I tried to quit JTA. Then I found out about JHA.
The State Attorney’s Office is now taking an interest in the Jacksonville Housing Authority, too. Apparently, I have competition.
State Attorney Melissa Nelson’s office subpoenaed JHA requesting records involving restricted housing funds, financial shortfalls, no-bid contracts, potential conflicts of interest and documents regarding allegations of retaliation against staffers who raised concerns.
Prosecutors also want documents involving former CEO Cheron Corbett Waller’s proposed personal cut of development fees, including how much she could have collected had the board approved it, and communications with board members.
JHA has until Nov. 20 to hand over records.
Before that news broke, I was already emotionally processing why I had to learn from the morning news the Jacksonville Transportation Authority and JHA were canoodling behind my back over $30 million worth of publicly owned property.
Action News Jax obtained a draft agreement that would have given JHA up to two years to study four JTA properties for workforce housing and other development near transit, with potential ground leases lasting up to 99 years.
The draft included signature lines for both now-former CEOs, JTA’s Nat Ford and JHA’s Waller. Both were blank.
Looking at property together? Discussing commitments that could last nearly a century? That’s a little more than canoodling.
I get it. Affordable housing near public transportation sounds reasonable. Then you get to Waller asking JHA’s board for a personal cut of certain development fees the authority would receive.
She wanted 12%.
According to the Florida Times-Union, board member Robin Smith asked whether Waller thought it was appropriate to personally take home $240,000 on a $2 million developer fee.
“I absolutely do,” Waller replied.
Later, Action News Jax asked whether her $300,000 annual salary was enough. She pointed to her expertise and said public housing executives elsewhere can make $600,000.
“What’s really enough as a female woman too, as well?”
Girl, just say ‘no.’
The board rejected the proposal and later voted unanimously to fire her. Now prosecutors want the paperwork behind that proposed payday.
JHA board chair Daniel Blanchard said he encouraged Waller to “put the brakes on” the property proposal. “The optics are clearly not great,” he told Action News Jax.
The optics? I think we are missing the point here, Dan.
Then there’s JTA’s explanation.
The agency says it was unaware of Ford’s role in developing or negotiating the draft, while describing earlier talks involving “the former CEO” and staff.
The agency says the draft stalled in legal review, and it has no intention of pursuing it. But that still doesn’t clarify who was crafting the deal before it was put on paper.
And now we get to the price of asking questions.
According to Action News Jax, prosecutors also want documents involving reporter Ben Becker’s public records request regarding delayed vendor payments.
JHA quoted the station a little less than $90,000 to fulfill it!
Nearly $90 grand for the public to find out who wasn’t getting paid. That’s quite a cover charge for looking at paperwork.
People need affordable housing. People need reliable public transportation.
Jacksonville’s public agencies desperately need to get their s*** together – and their boards need to demand answers before a reporter calls.
Meanwhile, here I am, trying to end one exhausting relationship only to find out JHA already has my ex’s number.
