Investors and real estate agents eager to capitalize on the catastrophic Maui wildfires have reportedly been calling affected landowners with speculative offers.
Attempted land grabs are among the latest reports of unsavory behavior in the wake of the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century. Reports of the calls come as crews work to contain the blaze, which has resulted in an estimated $6B in damage, injuries and 99 confirmed fatalities, according to NBC News.
"This is disgusting," Maui resident Tiare Lawrence said in an interview with MSNBC. "Lahaina is not for sale."
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At least 2,200 structures across the island, the majority of which are residential homes, have been destroyed, the Associated Press reported on Sunday.
In a video posted to Instagram, members of Kāko'o Haleakalā, an organization focused on preserving lands and native species in Hawaii, encouraged victims to report the callers’ identities and business affiliations.
"I am so frustrated, hearing since yesterday, multiple families that I know personally were reached out and offered money from investors and realtors," the person speaking in the video said. "Shame on you. If you are a Maui realtor contributing to that, karma’s going to come and get you."
Predatory calls have captured the attention of Hawaii Gov. Josh Green, who said in a news conference he is attempting to place a moratorium on out-of-state buyers.
In the meantime, nonprofits must provide adequate resources so families aren’t forced to act out of desperation, said Sterling Higa, executive director of Housing Hawaii’s Future.
“These displaced families are in an incredibly vulnerable position,” Higa told the island’s local ABC affiliate. “They may not have money to cover all of their essentials, so these predatory investors will come in and offer them money to take their land from them. And that is, in that situation of desperation, a very tempting offer.”
Thousands of meals, liters of water, cots and blankets have already been provided to Maui County by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, yet residents say disaster relief hasn’t come quickly enough. The delay in resources is, in large part, due to Maui’s remote nature, which means the vast majority of goods must be shipped to the island, per NBC News.
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