In his book, “Poverty in America,” Matthew Desmond’s question, “Who really benefits?” lies at the core of Waipahu’s redevelopment plan. Closing two grocery stores close to rail stations raises my concern as a former resident with family still in Waipahu.

I sense capriciousness and indifference regarding the decision. After the end of the plantation era and decades of economic disparity pre-rail, now it’s time to conduct economic revival?

Could there be something further to gain other than community health? Perhaps multimillion-dollar real estate for new families? Here is how gentrification starts.

Economic development gestures are offered as well-intentioned, but result in displacing residents (with convenient new property values). Who benefits from this? Waipahu’s reputation for poverty rates makes any development seem welcome, but with fair and compensatory offsets, not creating food deserts for the kupuna and disabled.

James Faumuina

Kapolei

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