Zoning change? No problem. City Councilmen are relatively cheap.
Barry was the only person I can think of who got near instant permission to remodel a beach house on Oahu. I know people since the 90s who have STILL been denied permits for stupid thinks like repairing a fence, laying some concrete for a walkway, roof repair, etc. One guy up the Kam highway has had to keep his land vacant for nearly 30 years because of the jerks at city hall. Ask the people who live along “the loop” in Lani Kai how it goes when they try to remodel their houses. And those people aren’t exactly poor run down locals. These are very very wealthy people. Ask them about the sea wall the state wants them to move before they can even make a deck in their back yard.
BUT here comes Barry. Buys “The Robins Nest” and tuh duh. suddenly the Hawaiian authorities have a change of heart. Could it be the money Barry showered on Oahu? The federal building that has been under contruction for 20 years with an endless budget? The stupid light rail money? NAH...