Kauaʻi After Hurricane Lowell: Moving Forward

I’m back home on Kauaʻi after an incredible few weeks traveling through Italy and Croatia — and what a homecoming it has been.

I was in Croatia when Hurricane Lowell passed by Kauaʻi. It was difficult watching everything unfold from thousands of miles away. Seeing the images of flooding/storm surge, enormous surf, downed trees and widespread power outages, while knowing my friends, clients and community were here weathering the storm, made the distance feel especially far.

Coming home, the damage was certainly visible. Trees and vegetation are down throughout the island, and some areas were hit much harder than others. Poʻipū experienced significant storm surge damage, particularly to buildings close to the shoreline, while Hāʻena and Wainiha on the North Shore have faced flooding, road damage and prolonged power outages.

But there is also so much to be grateful for. Much of Kauaʻi’s infrastructure and the vast majority of our homes were spared catastrophic damage. Power has been restored to nearly all of the island, cleanup is well underway, and little by little, life is beginning to return to normal.

Perhaps what has struck me most is seeing our community do what it does so well: show up for one another. Neighbors helping neighbors, crews working incredibly long hours, people sharing supplies and generators, checking on kūpuna, clearing debris and simply asking, “What can I do?” That sense of community is one of the many reasons I love calling Kauaʻi home.

From a real estate perspective, I personally have not seen Hurricane Lowell affect escrows already underway or diminish the desire of buyers who want to own a home on Kauaʻi. Properties directly affected by flooding or coastal damage will, of course, have their own individual considerations, but overall, we are moving forward.

And nature is already doing the same. Our Garden Island may look a little battered in places right now, but Kauaʻi is remarkably resilient. The trees will recover, the mountains will turn lush and green again, and our island will continue to heal.

Small kine battered. Still beautiful. Moving ahead. Kauai strong!

And after a wonderful adventure abroad, I’m especially grateful to be home.