Aloun Farms Throws Its Support Behind Hoopili

Nanea Kalani/Civil Beat

In a surprising move, the owners of Aloun Farms have come out in support of a controversial large-scale development in Ewa that would displace their farm and its 180 employees.

The proposed 11,750 home master-planned community, known as Hoopili, is being considered by the state Land Use Commission, which will decide in coming months whether it will be allowed to move forward.

At its core, the debate is over whether the state can afford to give up 1,500 acres of prime ag land for largely urban uses. Aloun Farms now leases about 1,100 of those acres.

Alec Sou, who owns the farm with his brother Mike, submitted testimony to the commission this week saying that they had already secured an alternative site for their farming operation, which produces a wide range of produce.

"This will come as a surprise to many but Aloun Farms supports the development of Hoopili," wrote Sou, in a letter dated January 17. "We have worked for D.R. Horton to come up with an orderly, long term transition of our farm land."

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