints, but those who were paid absolutely deserved it for their hard work. Everyone worked extremely hard, including Adam.
RS: Yes, and many of the workers on this project were also displaced. Adam unfortunately lost his father in the fire, but he was instrumental in helping us with all the permitting.
BS: Mahalo to Adam. It took a long time for the confirmation of his father’s passing, even though they knew he was gone.
RS: He was one of the last to have his remains identified, but it was eventually confirmed.
BS: Sadly, it has been confirmed. We’re nearing the end of this discussion.
RS: Yes, we are. Although we’re a real estate show, today we’re focusing on this project. With help from our web team, Meyer Computer Inc., we’ll be posting more information on our website. You can visit SakamotoProperties.com for photos and videos of the opening ceremonies. The project is called the Kapalua Village Project, and it’s a significant undertaking.
BS: It’s truly amazing what’s been accomplished. We’ll check with Jesse to make sure the website can handle the traffic. It would be great if it could handle a lot of visits. The website will have a lot of useful information.
RS: Yeah.
BS: Yes, it always does.
RS: While it’s primarily a real estate site, if you’re curious about Maui properties, visit SakamotoProperties.com. For more information on the Kapalua Village Project, we’ll have details posted there soon.
We’re doing this not for fame or money but to help Maui. Unfortunately, fires also affected Kula and Kihei on the same day. Although those areas have taken a backseat due to the devastation in Lahaina, our thoughts and prayers are with those affected.
If there’s anything we can do to help, please reach out to us. You can contact Roy at 808-870-7060, or Betty at 808-870-7062. We’re here to help. There wasn’t much property damage in Kihei, though there was considerable panic.
Driving over from Lahaina today and passing through the plains and Maalaea, I saw how tinder-dry everything is. We are on the verge of another potentially devastating fire. Hopefully, there will be no loss of life, but we need to stay vigilant. If you see any suspicious activity, please call 911, as there are some individuals out there who might start fires.
BS: Absolutely. It’s crucial to report anything unusual. In hindsight, it’s clear that our fire and police departments had limited resources and coverage during the crisis. We should be grateful for their efforts under such challenging conditions. Thank you to all our first responders.
RS: We had no roadmap for handling such an unprecedented situation.
BS: Absolutely. Well, Danny Couch will be coming back on shortly with *I Love Hawaii*. To sum up for Roy and me—Roy’s a Lahainaluna grad and always here—thank you to everyone. Aloha.
RS: Aloha.
