Ousted Philadelphia housing chief's nonprofit unraveling amid scrutiny

The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | Mon, Dec. 13, 2010 | Mark Fazlollah; Inquirer Staff Writer

[Gondring]

Shortly before he was fired as the Philadelphia Housing Authority's executive director in September, Carl R. Greene was hard at work building his newest nonprofit, the Pennsylvania Association of Public Service Agencies.

It had the laudatory, but vague, mission of helping the region's public agencies save money through shared services and best practices.

Now it is unraveling as federal auditors examine PHA's books and officials at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development say federal money appears to have been misspent.

Greene, fired for failing to report a series of sexual-harassment claims against him, is PAPSA's president.

He was joined at the top of the organization by three powerful lawyers who served on the boards of PAPSA's constituent agencies, and whose law firms have earned big fees from PHA.

[Gondring]

The sad thing is, if the guy hadn't been so incompetent with his own finances, tax money would have continued to funnel through to these pockets.

[Gondring]

ping

[Steely Tom]

The sad thing is, if the guy hadn't been so incompetent with his own finances, tax money would have continued to funnel through to these pockets.

Kinda makes one wonder if he set it up himself, or if maybe he had "outside help," if you know what I mean.

[Tribune7]

ping

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Is there anything in Phily that's not corrupt ?

[WayneS]

Let’s see:

1) Philadelphia, PA
2) democrat politicians
3) almost unlimited supply of federal tax payer dollars
4) ‘powerful’ lawyers on the board of directors.

Nope. NO chance of any corruption in THIS ‘program’.

[swain_forkbeard]

“Is there anything in Phily that’s not corrupt ?”

Yards Brewing Company?

Mmmmmmmm. Beeeeeeeer.

[Surfscoter]

This is the Chicago Democrat Machine’s template: get control of the public housing agency, then dispense funds to favored (i.e., campaign contributors) contractors, developers, management companies, etc. When the public housing project becomes too crime laden or too valuable (as in Cabrini Green which will be torn down and gentrified), let new contracts to tear it down and rebuild something more valuable with Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac subsidized mortgages and seed money. There are numerous millionaire-developers in Chicago who’ve followed this path.

[AppyPappy]

The good news is that he helped the Diversity Initiative effort. The bad news is that he was too stupid to steal and got caught.

[Liz]

SOURCE eBossWatch.com----nobody should have to work with a jerk

Carl R. Greene

Sept 6, 2010----6 sexual harassment complaints filed against Philadelphia Housing Authority executive director

Since 2004, six women have filed sexual harassment complaints against the Philadelphia Housing Authority’s executive director, Carl R. Greene. As a result, Greene has been suspended from his job and, according to his attorney, is currently at a “medical treatment facility.” According to the Philadelphia Inquirer: Three of the four earlier complaints have been settled with cash payments by PHA’s insurance carrier, and a fourth is under negotiation.

The total cost could exceed $900,000. Greene was suspended because the board never knew of the complaints and because the first three payments, for $648,000, were never disclosed to it. A settlement for $250,000 had been tentatively agreed to last month in a complaint filed by Elizabeth Helm, a 29-year-old interior designer. Greene is no stranger to sexual harassment accusations.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that “Greene was hired to head PHA in 1998 amid allegations that he had sexually harassed an employee of a Detroit housing commission that he headed. That complaint was resolved with a settlement under which the complainant was paid money and Greene admitted no wrongdoing.”

[Gondring]

The total cost could exceed $900,000.

Taxpayer money, not his, of course.

He should be required to repay the difference in insurance premiums, in perpetuity.

[Tribune7]

Is there anything in Phily that's not corrupt ?

Hmm. That's a toughy. Off the top of my head I can't think of anything.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Maybe the Philadelphia Naval Yard...

[Tribune7]

Most of it is now the Philadelphia Naval Business Center and was developed under the auspices of a city agency, so maybe but don’t bet the farm