Thinking about moving to Lanai from the Mainland? DON'T. (Lanai City: appointed, sale)

[DangerousJobSpouse]

Hello everyone
I am writing this forum in hopes to help everyone and their families who are curious about moving to Lanai City, Hawaii. Particularly anyone looking to move due to a job offer. I don't recommend living on Lanai. My fiancé and I have lived here for about a year now. He got a job that paid well and had great benefits. However what they don't tell you is that it is near impossible to find a decent place to live at any decent price. We were fortunate enough to find a small cottage that once was attached to another home. They are called "Ohana's" and they are very common on the island. Besides the fact that the price for a "Ohana" is about $1,000 a month the "Ohana" itself is no bigger than a single wide trailer home. One bed, one bath and the living, dining, and kitchen are all in the same area. This also includes zero privacy and absolutely no yard, so don't even think about kids or pets unless you want them playing in the "neighbors yard" or the street. Also not to mention that if you are not native or if you do not have family on the island everyone is extremely rude. The entire island has a self-righteous mind set and unless you are in anyway from a "Hawaiian" or "Asian" Ancestry then don't bother trying to make friends. Not to be offensive to anyone but it's sadly and ultimately true. We've been nothing but kind and polite to every native on the island. We do nothing but smile and mind our manners put in public and in return we get made fun of and used. The entire island is over priced from food to gasoline. The stores don't have scanners on the items so the cashier can basically type whatever price or tax they want on any goods. I follow a strict diet and depending on who is working the register my grocery list varies from the usual price to anywhere between $5 and $15 higher. The island itself just got bought by a nice guy named Mr. Ellison, who has big plans to fix up the crummy one gas station island. He wants to make it more efficient and even open jobs for more people in the community. However any native on the island doesn't want the help or change. It's depressing really.. The time we've been here alone we've watched at least 5 businesses go out of sale and the owners move back to the mainland. 5 businesses may not seem like a lot but on an island where you can walk across the entire city in 20 minutes makes a big impact. If it were not for my fiancés contract we would be out of here in a heartbeat. Great vacation spot but definitely not somewhere to have a home life. The town has great potential but they don't want to put in the effort or receive any help. It is a lost cause and if you or your family is not from the islands then stay away from the islands because it is miserable. Hope this helps anyone looking for moving advice because we had none when we moved and I regret it. Also half the businesses they do list in any web search about "Lanai City, Hawaii" are closed so don't bother reading them.
If you want to move to Hawaii I would recommend anywhere on Maui. We've traveled over several times and it is a much more pleasant atmosphere with more opportunities. AVOID LANAI!
Thank you for reading, hope this helps someone.

[hotzcatz]

Sorry you're having a hard time, it doesn't look like you've had a good transition. Although had you been checking in with City Data's Hawaii section before the move, you'd have probably heard one version or another of most of what you've been experiencing. Most of the information you've written would be suitable for any island, not just Lanai.

"Decent" places and "decent" prices all depend on what you consider "decent". If you're coming from a lower cost of living location (which is probably about 90% of the mainland) then, as you noticed, you won't find "decent" places or prices. It is also almost guaranteed that the housing will be smaller than what you're likely used to.

And, nobody is gonna be your friend until you've been in the islands for a year or two. (Especially if you refer to them as "natives" and not people.) Usually, though they will be at least a friendly acquaintance, but generally they won't be outright rude. That part is kinda outside the norm. And it is a small island, what one person knows, the rest will soon enough. Had anyone on the island heard you refer to it as "the crummy one gas station island" might have been enough for the rudeness, though.

[DangerousJobSpouse]

I'm very sorry it only sounds rude and my terminology is so crude because of the terrible experiences we've had. I don't call anyone out here a "native" I just used the term for the post so anyone reading knew who I was talking about. We use to think the town was quite charming but recently it's just be down right depressing. Nobody even tries to talk anymore it's like you go in, get what you came for, and get out. I don't know if it's because we've lost so much business on the island or if that's just how it gets! All I know is enough is enough and I would never leave my fiancés side but I can't wait for his contract here to be over.

[eureka1]

Sounds like a troll. "Mr. Ellison"?

[hotzcatz]

So how is Lanai reacting to Mr. Ellison's proposed new changes? Usually people don't like change and from what I've heard, it's supposed to be some pretty widespread changes. There isn't a lot of "on the ground" info coming out of Lanai.

Perhaps part of your terrible experiences are part of a general widespread throughout the community anxiety over change? It is a very small town and very isolated.

When the sugar companies left our area twenty years ago, there was a rather long period of things being very grim. Now, twenty years later, it is vibrant and happy, but it did take awhile. I doubt you'd want to wait for that long for things to get good, though. It sounds like the island is perhaps in mourning. Can you pretend you're at an island wide funeral?

[MauiPartTimer]

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

So how is Lanai reacting to Mr. Ellison's proposed new changes? Usually people don't like change and from what I've heard, it's supposed to be some pretty widespread changes. There isn't a lot of "on the ground" info coming out of Lanai.

Perhaps part of your terrible experiences are part of a general widespread throughout the community anxiety over change? It is a very small town and very isolated.

When the sugar companies left our area twenty years ago, there was a rather long period of things being very grim. Now, twenty years later, it is vibrant and happy, but it did take awhile. I doubt you'd want to wait for that long for things to get good, though. It sounds like the island is perhaps in mourning. Can you pretend you're at an island wide funeral?

There was a lot of discussion around this NY Times article last September; it's still the most comprehensive piece I've seen written about the subject. Sounds like lots of distrust and disillusionment going on.


I was wondering whether the OP's fiancé is doing contract work reacted to Ellison's holdings, or if people even think he is. If so, that might explain being treated with resentment.

Never the less, I personally don't think I could live on an island (or small town) that small.

[lost_traveler1]

Originally Posted by DangerousJobSpouse

Hello everyone
AVOID LANAI!
Thank you for reading, hope this helps someone.

Everything you wrote and HATE about Lanai is everything that I LOVE about it.

This just reveals the depth of your naivety and ignorance. This should be a cautionary tale about people who want to move and relocate in general, not just Hawaii.

This is what happens when you do not do your homework and research. Immaturity reveals that those who do not intelligently analyze their prospect situation and instead make decisions based on emotions will most likely end up in bad situations.


There are lots of post that have extremely helpful information here about Lanai, I even posted a few. Anyone who even thinks about spontaneously moving to a really tiny island with limited EVERYTHING should have had alarms going off telling them to carefully consider and thoroughly process their decision to move there.

Hopefully this is a lesson learned for you to really put forth effort to make life decisions with greater depth, because common sense should have had you better prepared. Nothing wrong with messing up as long as you learn from it. Blaming Lanai for what it was before you came and will still remain, is not Lanai's fault.

[Mauilocalboy]

Again, if you think you are going to get what you can in Hawaii that you can on the mainland (normal living space, a yard etc), then you ARE going to be very, very disappointed in Hawaii (on all islands).

It literally is two different worlds and economies.

I see it every time I watch "Buying Hawaii". People move to the islands and expect to get close to what they had on the mainland. It just isn't going to happen unless you are very, very rich.

[tdr22]

Originally Posted by DangerousJobSpouse

I'm very sorry it only sounds rude and my terminology is so crude because of the terrible experiences we've had. I don't call anyone out here a "native" I just used the term for the post so anyone reading knew who I was talking about. We use to think the town was quite charming but recently it's just be down right depressing. Nobody even tries to talk anymore it's like you go in, get what you came for, and get out. I don't know if it's because we've lost so much business on the island or if that's just how it gets! All I know is enough is enough and I would never leave my fiancés side but I can't wait for his contract here to be over.

Nothing wrong with your posts, just an honest account of your experience, sounds like to me. Not really all that unique to Hawaii or Lanai especially, many small towns, clannish counties, etc. would rather die and suffer than allow 'outsiders' to succeed or try to change things in 'their' territory.

Sorry to hear you're having a bad time OP but now you can say 'been there, tried that' and you have also tried to let others know of some downsides you've run into. Hope you guys have better luck in the next place you go!