Most individuals in Hawaii have a beef with developers, not just the native people.
Up until the 80s, most of the land in Hawaii was owned by the government (federal and state) and twelve major corporations (if you go back in Hawaii history, you find those corporations began as American businessmen in the 1800s). Most individuals did not own land...they were "leaseholders" who had, typically, a 50-year lease on the lots that they built their homes on. At some point in the 80s, Hawaii passed a law that required those major corporate landowners to divest those lots as the leasehold contracts expired.
The unintended consequence, however, is that Hawaii is still an island state, and as such land will always be absurdly expensive. It was often too expensive for the leaseholders to buy outright when the leaseholds expired.
Corporation: "Your leasehold is up at the end of the year. The fair market value of your lot is $1,000,000. According to the new law, someone has to buy it from us. Will you be ready to buy it at that time?"
Hawaii resident making only $50K a year and living paycheck to paycheck: "Umm. No."
That's where and how the developers came in.