2008 Woodie Awards
Hillsdale CDBG grant raises questions about Mobile Housing Board overhead
Jeff Poor
News Editor
Issue date: 4/16/07 Section: News
Last month's decision by the Mobile City Council to give $762,528 in community development block grant money to Hillsdale has raised questions by some members of the city council about the Mobile Housing Board's administrative costs.
The issue was brought to the forefront when Mobile City Council members Connie Hudson and John Williams expressed concern over the council's decision to allot the $762,528 to Hillsdale instead of spreading it throughout other districts in the city. Hudson lobbied for a portion of CDBG funds to go toward a senior center in her district, but other council members were against it because they maintained the senior center might not be eligible for that specific money.
"You add up all the different programs, and each may be at 20 percent," District 6 City Councilwoman Connie Hudson said about the various programs administered by the Mobile Housing Board.
District 1 City Councilman Fred Richardson addressed the issue in December in a letter to Mayor Sam Jones. Richardson suggested at the time to hire an independent contractor to review administrative costs.
Although no such contractor was ever employed by the city to review the Mobile Housing Board's administrative costs, Richardson told The Vanguard last week he was satisfied with the housing board's costs.
"The federal government told us they're within their framework," Richardson said.
According to District 4 City Councilman John Williams, the Mobile Housing Board is allocating the maximum amount allowed by law to administrative costs.
No one from the Mobile Housing Board immediately returned phone calls for comment.
"All these mayor-appointed bureaucracies -- the Mobile Airport Authority, the Mobile Housing Board, the Mobile Planning Commission -- there are no checks and balances," Williams said.
Mobile District 7 City Councilwoman Gina Gregory, whose district within which Hillsdale is located, admitted the city council has had concerns but thinks any external investigations into the Mobile Housing Board should be conducted at a later time.
The issue was brought to the forefront when Mobile City Council members Connie Hudson and John Williams expressed concern over the council's decision to allot the $762,528 to Hillsdale instead of spreading it throughout other districts in the city. Hudson lobbied for a portion of CDBG funds to go toward a senior center in her district, but other council members were against it because they maintained the senior center might not be eligible for that specific money.
"You add up all the different programs, and each may be at 20 percent," District 6 City Councilwoman Connie Hudson said about the various programs administered by the Mobile Housing Board.
District 1 City Councilman Fred Richardson addressed the issue in December in a letter to Mayor Sam Jones. Richardson suggested at the time to hire an independent contractor to review administrative costs.
Although no such contractor was ever employed by the city to review the Mobile Housing Board's administrative costs, Richardson told The Vanguard last week he was satisfied with the housing board's costs.
"The federal government told us they're within their framework," Richardson said.
According to District 4 City Councilman John Williams, the Mobile Housing Board is allocating the maximum amount allowed by law to administrative costs.
No one from the Mobile Housing Board immediately returned phone calls for comment.
"All these mayor-appointed bureaucracies -- the Mobile Airport Authority, the Mobile Housing Board, the Mobile Planning Commission -- there are no checks and balances," Williams said.
Mobile District 7 City Councilwoman Gina Gregory, whose district within which Hillsdale is located, admitted the city council has had concerns but thinks any external investigations into the Mobile Housing Board should be conducted at a later time.
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