Blaze Lovell, Honolulu Civil Beat Journalist Profile

Articles

Hawaii spent millions on housing for the homeless. Show us the receipts

1 week ago | apnews.com | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov. Josh Green’s signature Kauhale Initiative.
The State Spent Millions On Housing For The Homeless. Show Us The Receipts

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

Lawmakers are considering whether the kauhale program deserves even more money and what controls to put on it. The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov.
The State Spent Millions On Housing For The Homeless. Show Us The Receipts

1 week ago | newsfromthestates.com | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov. Josh Green’s signature Kauhale Initiative.
Hawaii spent millions on housing for the homeless. Show us the receipts

1 week ago | dailycorinthian.com | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov. Josh Green’s signature Kauhale Initiative. kAm(9:=6 w@>6p:5 92D AC@G:565 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 wF>2?
Hawaii spent millions on housing for the homeless. Show us the receipts

1 week ago | milescitystar.com | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov. Josh Green’s signature Kauhale Initiative. kAm(9:=6 w@>6p:5 92D AC@G:565 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 wF>2?
Hawaii spent millions on housing for the homeless. Show us the receipts

1 week ago | plaindealerin.com | Blaze Lovell |Stewart Yerton

The state agency in charge of Hawaiʻi’s homeless villages lacks the records to show how millions of dollars paid to a nonprofit to build hundreds of housing units was actually spent, a Civil Beat review of contract documents and invoices found. Since late 2023, the state has issued more than $37.1 million in no-bid contracts to HomeAid Hawaiʻi to build small dwellings as part of Gov. Josh Green’s signature Kauhale Initiative. kAm(9:=6 w@>6p:5 92D AC@G:565 E96 s6A2CE>6?E @7 wF>2?
Hawaiʻi Lawmakers Appear Poised To Crack Down On Pay-To-Play Politics

1 week ago | civilbeat.org | Blaze Lovell

The bill is heading to conference committee where some details still need to be hashed out between the House and the Senate. Lawmakers are working to outlaw political donations from people who win government contracts. But key supporters of the legislation still need to come to an agreement on critical points including how contractors and nonprofit organizations will have to report who their officers and close family members are and whether that information will be kept secret from the public.
‘This Has To End’: Revelations Renew Calls For Government Accountability

3 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Christina Jedra |Blaze Lovell

House and Senate leadership have little to say about the subject of a federal bribery investigation giving one of their 2022 colleagues $35,000. A growing chorus of good government advocates want the Legislature to increase accountability within its own ranks following a Civil Beat story about an unknown Hawaiʻi lawmaker receiving a $35,000 donation amid an ongoing federal corruption investigation.
Will Hawaiʻi Be The Next State To Legalize Sports Betting?

3 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Blaze Lovell

A gambling bill is cruising through the Legislature, leaving a lot of questions in its wake. By the time the Final Four teams in the men’s NCAA basketball tournament square off on Saturday, billions will have been wagered on this year’s March Madness. The majority of states — 38 of them so far — have legalized some form of sports betting. Hawaiʻi could soon be added to the list as lawmakers advance a bill to allow for online wagering on sports contests.
Hawaiʻi Lawmaker Recieved $35,000 Under FBI Surveillance

4 weeks ago | civilbeat.org | Christina Jedra |Blaze Lovell

Three years after the handoff, the identities of an unnamed man and a lawmaker he paid remain unknown to the public. It was the day before the Hawaiʻi legislative session began in 2022, and a man wanted Hawaiʻi Rep. Ty Cullen to do him a favor. He paid Cullen, believing the lawmaker could assist with an official request. Two days later, the man and Cullen met again, this time with another lawmaker. On that day, the man gave the other lawmaker $35,000.