A top Trump official scolded the city’s public housing agency over “waste” and “fraud” — and took aim at the federal monitors that have failed to clear the “abuse”, at a meeting with New York housing officials in the city Friday.
U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner issued the scathing rebuke of the New York City Housing Authority Friday during a tense meeting with agency’s head.
“I see a lot of waste. I see a lot of fraud, and a lot of abuse,” Turner said.
The ex-NFL player, who was visiting NYCHA to take inventory and discuss financial management, also took aim at the agency’s independent monitors — federal watchdogs that ensure NYCHA is carrying out its duties — saying their performance was lackluster.
“The monitoring is not going well at all. We need to take inventory of that. We need to ask a lot of hard questions,” he said
Turner cited crime — including a recent shooting at Chelsea’s Fulton-Elliot houses that left a 21-year-old dead, and the 50,000-person waiting list that NYCHA currently has despite an estimated 5,000 vacant units — as some of his primary concerns.
“This kid being killed yesterday, that’s deeply disheartening to me,” said Turner.
The federal monitorship was instated in 2019 following a series of scandals within NYCHA that drew major national criticism between 2015-2018. During this time, it was uncovered that the housing agency was covering up hazardous conditions, and falsely certifying inspections.
The 2019 monitorship agreement served as a compromise between the Feds and the City to prevent a full federal takeover of the housing authority.
Though it seemed to be working for a time, NYCHA took another major blow in 2024 after 70 employees were arrested on bribery charges in a shocking sweep by the Department of Investigation. Considered the largest single-day bribery takedown in history — the scheme involved about $13 million in contracts and $2 million in bribes.
The current monitors are attorneys Neil Barofsky and Matthew Cipolla of law firm Jenner and Block. They were appointed in February 2024. The previous NYCHA monitor, Bart Schwartz, made over $600 an hour.
Earlier this year, President Donald Trump filed a lawsuit against Jenner and Block in a seeming retaliation against emergency lawsuits filed by the firm over some of the president’s executive orders — but Trumps suits were blocked by a district Judge, according to reports.
Despite Turner’s harsh criticisms — NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt appeared more concerned about potential massive federal budget cuts that could be coming NYCHA’s way.
“Of course (we’re concerned). The budget is a concern for everyone,” she said.
“But you know, we’re hopeful that what the secretary saw today will show him how very important public housing is,” said Bova-Hiatt in reference to a newly renovated NYCHA apartment toured by the HUD head.
Turner defended the cuts — saying the proposed block grant model, which delivers money to the states in a lump sum vs directly to the city organization, would give rightful power back to the states.
“The proposed block grant system in our budget will be a way for the states to have skin in the game […] to identify and appropriately distribute funds where it is needed as it pertains to rental assistance and serving communities in that particular state,” he said.
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