A state audit found millions of dollars in questionable spending by Hawaii's homelessness program, which is bad news for taxpayers and for confidence in how public homelessness funds are managed.

• An audit flagged over $13.7 million in unauthorized or poorly documented payments by the statewide homelessness and housing office.
• The program reimbursed its CEO for clothing, first-class travel, and other personal expenses without properly checking if they were allowed.
• Officials say more than $500,000 has already been paid back, though the program's leadership disputes the audit and insists controls are strong.
• Lawmakers also questioned spending on salaries, office supplies, and training, and raised doubts about whether current staff are qualified to review contracts.

Outlook: Expect new legislation to narrow the program's scope and a forensic audit to dig deeper into the spending.