Audit reveals $13.7M in questionable spending in homeless tiny house program, Maui police chief on paid leave amid corruption probe, Ocean View suspect killed by police, more news from all the Hawaiian Islands

State audit: $13.7M in ‘unauthorized,’ ‘questionable’ spending for kauhale. More than $13.7 million in state payments for Gov. Josh Green’s signature kauhale homeless initiative were “unauthorized, unsupported or questionable,” according to a just-released, highly critical, long-awaited state audit of Hawaii’s oversight of kauhale construction. Neither the Statewide Office on Homelessness and Housing Solutions nor nonprofit kauhale builder HomeAid Hawai’i were prepared for the rapid pace of construction of tiny home communities across the state, according to the report released today by state Auditor Les Kondo. Star-Advertiser. Civil Beat. KITV4.  Aloha State Daily. 

Oahu

While Honolulu Waits For Permits, These Cities Are Already Building. Permit delays are linked to increased housing costs and higher rents, as new national research confirms. Civil Beat.

Honolulu City Council considers exterior ads on Skyline, TheBus. Oʻahu’s transportation vehicles, including TheBus and new Skyline rail system, could get a new look under a new proposal discussed at a Honolulu City Council meeting Wednesday. Bill 59 considers allowing advertisements on the exteriors of city transit system vehicles, which also include TheBus. Hawaii News Now.

Sexual assault reported at UH Manoa student residence hall. A sexual assault reported at a student residence hall at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is under investigation. In a report filed with the university, a student said they invited someone they had met on a dating app and who was not affiliated with the school to their dorm room Sunday. Hawaii News Now.

Hawaii Island

Suspect killed in officer-involved shooting in Ocean View.  The Hawaiʻi Police Department is investigating a deadly officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon in Ocean View. At 4:10 p.m., an officer was in his vehicle when a woman told him about an alleged vehicle theft in the shopping center parking lot in the 92-9700 block of Māmalahoa Highway. Hawaii News Now. KHON2. 

Waikōloa affordable housing projected halted due to infrastructure and evacuation concerns. Waikōloa Green, a planned affordable housing development with 400 apartments and 300 single-family homes, was recommended by the Leeward Planning Commission but ran into a road block at the County Council committee level. Big Island Now.

Big Island Wants To Ban Big Data Centers, Once They Agree On What They Are. Hawaiʻi County is discussing a bill that would restrict large-scale data centers on the island. But the public, officials and state representatives can’t agree on how to define one — or whether they are even a threat.  Civil Beat.

More than $6M approved for Hilo veterans cemetery.  Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) on Tuesday announced that the Department of Veterans Affairs’ National Cemetery Administration has awarded a grant of up to $6,132,225 to the state to help improve and maintain East Hawaii Veterans Cemetery No. 2 in Hilo. Tribune-Herald.

Maui

Maui Police Chief Put On Paid Leave Amid Corruption Probe. The Maui Police Commission unanimously voted on Wednesday to place Police Chief John Pelletier on paid administrative leave while it investigates his oversight of a department unit whose leader was recently arrested by federal prosecutors, according to a county spokeswoman. Civil Beat.  Maui Now.  Hawaii News Now.  KHON2. 

Maui homeowner assistance program closes after distributing $19 million. The Maui Homeowner Assistance Fund Program has closed after providing more than $19 million in assistance to 500 homeowner households in Maui County, the Maui County Department of Housing announced Tuesday. Maui News.

Kauai

From Hive to Table: Kauaʻi Honey Challenge invites beekeepers to put their diverse harvest to the test. Discover the diverse flavors of Kauaʻi honey at the upcoming Kauaʻi Honey Challenge, where local beekeepers showcase their unique harvests and discuss bees' importance in agriculture. Kauai Now.