KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one agency that's been investigating the way the Lee's Summit Housing Authority has been taking care of its responsibilities.
HUD fulfilled KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson's open records request, sending hundreds of files that included emails and investigations into the Lee's Summit Housing Authority.
Documents revealed much of what KSHB 41 reported on since last year. The agency has significant operational and staffing struggles.
Problems identified by HUD include housing payment delays, federal compliance reviews, and internal and external investigations.
The housing authority has been without permanent leadership since Lisa Dickerson, the agency's last executive director, resigned weeks after KSHB 41 stories about the agency's dysfunction.
Every commissioner on the housing authority's board resigned about a month after Dickerson.
At the time, Dickerson told KSHB 41: "The further I have gotten into my tenure here, the more corruption, mishandling, and neglect I have found."
A Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) report from HUD, scored the housing authority in several categories, including reasonable rent, expanding housing opportunities, handling the Section 8 waiting list, and correct tenant rent calculations.
The only category with a score higher than zero was "payment standards," a category which is not defined.
HUD rated the agency's overall performance as "troubled".
The federal agency also shared results of a 19-page compliance report.
10 members of HUD's field office staff reviewed LSHA's compliance with program practices and regulations.
The review committee found LSHA is committed to improving. However, there are several areas where it isn't following its own guidelines or those from HUD.
The report explained 46 findings, including several mentions of recommendations and citations for changes that are non-negotiable.
Some of the feedback included problems that beset the Lee's Summit Housing Authority.
Among the problems: The agency does not send housing assistance payments on time to property owners, lacks written grievance procedures for tenants, needs a review and approval process for handling and safekeeping the housing authority's assets, does not appropriately verify tenant income or accurately calculate their rent, lacks a formal policy for checking the registered sex offender list, lacks a tenant notification process for housing termination and used federal housing program funds for personal use at restaurants and stores.
The report also revealed the Lee's Summit Housing Authority had six units unoccupied for more than 180 days with no plans for occupancy.
That's while the public housing waiting list had more than 3,200 people on it in March.
The board of commissioners for the housing authority have not started a search for a permanent executive director.
Tina Bartlett, who also heads the Independence Housing Authority, remains LSHA's interim director.
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KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
