3 vacant seats on the HHA Board

It's not exactly musical chairs.

One promotion, one resignation, one expiration and red tape have reduced the 7-seat HHA Board down to 4 seats.  In no particular order, the vacancies are....

HHA VACANCY #1  
Last Friday, HHA Commissioner David Denning submitted the following letter of resignation to City Council President Ruben Ramos: 

City Council President Ramos,

Last night the Hoboken Housing Authority board elected a new Chair. It marks the end of my term as Chair and four years for me on the board.

In that time we have made progress towards improving conditions.  As you know, the HHA suffered from decades of looting and neglect by its leaders. That abuse resulted in the HHA being designated ‘troubled’ not long after I joined the board. Progress has been made in the form of Director Recko who has led the HHA for the past two and a half years. He and his team have secured roughly $13 million in grant money from the NJHFMA and approval for the RAD program, which will eventually allow the HHA to borrow to repair and rebuild. I believe the Director is an honest man who puts the interests of the residents above his own interests. Because of this, I trust that the money will be well spent and the process of spending it will be open.

There are many things about housing that are out of our control and won’t change. Politics in Hudson County is poisonous and constantly risks derailing the progress. The change of a few commissioners could result in the installation of corrupt and politically connected incompetents. The legal system leaves us open to expensive and extortionate litigation. Nationally HUD remains a painfully slow and clumsy bureaucracy (last week HUD gave up finishing our 2016 cycle of inspections), and their local office seems intent on undermining our progress.

Housing is heartbreaking. We have families come to us and ask for help, but there is nothing we can do. Nationally only one fourth of Americans that need housing assistance, get help. Our waiting list is long, and despite the fact that our buildings are falling apart, the average family stays more than 25 years. My time on the board has convinced me more strongly that there is a need for assistance and yet that public housing is a terrible way to do it.

Serving on the board has been tough, in the past four years my wife and I have had two children and my responsibilities have multiplied.  I have been unable to sleep many nights frustrated by the things about housing that are out of our control. 

Because of these reasons, I am resigning as a HHA commissioner effective Wednesday, June 13, or when my replacement is appointed, whichever is sooner. It is my hope that whoever my replacement is will put the HHA above politics or personal gain.

-David Dening

Well, the Hoboken Housing Authority is a harrowing board to sit on-- emotionally speaking. It's a perfect place for corrupt political hacks who don't care. Less perfect for those with compassion; those who try to alleviate poor living conditions only to find their efforts thwarted by an uncaring bureaucracy.

No one can fault Dening for being honest. And no one should serve on a voluntary board who does not want to be there.  Thanks to Commissioner Dening for serving on the Housing Authority with honor. 

HHA VACANCY #2

HHA Commissioner Barbara Reyes' term expired on May 3, 2018. She did not attend the May 10th meeting.  Word is, she is not coming back.  GA reached out to  her, but have not heard anything back- yet. 

HHA VACANCY #3 (GOVERNOR's CHOICE)

On his way out (literally), former Governor Chris Christie appointed former Councilwoman Beth Mason for the "Governor's" seat on the HHA. 

In anticipation of the appointment, it appears that the City of Hoboken has sworn in Mason, but she has not been seated yet. Why? In short, Christie botched the procedure; while the seat is called the "Governor's seat", the appointment is signed off by the Director of Community Affairs (DCA).  Christie in his haste, did not coordinate with the DCA on Mason's (and other) Housing Authority Board appointments. 

Will the DCA sign off on the Mason appointment under a Murphy administration?  GA hasn't heard anything to the contrary. But, why is it taking so long?  

GA hears that the Mason (Governor's) appointment will expire in November 2018.  Tick tock tick tock tick tock...

Here's the discussion with Mason that took place last February at the Housing Authority meeting.

THE DEDICATED "HHA COUNCIL SEAT"

For folks who don't know, one seat on HHA board has traditionally been reserved for a sitting council member. Technically, the dedicated HHA Council seat was vacated when Commissioner Dave Mello lost his election.  

So, now which Councilperson will take that seat?

GA's TWO CENTS: Vanessa Falco is the obvious choice. Falco's passion is affordable housing.  As an African-American woman, it is conceivable that she has insight into the life experience of some HHA tenants- moreso than a well-off white person who owns their own luxury dwelling, maybe two.  That's my OPINION.  It's clear that Falco cares; I don't believe she's a political opportunist, she's someone trying to make a difference, not a name.

Of course, who knows if Falco wants to serve on the HHA Board.  Does she?

Stay tuned.