Marc and Lynne Benioff donate 440 acres for affordable homes on Hawaii's Big Island
Salesforce founder Marc Benioff and his wife Lynne have given 440 acres of their Hawaiian landholdings to a nonprofit to build affordable housing in Waimea.
Marc Benioff, CEO of Salesforce, and his wife Lynne have accumulated over 600 acres of land in Hawaii since 2000, primarily in the Waimea area of the Big Island. Their acquisitions, made through multiple LLCs and a nonprofit, sparked local worries about rising housing costs and the impact on the Native Hawaiian community. In response, the couple donated 282 acres to the Hawaii Island Community Development Corp. in June 2024 and added another 158 acres later, totaling 440 acres for affordable housing.
The parcels form part of the Ouli Project, which will initially provide 43 self-help homes along with single-family residences, parks, and communal areas. HICDC’s executive director said the donation is critical to meeting the island’s pressing housing needs. The Benioffs emphasized that the land is intended for community use, not for a Salesforce facility or personal retreat.
Why it matters
The donation could help alleviate a severe housing shortage on Hawaii's Big Island, where prices have surged dramatically.
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