More people are leaving Hawaii than ever before...but why? It's something we have been discussing for some time here at OFF GRID HAWAII. In our eBook we discuss in more detail the reason for this and the inevitable collapse of the Oahu economy.
Lets just be straight forward on the exact demographics we are talking about here...Kauai, Maui and the Island of Hawaii have staying power...it's good to know the other islands are not as tightly controlled and under the Politicians grip as OAHU is. The other islands are behind Oahu by 20 years or so and this is a blessing to any and all who love Hawai'i Nei and wish to protect the Culture and Native Hawaiians as much as possible. However it FAR TOO LATE for the pain, suffering and inevitable economic collapse that is coming for those who live, work and breathe OAHU.
"To ensure and protect the future of the entire Island chain, OAHU must be the one island that is SACRIFICED to show the States Political ineptitude!"
A little BLOG POST can't begin to touch the surface of the underlying issues Hawaii and the island of Oahu has. However, I will do my best to outline the MAJOR CONCERNS that I don't see changing and which will cause collapse in the near future on Oahu.
THE ONE SIDED POLITICAL CLIMATE in HAWAII
GREEN ENERGY INEPTITUDE (State Energy Office)
IGNORING CLIMATE CHANGE on HAWAII's ECOSYSTEM
OVER-TOURISM and the PROSTITUTION of HAWAIIAN CULTURE
THE DISASTROUS OAHU RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEM (RAIL)
HIGH FOOD COSTS
LACK OF ACTUAL "NEW" AFFORDABLE HOMES ($250K-450K)
OVER DEVELOPMENT by LARGE CORPORATIONS
LARGE FOREIGN DEVELOPERS and PRIVATE FOREIGN HOME BUYERS
TAXES, PERMITS, RED TAPE and REGULATIONS
CRIMINAL THEFT OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS
LOW PAYING JOBS in COMPARISON to HAWAII'S HIGH COST OF LIVING
INHOSPITABLE ATMOSPHERE for MIDDLE CLASS SMALL BUSINESSES
PUTTING VISITOR PRIORITIES OVER LOCAL PRIORITIES (Disgraceful)
Today, as written in our eBook, we are seeing a catastrophic trend...OAHU is losing more people every year than people coming. These people are LOCAL BORN...they are the ALOHA and LIFE BLOOD of the island of OAHU. These people are Hard Working MIDDLE CLASS Tax Payers who can NO LONGER afford the Price of Paradise. The Middle Class is the FOUNDATION of any ECONOMIC PROSPERITY! You can't have a thriving economy where only the Rich, who don't work, and the Poor, who live off the system, live! The middle class, the foundation of good economics, are leaving the island of Oahu at an alarming rate!
YOU CAN'T keep a MIDDLE CLASS working labor force in Hawaii UNLESS you start actually paying them a living wage...one that is on par with the cost of living and you MUST create and have actual affordable housing for them!
Businesses are seeing the strain now with unfilled positions. They already can't find people for positions here when it comes to service and restaurant jobs. MAYBE THEY SHOULD PAY THEM A PROPER LIVING WAGE! New constructed, supposedly affordable housing, is not being filled as expected because it's NOT affordable. LETS BUILD ACTUAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING in the $250-450K range for HOMES...not Condos and Town homes!
LET ME BE CLEAR ONCE AGAIN...You can't have a functional State when you have a financial foundation built on the RICH & POOR!
It's painfully clear what has happened to the WAGE GAPS since the 1980's...The RICH have seen their Salary and wages go up by 41% while riding on the BACK of the MIDDLE CLASS. The Middle class, which is the foundation of healthy economics, has only seen a wage increase of 6% and the year is 2018! Over the last 40 Years our Middle Class hasn't gotten closer to the Higher wage earners, but closer to the Lower wage earners...Just to stay up with inflation you would need over that same period of time a 26% increase not 6%!
The Middle Class is in HORRIBLE AMOUNTS OF DEBT...for the country we are talking TRILLIONS in DEBT. It's UNSUSTAINABLE and the only solution would be to remove the entirety of the Middle Classes Debt and increase their pay to an acceptable living wage in today's economy.
NEITHER WILL HAPPEN...and so that is why the ECONOMIC COLLAPSE WILL HAPPEN!
"HAWAII can't afford a young labor force getting up and leaving Hawaii for greener pastures...they need to create greener pastures in Hawaii now or our future financial security will be at stake."
People who are BORN or MOVE here stay because of Hawaii's beauty, spirituality and sense of being a part of something special...They come here to seek adventure, to swim, hike, fly, dive, fish, camp and the list goes on and on. Sadly this State, its Politicians and Businesses on Oahu have PREYED on those ideas since the beginning. They have all said..."Well, that's the Price for Paradise."...and all of us have believed it...until now.
The TIDE is TURNING...and WE CALL BULLS#IT!
There should be NO PRICE to pay for Paradise for those who have lived on these islands for generations, who have family and children born here. They should never ever have to say goodbye to their children because they can't afford to live where they had been born...It's disgusting and quite frankly embarrassing for those running this State! The State, the Politicians and the Employers are running out of using that LAME PARADISE EXCUSE! The City and County of Honolulu, the Politicians and the Employers are ALL ON BORROWED TIME here.
So you must be asking yourself...What the Hell does this BLOG have to do with LIVING OFF GRID? It has EVERYTHING to do with it as broken down in our eBook.
We CAN'T WAIT to thrive and survive in Hawaii. This State and it's Politicians have NO INTENTION of getting off the pot...THE TIME IS NOW! For many of us who are struggling here on OAHU and are contemplating if we should pack up and leave...I say this...DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH! This State will send you NO relief, NO aid...IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN...if you sit and wait, if you do nothing...only more taxes, more permits, more fees, more crime, more homelessness and higher costs of living and homes will come your way. You WILL LEAVE HAWAII if you do nothing and you'll end up like so many have before you!
You MUST take action and you MUST move yourself and your family to living a sustainable lifestyle...A lifestyle that is OFF GRID away from the control of the state, government and the corrupt politicians. For you to survive...for you to thrive...for you to secure a future here in Hawaii...YOU MUST DEPEND ON YOURSELF and take back control of your life, your finances and you ability to secure and grow your own energy and your own food! Once you do so you will secure your future here in Hawaii while others all around you leave.
PLEASE HEED OUR WARNING...The TIME is NOW or you as well will be leaving HAWAII.