Dear Editor:
On April 15, 2000 Mayor Russo held a public meeting stating he would seek changes in Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) tenant lease agreement. Ironically that meeting was held right before a school board election. After the election, no significant action was taken.
After more outcry from HHA residents, on July 19, 2000, HHA Executive Director E. Troy Washington held a resident meeting regarding possible amendments to the lease. It was supposed to be a discussion, but Mr. Washington dictated what he would and would not change without allowing any real dialogue. He stated that leases would be reissued with the changes agreed upon stapled to the final page by August 14, 2000. As of right now the leases have not been reissued and no changes have been made.
What I find even more disturbing is the poor treatment given to both employees and residents of the HHA. Recently the Coordinator for Resident Services, Mary Carol was terminated for assisting residents such as myself. I am President of Jackson South Tenants Association and was a member of the now defunct Resident Advisory Board. Mary Carol did a wonderful job developing relationships with HHA residents and assisting us with any of our concerns. Apparently she was doing her job a little too well by helping all the residents not just the “friends” of the administration.
Even more recent the HHA Commissioners and Mayor Russo were discussing the possible termination of Mr. Washington. Ironically the Commissioners meeting where this was to be discussed was canceled. HUD Director Carmen Valenti sighted that his office would look down upon the termination of Mr. Washington because there are nine months remaining on his contract. When former HHA directors Mr. Gallo and Mr. Steingold were terminated with time remaining on their contracts, no one frowned.
I think what we need to do is discuss how Mr. Washington obtained his position in the first place. Mr.Gallo was terminated because he refused to allow the Russo administration to run the HHA. A national search was then conducted for his replacement, Mr. Steingold. Mr. Steingold had a proven track record of rebuilding troubled housing authorities. Once again he was terminated because he refused to allow the Russo administration to run the HHA. Now who do they find, Mr. Washington, a man that has no housing experience at all. Not only does he get the position but he also received a hefty pay raise. Immediately following his hiring numerous contracts begin to get awarded to many of Russo’s campaign contributors; coincidence, I think not.
Now that 90 percent of the HHA residents would love to see Mr. Washington removed, the Russo administration is stalling. Their past practices show they have no problem terminating an executive director with time remaining on his contract. After all the Russo administration created Frankenstein’s monster, and they should be the ones that remove him. Either they remove him or send him to see The Wizard for a heart because he has no compassion at all.
Lynda Walker