Senator Casey Calls for Answers on HUD Emails on Philly Housing

Requests meeting after HUD refuses to answer questions

March 12, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC-Following up on his questioning of HUD Secretary Alfonso Jackson at today’s Senate Banking Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) sent a letter to Secretary Jackson requesting a meeting and answers to the questions that Secretary Jackson dodged at today’s hearing. Secretary Jackson refused to answer Senator Casey’s questions concerning emails sent by high-ranking HUD officials that suggest retaliation against the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA).

Article continues below...

“The more than 80,000 low-income Philadelphians who are clients of the Philadelphia Housing Authority deserve answers and they deserve to have faith in their government,” said Senator Casey. “My main concern is the extension of Philadelphia’s successful Moving-to-Work Program. I also have serious concerns about how HUD is operating and how they make decisions that have a profound impact on Philadelphia.”

The email exchange was between two high-ranking officials at HUD: then-Assistant Secretary Orlando Cabrera and Assistant Secretary Kim Kendrick. The emails from January 2007 were recently made public.

In the emails, Cabrera referred to PHA Director Carl Greene when he asked Kendrick: “Would you like me to make his life less happy? If so, how?" Kendrick replied: “Take away his federal dollars?” Cabrera then responded: “Let me look into that possibility.”

Subsequently, in September 2007, HUD did not renew the PHA’s Moving-to-Work program. According to the Philadelphia Housing Authority, HUD’s decision will cost the PHA approximately $50 million in federal funding.

The full text of Senator Casey’s letter to Secretary Jackson is below.

Senator Casey’s questioning of Secretary Jackson as well as the entire Banking Committee hearing can be seen at the following link: http://banking.senate.gov/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Hearings.Detail&HearingID...

March 12, 2008

Dear Secretary Jackson:

I want to thank you for taking the time to appear before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs this morning to testify about the President’s budget for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

I was disappointed, however, that you declined to answer my questions regarding the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA). It also appears that your reasons for not answering my questions were not valid. You testified before the Committee that the judge overseeing the lawsuit requested that you refrain from answering my questions, specifically when you knew about a series of e-mails between two high-level staff members at HUD, and whether you have taken any disciplinary action regarding their evident misconduct. It appears that there was no official directive from the judge to the parties not to discuss this case, particularly in your capacity as a public official testifying before a Congressional oversight committee. While I respect your desire to comply with the judge’s request not to try HUD’s lawsuit with PHA in the media, the basis for your refusal to answer the questions of a United States Senator and member of the Banking Committee was unfounded.

In light of these facts, I ask that you come to my office for a personal meeting to discuss these matters. Ultimately, this issue affects far more than an exchange between two public officials. This is about more than 84,000 low-income residents of Philadelphia whom I have been elected to represent who are clients of PHA. The Moving-To-Work program has been critical to PHA’s success in leveraging private and public resources to develop mixed-income communities that address the needs of the very poor while reshaping entire communities. HUD has failed to extend the agreement, jeopardizing PHA’s flexibility in leveraging funds and the availability of public housing in a city that desperately needs it. These e-mails suggest that HUD’s actions may have been motivated by the desire to retaliate against PHA Executive Director Carl Greene. If this is the case, I demand a strong and decisive response from you as the Secretary of the Department.

Thank you for your consideration of my request.

Sincerely,

Robert P. Casey, Jr.

United States Senator

Source: Senator Bob Casey