JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There are still unanswered questions about a soon-to-be-released city investigation into the Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA), an agency that oversees public housing in Jacksonville. An emergency meeting has been called for Monday by the agency to address the issues of that investigation.
The city’s inspector general is due to release a critical report soon looking into oversight within the housing authority.
Ikea Sewell, who was outside the housing authority offices on Friday, said she’s been trying for three years to get into public housing and nothing has happened. She is a mother and was forced to stay with her family for now. She said changes need to be made and was upset to hear JHA CEO Dwayne Alexander was up for a $60,000 that could put his yearly salary over $310,000.
“I think is unbelievable, because if you guys aren’t getting funded the money why you guys can’t help people that would need help?” Sewell said. “I mean, we got people out here on the streets. Me, hell, I’ve been doing this for three years. It’s still no help. No help.”
It’s not only high salaries that are the concern. Several sources told News4JAX on Thursday that the inspector general’s office is looking into oversight within the agency and that the report is very critical of the authority. It’s expected the report could lead to some staff changes.
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Alexander said on Thursday he was not aware of the report, but the authority’s board did call for an emergency meeting for Monday, and a notice for the meeting was posted Friday.
“The purpose of the emergency meeting is to discuss and take any appropriate actions deemed necessary regarding the inspector general’s investigation and related personnel matters,” the meeting posting said.
The Florida Times-Union reported Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan requested Alexander’s raise be put on hold, but as for the other issues expected to be detailed in the report, members of the mayor’s staff said they could not comment.
After the story about the investigation was published, many people like Sewell contacted News4JAX to express concerns.
“It’s all a dysfunctional system. I applied for low-cost housing in two locations 2 years ago, they took my email address and never heard from them again,” one News4JAX reader wrote.
Sewell agreed.
“I honestly believe that they need to open the doors for people who really need help, because it’s crazy that, you know, you are getting funding, but you’re not helping people that really need help,” Sewell said.