As the beleaguered D.C. Housing Authority faces a Nov. 30 deadline to respond to a stinging federal report on its operations, internal governance problems flagged in the report have intensified at the agency, according to interviews and emails reviewed by The Washington Post.This month, the authority’s Office of Audit and Compliance delivered an internal review accusing DCHA of illegal procurement. The authority’s top lawyer and chief operating officer were put on leave, then quickly reinstated.
Members of the D.C. Council’s housing committee, which has oversight of the authority, disagree over whether the authority’s current leadership can steer the agency out of trouble.said the agency needs a new director and new leadership on the board. “Multiple times a week, we’re seeing high-level resignations, disputes within the agency, procurement problems,” White said. “We can’t tinker around the edges and hope that we’re going to fix anything here.
The report highlighted dangerous conditions at properties that form one of the last lines of defense for District residents who cannot afford homes, including violence, lead-paint hazards, out-of-code plumbing, water damage and mold. Among the procurements HUD singled out for scrutiny was a $14.6 million contract for an energy savings program with a company called ThinkBox. The contract had been on hold since last year pending an internal audit, which was issued by Cooper’s office in August. The audit found that, because of lack of oversight by DCHA, ThinkBox owed the agency more than $2 million in overbilled fees.
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