Politics & Government

Troubled Past, New Beginning for County Housing Department?

Housing officials unveil first new budget plan since re-organizing in wake of Jack Johnson scandal.

Tomorrow, Prince George's County housing officials will be presenting a nearly $90 million plan detailing how things like renter and homeowner assistance programs will be managed over the next year.

The plan will guide how the Prince George's County Department of Housing and Community Development will be using its budget in Fiscal Year 2014.  

As noted in a recent article in The Washington Examiner, it's the first action plan for the department developed since County Executive Rushern Baker began restructuring and retooling the Department of Housing and Community Development per an agreement with the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. The overhaul is intended to bring more oversight onto the county's various housing and community development programs, which developed a reputation for corruption under the administration of former County Executive Jack Johnson. 

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The former director of the county's housing department, James Edward Johnson, was sentenced to 37 months in prison last year for his role in a pay-to-play scandal in Prince George's County after he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion during his time as director.

Federal prosecutors said that Johnson received between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes during his tenure.

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Eric Brown, the current director of the county's housing authority, told The Examiner that this year's grant award process, where much of the corruption was previously occuring, tried "to be more specific in terms of how we evaluate the applications." 

The plan, which you can review in detail here, allocates the vast majority of its money, nearly $74 million, for federal rent vouchers for low-income residents, known as Section 8 vouchers, and more than $4 million for community block grants to fund local projects aimed at improving safety and real estate values. 

The plan also allocates $2.6 million for Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids, a rental and emergency assistance voucher program for individuals and families with AIDS.

Another $1.4 million is allocated for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which provides affordable rental and housing opportunities to families and individuals with incomes below 80 percent of the area median income. 

The plan must be approved by the Prince George's County Council. A public hearing on the housing and community development plan will be held on Tuesday, April 16 at the Prince George's County Council Chambers in Upper Marlboro at 7 p.m. 


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