Is it any wonder that Iam Tongi, on “American Idol,” said he was “priced out of paradise”? The Kahuku native’s family moved to Seattle four years ago, although he presented himself as being from Hawaii.

One only has to observe two recent Star-Advertiser headlines: “$62M senior housing complex breaks ground,” and “Honolulu condo unit sells for record $27.5 million” (Oct. 18).

On the one hand we have kupuna who have lived and worked here their whole lives who cannot afford anything beyond low-income housing. On the other, we have rich outsiders gobbling up residences at Ala Moana and Kakaako, close to an area that was once billed as a place for workforce and affordable housing. Hello?

This proves an earlier study that showed Hawaii’s net out-migration of residents (taking into account military, college students, job transfers) was as many as 20,000 more than the people who have moved in. And many of those moving away were born and raised here, but could not afford to stay.

Chip Davey

Downtown Honolulu

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