Mayor Paul Schreiber seeks removal of Ypsilanti Housing Commission board president
Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber has recommended city council remove the Ypsilanti Housing Commission’s board president following months of financial and leadership issues.
Mayor Paul Schreiber has recommended the removal of Ma'Cheryl Jones.
The City Council will decide at a special 7:30 a.m. Friday meeting whether it will approve a resolution effectively removing Ma’ Cheryl Jones.
The decision comes nearly a month after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development decided to transfer the commission’s entire Section 8 voucher program to the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
Schreiber met with HUD officials and City Council member Ricky Jefferson and Mayor Pro Tem Lois Richardson earlier this week to discuss changes that need to be made in order to move the commission forward.
“Some changes need to happen and tomorrow’s meeting is a result of that,” Schreiber said. “Housing commissioners cannot be removed unless it’s by the consent of the mayor and I am consenting in this case.”
Schreiber said Jones has been a commissioner for 20 years and he while he appreciates her service, the decision had to be made.
Ma'Cheryl Jones
Courtesy Ypsilanti Housing Commission
“I think it’s an accomplishment to be here for so long and I appreciate that but I believe we have to make this move for the commission to continue,” he said. “ I don’t take this move lightly but I see no other choice.”
“I’m just doing what I think is required to keep people in affordable housing.”
In addition to Jones, Commissioner Bernice Ethington may possibly be removed in the near future as well.
Amy Grettum, an Ypsilanti resident, has been recommended by Schreiber to be on the board. Grettum, a U-M graduate, previously served as a MSHDA inspector in 2003 through 2005. While there, Grettum inspected MSHDA affordable housing units in the Detroit area.
All commissioners are nominated by the mayor and approved by the city council.
“That’s my big gripe in this whole process,” said Council member Brian Robb. “We have no oversight of these people. We have no recourse… If we can’t hold the commissioners or the director accountable, the recovery plan is meaningless.”
At the meeting, council also will discuss the YHC Recovery Plan. The plan outlines several changes HUD believes need to be made within the commission.
Jefferson said Director of the Office of Public Housing Willie Garret has approved the recovery plan and has drawn up an action plan as well.
The plan also will include a timeline to find the next director. Interim Director Eric Temple was appointed after former Director Walter Norris retired on Aug. 4, two weeks after the agency received a notice from HUD that said its Section 8 Voucher Program was facing a $228,407 shortfall.
Several council members have pressured the mayor at previous meetings to remove some of the commissioners which they believe to be responsible for the YHC’s financial woes.
“We’ve got to do what we have to do,” Richardson said. “We’ve got to preserve public housing.”
Jefferson said council is looking forward to a "full recovery" at the YHC.
"We're grateful that the commissioners that remain have actually decided on their own to stay," he said. "Even when times are pretty difficult and they’re in the heat of this downfall."
Katrease Stafford covers Ypsilanti for AnnArbor.com.Reach her at katreasestafford@annarbor.com or 734-623-2548 and follow her on twitter.
Comments
pseudo
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 1:16 p.m.
Clean them all out. All of them. Comprehensive search for a new director as well. Because its tax money - I think the board should represent ALL of Ypsilanti not just the in-crowd of ward 1. Break it up, diversify in terms of skill sets and demographics. This board has been an isolated group for far too long. The previous ED was terrible. The intermin guy is a convicted felon. Its not ok. not at all. clean them all out.
SEC Fan
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 1:14 p.m.
"Ypsilanti Mayor Paul Schreiber has recommended city council remove the Ypsilanti Housing Commission's board president following months of financial and leadership issues." I am sorry, but this is an absurd sentence and never should have been printed. The mayor "recommended"? Please. If I recall it was less than 2 weeks ago we had an article on this site where 2 council members walked out of a meeting because the mayor refused to address this request from them! The article articulated all the excuses the mayor had for not removing the board president, primarily being that there wasn't a reasonable alternative if she was removed. and still no answers on why this has been ongoing for over a year now without being addressed by the mayor...
Ron Granger
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:44 p.m.
With 20 years of experience one would hope these sorts of "oversight" errors could not happen. Clean the house. Clean it good.
walker101
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 11:28 a.m.
Welcome to Wayne County.
PineyWoodsGuy
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 4:38 a.m.
Mayor Paulo reminds me of Bert Lahr's character in the Wizard of Oz (1939). (Paulo: as a retired projectionist, I'm sure you dig this comment). Well, boys and girls, it's about time. Pull the plug, drain the tub. Then re-fill it with fresh water. This city is not lacking in residents that can get the job done!
Peggi Smith
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 4:09 a.m.
Reading this article makes me wonder how things could go this far and it not be discovered before the shortfall got to this large financial debt. Why is it when there is a financial shortfall, instead of the treasurer over the progrm being investigated the entire board is? Yes, the commissioners would have had the oppportunity to questions the treasurer. But if the information wasn't brought to her attention then she wouldn't have known. Nevertheless, I seen how slanderous words were thrown at meetings which I feel could have fueled this witch hunt against the commissiner, Ms. M. Jones, and the recently retired, Mr. Norris by Ricky Jefferson and Lois Richardson. It was apparent by their comments in meetings that their attempts were to disdismantle the YHC. In the last year they made several accusations as to what the YHC was not doing, but without proof or investigation. When I attended meetings they were always making it seem like YHC was not trying to create a better community for Ypsilanti Resients, which was false. But Lois Richardson didn't attend the event at the Perry School Park and she lived across the street - so does that show community involvement? Commissioner Jones did, because she spoke to me and asked how was I enjoying myself. Mr. Jefferson, where were you? I would like to ask Mayor Schreiber, you need to look at who is trying to do what is best for the residence of Ypsilanti. I realize that something needs to be done about the Section 8 program, let MSHDA take the program, but make sure the people who currently have Section 8 not suffer any of the fall out.
Ypsi Eastsider
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 2:34 a.m.
Schreiber was on the YHC Board for 10 years before he was mayor. He was the chair of the YHC for two years and Schreiber was YHC chair when they hired Norris and Temple. Jones was the YHC board member and Current Chair who refused to meet with City Council members saying she didn't want to meet because she doesn't get paid for meetings while City Council does. If Schrieber is recommending Jones be removed it must mean Jones is unwilling to resign. If the City Council cannot hold the board and director accountable, the city council should not sign off on the Recovery plan. Let HUD do it. In the mean time, someone needs to pull the police reports for call s for service to Public Housing. It appears there have been more calls for service to YHC properties than Brandy's Party Store on Michigan Avenue and the City declared Brandy's a public nuisance in part because of all the calls for police services.
Steven Taylor
Sun, Sep 9, 2012 : 12:57 a.m.
I wager it's because more individuals are affected, as opposed to a business owner.. You see, Brandy's Party Store, while creating jobs, and taxable revenue isn't as big a money maker as I would imagine a public housing/section 8 system with 200+ vouchers.. Someone gets paid by the government to house these people.
GP
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 5:49 a.m.
@Greg Too - There was at least one commissioner who very frustratingly spoke out and likely took heat from the others. @Ypsi Eastsider - If you are correct about Jones not wanting to meet with council because she wasn't getting paid, that is such a shame. Public service jobs, especially appointed ones often go above and beyond monetary compensation. People who don't understand that are often doing the minimal work (if that), so they can have the "prestige and perks" of a government position.
greg, too
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 4:09 a.m.
Maybe I am misreading the article, but it seems like only Jones is going, with Ethington possibly later. Why not remove the rest of them who were on the commission and did not act to stop Norris or whomever led the commission into this mess? Either they knew what was going on, which makes them complicit, or they didn't which means they should be removed due to failure to do their job. None of them should be on there anymore and then MSHDA should pick a new commission, if there is one at all. They all should be gone and investigated.
raberwhitetail
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:54 a.m.
This is why our country is in such terrible shape, how can we continue to do business like this? We need to weed out the incompetent people in our government starting at the top.
jondhall
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 11:40 a.m.
See you late Obama
Chase Ingersoll
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:45 a.m.
"I think it's an accomplishment to be here for so long" Paul, I could not disagree with you more.
Basic Bob
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 9:02 a.m.
Confusing longevity with progress.
nickcarraweigh
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:02 a.m.
From this story I can't tell who works for whom, I don't know in charge of what, which is on second, or how to get home. With full apologies to Abbott and Costello. Let's start over. Who lost the money? Who's in charge of whoever lost the money? And when the rounds of mutual congratulations amongst these tireless public servants for years of selfless toil finally end, is anyone going to jail?
RUKiddingMe
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 1:52 a.m.
Your confusion is understandable, and exactly and potently represents the problem. People want to help people, so they give money, or take money, and have people in charge of taking it and distributing it, and then employees who are in charge of same, and employees of employees who are in charge of same, and so on and so on. These employees are normal people just as prone to incompetence and corruption as everyone else; add layers and layers, and you get $1000 well-meaning dollars paid to 7 different people who eventually (HOPEFULLY) are exposed for doing a really, really, REALLY bad job.
Steven Taylor
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 11:58 p.m.
I hate to say it, but we don't 'need' public housing.. it's a feel good effort, it is also financially very BIG money pit. Regardless of the where the money comes from. If it's federal, guess what it's still some of my tax dollars. The nature of the board of commissioners the lack of oversight and control (not to mention making a felon the head of the housing commission) and then going.. "oops.. seems 200K has gone missing" smacks of gross incompetence. I can only pray that Hamilton Crossing remains as nice as it has after the multi-million dollar facelift and I hope the residents, be they long term or temporary maintain them as such and not let them fall into disrepair as many such "public housing" options often do.
Ron Granger
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:40 p.m.
Correction - *YOU* don't need public housing. The families and children do.
Katrease Stafford
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:28 a.m.
Hi Steven, City officials have explained to me that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is technically who the housing commission reports to. For example, a few weeks ago, HUD decided that the YHC had to transfer its entire Section 8 voucher program. Have you had a chance to check out my previous coverage? The story above links to past articles. Hope that helps!
Steven Taylor
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 12:02 a.m.
Mrs. Stafford, as you responded to Ypsi Veteran. You state that the Housing Commission, though appointed by the Mayor, is a completely separate entity from the city, who exactly are they beholden to? The state?(as in the MSHDA) or the Fed? That seems to me to be a recipe for trouble especially if they don't 'report' to anybody but themselves (which would explain how so much money can just disappear)
RUKiddingMe
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 11:17 p.m.
Here's an idea; remove the housing commission board period. It's this kind of middleman organization that only bleeds more and more money from what's meant for the intended recipients. Reading a recent story about this issue that named the organizations, committees, commissions, etc. that were involved between taxpayer dollars being paid and the intended recipients actually receiving them was like watching water spiral down the drain, and people who actually need help are lucky to get the soupy water that runs out slower because of all the detritus in the drain's screen. Several good points were made in comments about how many people were being paid to distribute so little money. Too many cooks. Too many corrupt, incompetent cooks.
ahi
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 11:09 p.m.
What a mess. Should have been done a year ago. While meaning well, the current commissioners just don't have the financial background to deal with these issues. Not sure Ms. Grettum does either though she would otherwise be an excellent choice for a commissioner due to her inspections experience.
YpsiVeteran
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 9:55 p.m.
Also, anyone have any guesses as to what this might mean: "Even when times are pretty difficult and they're in the heat of this downfall." The "heat of this downfall"? Does Mr. Jefferson mean the "downfall" for which these same commissioners are wholly responsible?
YpsiVeteran
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 9:52 p.m.
This story makes my head hurt. The current commission is responsible for a more than $200K "shortfall," yet we are "grateful that the commissioners that remain have actually decided on their own to stay"??? Brian Robb says the council has "no oversight" and "no recourse," yet the mayor can remove commissioners and has failed to do so? I can't find a word to express the appropriate level of disgust at this overwhelmingly pathetic display of ineptitude and laziness.
GP
Fri, Sep 7, 2012 : 5:38 a.m.
There were ALLEGEDLY some commissioners who made it harder for other commissioners to do their jobs. Politics and egos.
Katrease Stafford
Thu, Sep 6, 2012 : 10:09 p.m.
Hi YpsiVeteran, Thanks for the comment and for reading! The only way commissioners can be removed is if the mayor recommends it and council then approves it. The council cannot remove commissioners on its own accord. What's also interesting is the YHC operates as a separate legal entity from the city.