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| Screencap taken during the Council's vote on Vega appointment |
Something happened a few weeks ago while no one was paying attention: a controversial appointment to the Hoboken Housing Authority. And the person who raised the controversy: HHA Chairman Dave Mello. Nobody listened to Mello. So here it is.
HHA CHAIRMAN DAVE MELLO URGES COUNCIL NOT TO APPOINT VEGA
On May 20, the Hoboken City Council voted 7-2 (Doyle, Cohen) in favor of appointing Lissette Vega to a 5-year term on the Hoboken Housing Authority. Vega replaced HHA Commissioner James Sanford, who served 7 years without controversy and had applied for reappointment. His nomination was denied an up-or-down vote by Council President Jen Giattino, who strategically put Vega's vote before Sanford's on the agenda.
Since his removal, Sanford, who is Chinese-Caucasian, has accused the majority council voting bloc of anti-Asian and bi-racial bias. But Sanford's position is not today's topic; Hoboken Housing Authority Chairman Dave Mello's is.
Because during public portion, HHA Chairman Mello gave an impassioned speech against Lissette Vega's appointment to his board. Why? In his own words:
"I do want to speak on the two resolutions that are up tonight for appointing a new member to the Hoboken Housing Authority Board... I'm really happy with the direction that the Housing Authority is going in, and the direction that the non profit is going in that we've established to properly either renovate or replace in many instances the housing that we have in the Hoboken Housing Authority. We've had a tough history over the years that I've been on the board. We've had some massive lawsuits, one in particular from a former Executive Director. We have watched a lot of our vouchers no longer be accepted by our landlords that normally accept the vouchers- the largest being the Applied Company. Those two issues have really had massive effects on the Housing Authority. So to consider somebody that I'm sure is an amazing person and an amazing candidate that I don't know, and would really look forward to getting to know, but to consider somebody who maybe has personal entanglements with somebody who sued the Housing Authority for over $600,000, for somebody who works for a voucher recipient landlord, that receives over $140,000 per month from the Hoboken Housing Authority, it just seems, if not legally improper, it seems to have an air of impropriety to it. So I would ask you guys not select anybody tonight and to basically punt to the next meeting... So I'm asking you all to respectfully to punt this, consider this two weeks from now, I've reached out to some people that I think would make amazing contributions to the board without any sort of entanglements, and I would like to get some other people to throw their hat into the ring and be considered for this spot, and I think you shouldn't consider anybody for this spot and you should table this to [unintelligible] the next meeting.
And that's about it."
I'm not discussing "personal entanglements." Not my business. But Mello, like any trained lawyer, is careful with his words. So what did this mean:
"to consider somebody... who works for a voucher recipient landlord, that receives over $140,000 per month from the Hoboken Housing Authority, it just seems, if not legally improper, it seems to have an air of impropriety to it."Vegas' HHA application shows that she was transparent about her job as Executive Vice President of Applied Housing Management, and "we currently manage 74 housing vouchers."
However, the LinkedIn resume of "Lissette Vega" reports she's worked at Ironstate Development LLC since October 2002- "17 years and 9 months." Could it be someone else? Multiple searches show only one person by that name listed in Hoboken. In any case, I've reached out to Vega to verify.
If it is her LinkedIn profile, it shows that she is presently employed at Ironstate Development Company, the same ownership as Applied Property Company and Applied Property Management; all three are listed at the same business address: 50 Washington Street, Hoboken.
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| https://www.linkedin.com/in/lissette-vega-825a0a6a/ |
Now we know what HHA Chairman Mello meant.
In that case, is odd to me that Mello's concerns were brushed off without any council debate over the real appearance of conflict.
Nor was there debate over the implications of giving the employee of a Hoboken developer- one who gets a revenue stream from the HHA managing vouchers- an oversight position as a Commissioner on its board. After all, Vega's employer benefits financially from the work it does for the Hoboken Housing Authority, which is an untenable position for her as a Board member. Accordingly, she may be forced to recuse herself on issues pertaining to the housing vouchers and redevelopment. Therefore, Chairman Mello was only speaking in the interest of his board, yet he was ignored- a diss by the council majority.
And that was before Mello got rebuked by Councilwoman Vanessa Falco.
COUNCILWOMAN FALCO TO HHA CHAIR MELLO: "YOU OWE US AN APOLOGY"
The HHA Chairman's name came up during the council's vote on Vega's appointment:
DOYLE: For Mr. Mello: no.
FISHER: Yes, and I've been working on Mr. Mello so hopefully he'll be more supportive.
After the vote, Councilwoman Falco spoke.
FALCO: I'd like to thank all board members who supported Lisette, I'm so happy that the board is finally filled. For a long time there have been seats that have been empty which completely negates all of the efforts and the necessity to prioritize the needs of that community. I'm also happy that she's filling the position and that she's a woman- and a minority woman. The reason why that's so important because, it's important for boards to be filled, and be reflective of our community. And so having her is definitely an asset and she will be representative of the community, and she speaks the language, literally. I'd like to go on record saying that Lissette did not seek out this position, she is not politically motivated. No as a matter of fact I sought her out and um, lastly, I'd like to say to Commissioner Mello, I hope that you are still listening, I'm embarrassed for you. And you owe us an apology. You had the opportunity to welcome a partner, with an extensive knowledge and background in the field of property management, over 15 years experience, relevant to her new role, and you chose to bring up a lawsuit that had no relevance to her at all, and that was just uncalled for. And Lisette, if you're listening, please look past his comments, as I know you will because you are the mature professional I know you to be, and congratulations to you, and I look forward to working with you because there's lots of work to be done.
She certainly did.
TEAM DEFUSCO TOOK LARGE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM IRONSTATE PARTNERS
And in 2017, as a candidate on the Team DeFusco slate, Vanessa Falco received hefty campaign contributions from Ironstate Development's partners in SBSK Ironstate: a $2,500 from CB Development and a $2,500 from SK Development. Those were legal contributions.
However, should council beneficiaries of large Ironstate partner campaign contributions- Falco and DeFusco- have participated in the vote to appoint an Ironstate/Applied employee to the Hoboken Housing Authority Board? After all the Hoboken Housing Authority is "the decider" on HHA redevelopment, and the use of public money. That is a real question. I don't know the answer.
TEAM DEFUSCO July 2017 ELEC... by GrafixAvenger on Scribd
Too bad they didn't listen to Mello-- he has quite the track record of red-flagging problematic HHA nominees. He derailed candidacies of Linda Walker and Michael Lenz.
ReplyDeleteMello was right.
ReplyDeleteI would remind Councilwoman at Large that she is supposed to be representing the best interests everyone in Hoboken above her own political agenda. Helping her political allies Councilmen Ramos and DeFusco try to consolidate their control over the HHA with a personal friend and someone who is very clearly compromised is betraying the oath of office see took. The strange unfortunate world of the post-reform City Council is devolved into self-interest based poetical factionalism.
ReplyDeleteThe apology is owed by Ms. Falco to the people of Hoboken. Packing the housing authority board with developer cronies is not why voters gave her a position of public trust.
ReplyDeleteLisette Vega appears to be compromised even before she attends her first HHA meeting.
DeleteMs Vega's Facebook page states "Works at Applied Housing Management."
ReplyDeleteCity Council Members Falco and Ramos are listed as her friends. They were aware of the relationship and it's "appearance of impropriety" and ethical questions it raises. I am quite sure that if the relationship did not benefit themselves that DeFusco, Falco, Fisher, Giattino, Ramos and Russo would have loudly objected to the appointment.
In general I don't think its appropriate for commissioners to publicly weigh in on new appointments to the Board - so I wish Mello had not been the messenger here. But I certainly agree with the message.
ReplyDeleteOne point though - the HHA can't just foist whatever redevelopment it wants to do on the City. The HHA would require either variances issued by the ZBA or a redevelopment designation and plan passed by the City Council.
I don't know anything about the non profit that Mello is referring to, but his comments about redevelopment are extremely concerning. If there is a redevelopment plan under consideration there ought to be a robust public process managed by the Mayor and the City Council, together with the HHA, through which all Hoboken residents are given the opportunity to learn about what is being discussed and have their input considered.
I get the sense that much is being done by the HHA under the radar and that the plan is to present some kind of plan to the City to rubber stamp as a fair accompli.
We've seen that movie before and especially given the density already approved and pending approval, Hoboken residents, especially in Western Hoboken should be VERY concerned about what may be going on behind the curtain in the HHA.
It may be all gloriously fine - but the the only way to know is to pull back the curtain and let the sun shine in.
Who other than Commissioner Mello could have delivered the message ?
DeleteSurely it would not have been Fourth Ward Councilman Ruben Ramos where the majority of the HHA is located who was very close to the former head of the HHA who is now working in Newark on putting together development projects Councilwoman Falco made herself very clear she wanted her friend on that HHA Board and she is friend an ally to both Ramos and the former head of the HHA.
I would take notice of the people being placed on Boards selected and then being rubber stamped by the Council majority. I remember a former Mayor, who always played the development long game, bragging on the FBI tapes at the Malibu Dinner that he could get the Boards to deliver any and all variances that a developer wanted.
A development deal that would replace the HHA buildings could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
Anon 10:24 I agree with most of your comment, but to your question on who other than Mello could have delivered the message, how about literally anyone who's not notoriously full of hot air, on a self-serving ego trip and himself woefully conflicted having auctioned himself off for a ticket to run on and landed on one with Stick Romano, not exactly a stranger to the former ED?
DeleteJust a thought.
Even if you believed that someone else could have stood up and posed the questions. the reality is the only one who did stand up was Mello.
DeleteHow can Vega be BOTH an HHA board member and an HHA client? If she's worked for Ironstate Development for almost 20 years, how come its not on her application? Falco AND Defusco got 5,000 dollars (even more when you count employee donations) from Ironstate partners! How come they didn't recuse on this vote?
ReplyDeleteThe easy answer is they are special and the rules and ethics others are held to they just ignore. Lisette Vega is indeed compromised but I am sure she and those who want her to to their bidding on the HHA board really don't care.
Delete