The Chicago Housing Authority has seen a large business in recent months, resigning by four top officials and a high-ranking colleague has been fired on a Inspector General of Investigation that found alleged financial and moral misconduct.
The records obtained by the tribune suggests that two high-ranked employees leave with separation agreements that will pay them through their last day, paying a third of more than 4 1/2 months from their last day Will go and fourth is being paid for three months beyond its last.
Shakeup in Cha, which is one of the country’s largest public housing officials and provides housing for 65,000 homes, as the agency discovers for a permanent replacement for the East CEO Tracy Scott,
The CHA officials revealed the turnover in response to the record requests filed by the Tribune. Ellen Sergeant, former Deputy Head of Building Operations, resigned from his roles by former Chief Operating Officer, Eric Garte, former Chief Operating Officer of Cha. On 3 January. Shiva Zhou, former treasurer of Cha, resigned on 31 December, 2024. Ellen Harris, former General Advocate of Cha. , Resigned in August 2024.
Former Senior Senior Director of Asset Management, Ryan Ross was fired in September 2024.
Inspector General’s office found in the third quarter last year that Ross, and other employees cost more than $ 19,000 in “unnecessary expenses” for construction work. Ross also violated CHA purchase policies; An OIG investigation was compromised in the work of a Cha contractor; A “disturbed workplace was involved in the atmosphere … in which at least six employees expressed fear of vengeance to interrogate the management or increase concerns”; And there was “long-term violations” related to secondary employment, “a CHA Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) seller and conflict the financial relationship with the seller, demonstrated repeated laps in moral decisions, and made false statements.”
Regarding relations with the voucher seller, the OIG reported that Ross “attached to a plan, which is attached to a plan to hide the property of the seller’s immovable property from criminal proceedings, in a short legal form By taking it from Ownership of HCV properties. ,
The OIG report stated that Ross also had a “close friendship” with a direct subordinate, including “Financial Assistance and Employment” in Ross’s unauthorized secondary employment.
The head of the Ross department, OIG said, “This relationship was not aware of this relationship and secondary employment and did not follow CHA’s procedures to address issues. The OIG report stated that the head of the Ross department reported to the Garte according to the CHA, and the head of the department and other employees received “written rebuke” for their works.
The head of the department, Leonard Langston, has been promoted on an interim basis since then said, to plug a hole to the Chief Property Officer due to some recent resignation.
The spokesman of Chai Matthew Aguler said that agency cannot comment on the matters of the personnel, but the employees are called the turnover “a regular part of any organization”.
In a written statement to the tribune, Aguilar said, “These changes, whether voluntary, mutual or organizational needs and expectations of performance, ensure that the agency is structured to fulfill its missions and responsibilities for the public Is.”
Harris refers to the Tribune for the comment. Ross, Garat, Sergeant and Zhou did not return the requests of the tribune for comment.
Ross received its termination on September 20, 2024. His last day of work was September 18, 2024.
The Garat will continue to be employed with CHA through February 28 and according to its separation agreement, will receive its current salary through July 18 as a break. The separation agreement of the surgent states that its last day of employment is March 6, and he will maintain his current salary through the same date. Zhou will receive his current salary through 31 March. Harris maintained his salary through November 29, 2024, which was the last day of employment.
Ross started in 2011 as a quality control analyst in CHA and got up through ranks. Garat also came to his post after several promotion during the 26 -year tenure. Sergeant worked in some different roles in Cha for 11 years. Jhou started her role in March 2023. Harris served as a general lawyer for almost two years.
Due to the change in the middle of the personnel and involvement in the final 2024 quarter OIG report, an OIG audit found that the Building Department of Chas “failed to monitor the capital formation projects.” OIG cited the same issues as some reasons listed for Ross firing.
Aguilar said that the “deficiencies” quoted in the audit “have not” not affected “the agency’s ability to connect the new C-subsidized housing, saying that its capital building team mainly oversees the renewal and repair of the existing properties Is, not new construction.
“CHA is continuing our commitment to address our missions to increase and improve our processes and provide housing for more than 135,000 Chicago residents, continuing our commitment to address the internal infrastructure,” the Aguler said. “We have accepted the quality control recommendations of OIG and are updating contract processes, training efforts and internal review process to improve compliance and cost control.”
Catherine Richards, Inspector General of CA, stated that he has been “encouraged” with recent efforts of “CHA’s internal control and management inspection”.
“I am optimistic that the agency will proceed in the right direction,” with a fresh commitment to transparency and continuous improvement, “said Richards.
At the January board meeting of CHA, the board approved a revised ethics policy for all employees to disclose the participation of all the employees in all federal housing programs. Previously, the policy only required disclosure if they were involved in the Housing Choice Voucher Program, Primary Federal Housing Voucher Program. East known as Section 8, it allows public housing authorities to provide subsidies to low -income residents to find housing in private markets. The policy change, Cha said, an OIG was done after recommendation, but the Housing Authority refused to comment on whether it was directly related to the termination of Ross.
Elizabeth Silas, CHA’s Deputy Advocate, CHA’s acting is serving as general counsel. Cha refused to comment on the fact that when a permanent replacement would be hired as a general lawyer. The agency said that the deputy chief of the building conditions has been posted, and the CHA is currently interviewing for the role of the treasurer. Cha did not comment on the position of the COO status.
Scott, who served as CEO for 4 1/2 years, was converted into interim by Board Chairman Angela Herlock. There are six permanent CEOs of Chas in the last 20 years, which do not include several interim CEOs such as Herlock.
Aguilar stated that Cha is starting a national discovery for a permanent replacement and will form a search committee made of members of the board, resident leaders and government partners.
The agency said it expects to be a new CEO until this summer.