The billionaire chief executive officer of Facebook on Tuesday said he is reconsidering the process by which he is trying to gain title to about a dozen small parcels of land on his sprawling estate on Kauai. ADVERTISING The billionaire
The billionaire chief executive officer of Facebook on Tuesday said he is reconsidering the process by which he is trying to gain title to about a dozen small parcels of land on his sprawling estate on Kauai.
The move to get the land through a unique Hawaii law angered residents and prompted a state lawmaker to propose a bill that would force Mark Zuckerberg into mediation before buying real estate on the island.
“Based on feedback from the local community, we are reconsidering the quiet title process and discussing how to move forward,” Zuckerberg said in a statement. “We want to make sure we are following a process that protects the interests of property owners, respects the traditions of Native Hawaiians, and preserves the environment.”
Zuckerberg owns an expansive estate on Kauai, but not all the land on the estate. There are about 14 small parcels, some less than an acre. They originally belonged to Native Hawaiians who were given the land when private property was established in Hawaii in the mid-19th century. Many of the landowners died without making wills, and it was never determined who inherited the land.
Zuckerberg’s lawyers in December filed a lawsuit asking the courts to find these owners so Zuckerberg could provide fair compensation for their land through the quiet title process, according to the documents.
