Latest news on part time Kauai resident Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Dr. Pricilla Chan has little to do with their controversial property at Kilauea. That estate gives new meaning to that Greta Garbo quote, “I want to be alone.”
Instead it’s about their recent $1 Million donation to help with social services and health care needs on Kauai.
For a person of his wealth, who is reputed to earn $2,149 a second, Zuckerberg is giving away what takes him about 8 minutes to earn.
But with that said, those 8 minutes can truly make a big difference here. This is part of overall global relief by him, to the tune of about $25 Million. The last time we heard of a Kauai donation by Zuckerberg, it was to the American Red Cross and Malama Kauai last year to support flood relief efforts on the North Shore.
The gift, via the Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative non profit, will include funding to three organizations.
- Wilcox Medical Center in Lihue which is our only major hospital. It is a highly regarded primary healthcare facility that and has been in Lihue for over 80 years and provides state-of-the-art acute care plus 30 specialties and programs. The ER is the first neighbor island hospital with a Level III Trauma facility.
- Hawaii Community Foundation, which has created The Hawaii Resilience Fund and has raised nearly $10 Million to help with this crisis. In the past month it has distributed nearly $4 Million to nonprofits and health care providers across Hawaii in order to help slow the spread, support vulnerable communities, and protect our health care workers on the front-line.
- Aina Hookupu O Kilauea in support of local farmers. With produce markets shuttered, farmers who rely largely on those for their income are now in need other vehicles to distribute their goods. Aina Hookupu O Kilauea buys all that farmers would normally sell at markets and creates food boxes which are then sold in the community. The proceeds are used to purchase the subsequent week’s produce from farmers.
Lastly, additional funds donated will provide educational, rental and food assistance to those in need.
Zuckerberg Kauai estate controversy.
As you will recall, last year, four small properties within Mark Zuckerberg’s Kauai mega-estate were sold to a retired UH professor for over $2M. That, in a bizarre bidding war against a group of (the professor’s) other family members.
To bring levity to an otherwise bad situation, we are reminded of Gilligan’s Island, filmed here on Kauai. Replete with the stranded professor and the millionaire (or this case, billionaire).
Zuckerberg’s Kauai trouble began in 2014.
You might remember that Zuckerberg initially bought Kauai property in 2014 for over $100M and that’s when all the trouble began. First to erect an extremely unpopular and not Kauai-like wall surrounding the land and second to control the many small kuleana lands contained within the 700 acre property. Those were needed to control privacy and access. Zoned for 80 homes, the property will only have his two bedroom, 6,100 square foot abode and 2,500 feet of white sand beach.
We went up to the property soon after it was bought and reported on Mark Zuckerberg House on Kauai at Pila`a Beach.
Beat of Hawaii photo at Brennecke Beach in 2019.
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Kaua’i don’t need this kinda hush-hush, fake generosity hand-outs!
We see right thru the fake humanitarian efforts.
No thank you! You had the chance to do right back in 2014 but you truly showed the “Me Billionaire” I can do what I want attitude!
{Edited} Take your money and get-out, we don’t need or want your kind here, Bye-Bye!!!
It saddens me how ugly people can be. I always wonder if the same people that always have something negative to say would stand up and say it to the persons face. They didn’t have to give a dime of they’re money that “They” made. Thanks to them some of your family members or Yourself will have a better chance of surviving this vi rus. I say God Bless you and you family Mark. My son lives there and I worry every day about him and his fiancé. Both out of work now.I will sleep a little better tonight knowing that they will get the help they need if they contract this horrible virus. Mr. and Mrs. Zuckerberg (sp?) From the bottom of my heart I say Thank you💞😅
This isn’t impressive I humbly say not after what he has done to this island and it’s people. Honestly although it will help it is a slap in the face. He and his wife could afford to give back much more especially since they’ve taken so much from the people. He is worth 65 billion dollars and his wife is worth 30 billion. It’s like throwing less than a penny at us and giving him a pat on the back and a article for it. Really??? I’m sorry but I think it’s am insult to the Hawaiian people. Thank you for this forum to speak openly.
Do you think I will be able to visit HNL in July this year or should I change my reservations
dates??
I’ve been following the Zuckerberg saga on your Beat of Hawaii blog. Mahalo for the local reporting. I thought by State law that no one individual (including Billionaires) could legally own the beaches in Hawaii. And that every beach in Hawaii – even beaches abutting privately owned land – has to have a public access. I know this is true for the high-end resorts, because I’ve seen the paths to the beaches. Does Zuckerberg’s 700-acre estate include paths to access the 2,500 feet of white sand beach? Aloha,
Hi Tom.
Thank you. Yes, public access is required, but this is vague and contentious from what we know. There is no ground access there. At nearby Secret Beach too, there are many homes, but no beach access we are aware of.
As another example, we were recently able to access Kipu Kai ranch as a part of a tour. The beach there is not accessible by ground, only via the ocean, so you can neither drive nor walk to it. The only public access is via the water.
Aloha.
Aloha! I have a question for you. Ever since your post about people moving to Hawaii during this time, as I’ve ruminated on it, something just didn’t feel right. It finally dawned on me. The statistic that is missing is how many people normally move to Hawaii during this time. That would put the number you quoted into perspective. Would it be possible for you to get that number and provide an update? That would be very useful. Thank you so much and I really appreciate that you are keeping these posts up during this time.
Lorri
Hi Lorri.
Good question. Not sure the answer or where to find it. What we know is that Hawaii’s population has been declining for several years and was estimated to be down by about 5,000 last year. Having said that, there is an ongoing influx and then there are those moving away, and those numbers we have not seen. Perhaps someone else can provide a hand.
Aloha.
Gratitude Changes Everything.
I was a beach bum in the 80s, lived on Pila’a Beach 84-88. Great Spearfishing. nobody ever bothered my campsite.
Honestly, I get wanting to be alone, especially on a beautiful island like Kauai but, Kauai is so laid back, I think even a resurrection of Elvis himself living there wouldn’t draw attention from anyone. It’s not like people are clamoring to get a look at Zuckerberg. For someone that had no problem selling everyone else’s information to data miners, his privacy is is a real concern of his in the most disrespectful manner to an island he calls home. He’s a prisoner of his own ego and puhleeze with the low donation of money… can he not afford to buy a new personality? I don’t Facebook but I’m guilty of Instagraming. At least Bette Midler bought the Kapaa bypass area so no land developers can alter the look of classic Kauai, in my opinion, money better spent. Aloha!
Hi Tammy.
We love you.
Aloha.
Midler rents the bypass road for $1000000 a year
Aloha Tammy!
LOL,You nailed it!! Not any more money that the time it takes him to take a healthy doo doo, which is exactly what I think of the amount he chose to donate. This should have been far more, especially for the island he calls home. He should be immersed in helping not only the island, but the state as well, in my opinion. With the amount he makes in a day, he could make a small dent in building better infrastructure.
BoH, thanks for the update and reminder of some facts!
Hi Jim.
Thanks for that, and all your comments.
Aloha.
Good to hear that Mark is now understanding what Kuleana means!!! Mahalo nui to him and his wife for helping the kanaka of Kaua’i!
Very tacky headline. The Zukerberg’s didn’t have to give Kauai a dime. Learn to appreciate
a generous gift- quit being so judgmental and negative.