The tri-parishtimes informs MHProNews that alleged overpayments to several staff members and other wrongdoing by the Morgan City Housing Authority (MCHA) in Morgan City, Louisiana may be investigated by the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which would likely forestall a planned modular public housing community. Federal civil service guidelines restrict bonuses to no more than ten percent of salaries, but one staffer received nearly double the salary. The authority’s board chairman, Victory Ho, says an audit revealed payments above $90,000 were made to four employees, and non-monetarily, the files of 25 tenants in Section 8 housing showed 20 violations. Some of the buildings operated by MCHA had failed inspections, and the bookkeeping for the authority was incomplete. He says, “Last year, HUD awarded us $417,243 to make large-scale improvements to our community. Is there any money left? I just don’t know. And sadly, we have a waiting list of at least 100 families who are in need of public housing.” With this money misspent, Ho fears the modular public housing community that has been approved to replace run-down Brownell buildings will not be built.
