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| Should "Team Defusco" have recused themselves on voting for this applicant? |
On May 20, Hoboken Housing Authority Chair Dave Mello implored the Hoboken City Council to table the vote on an HHA applicant, a 20-year employee of Ironstate Development, who is currently an Executive VP of Applied Housing Management managing vouchers for the Hoboken Housing Authority.
Mello said in part, "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 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."
The HHA Chair continued, "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."
The HHA Chair continued, "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."
To which Council Vice President Vanessa Falco replied later:
Really? "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."
(1) I'm embarrassed that Vanessa Falco and Michael DeFusco, ("Team DeFusco") didn't recuse themselves on this vote.
Vanessa Falco and Mike DeFusco's "Team DeFusco for Hoboken" 2017 campaign got $5,000 total legal contributions from Ironstate Development's NYC partners in CBSK Ironstate.
(2) I'm embarrassed that Mello got chucked under the bus.
The silence was deafening. When Falco berated the Chair, not a single 'friend' on the council defended him on the merits of his argument- nor recognized the guts it took to speak truth to power. The silence will likewise be deafening when the knives come out and Mello doesn't get reappointed to the HHA.
(3) I'm embarrassed that the Council turned a blind eye to the ethical red flags raised by the HHA Chair.
This Ironstate employee is an Executive Vice President of Applied Housing Management who manages HHA vouchers and "receives over $140,000 per month from the Hoboken Housing Authority." Further, isn't it reasonable to assume that she will have to recuse herself on any redevelopment committees, issues and votes- including the "non-profit" established by the HHA to replace or renovate existing housing? Ask the HHA Board's attorney.
WHO OWES WHO AN APOLOGY?
As the steward of millions of federal tax dollars, the Hoboken Housing Authority is accountable to the public. Us. Mello simply asked the Council to support another candidate who had no conflicts.
He has nothing to apologize for.
Sinking into the mire again. It just seems like the natural state to which governments always seek to return and only resist temporarily.
ReplyDeleteWhen being ligitamately called out for what she is doing, Councilwoman Vanessa Falco tries act indignant and somehow offended. That says volumes as to her character.
ReplyDeleteWhen a candidate's developer boss is also her landlord and then is appointed to position that could dramatically influence their future development projects it should raise red flags.
ReplyDeleteIt's always amusing to see the ethically challenged council members get easily insulted and demand respect when we know what they're up to. Some have been grifting for years and more than one generation.
ReplyDeleteMello was right in calling attention to the conflicts of interest, and now I hope Vega is forced to recuse herself so often that she is neutralized and ultimately resigns.
Applied / Ironstate was led by Joe Barry, who served time for his illegal dealings. It looks like the sins of the father are now being repeated by the sons. They're also behind the Monarch project, and probably thought by supporting DeFusco they could continue to rape Hoboken. Vega's probably just the added bonus they were looking for, and Giattino made it happen.