Michael Warren
The Weekly Standard
Bob Casey, the incumbent Democratic senator from Pennsylvania suddenly caught in a tough reelection fight, fought to secure $90 million in taxpayer funds for the Philadelphia Housing Authority as part of the 2009 stimulus law. But those funds Casey secured have come under increased scrutiny. C.J. Ciaramella of the Washington Free Beacon reports:
“I’m proud to say that PHA is leading the country in this arena, quickly and effectively administering more than $91 million in federal stimulus funds to build quality housing, create jobs, and expand economic opportunities here in Philadelphia,” Casey said in a PHA press release.
“With great partners like Senator Bob Casey and HUD, PHA is changing the face of public housing in Philadelphia,” then-PHA executive director Carl Greene added.
However, in 2011, federal auditors found the PHA used $27.4 million of those funds in a questionable manner.
The PHA did not take basic steps of obtaining permits, overspent for repairs, and subjected tenants to shoddy workmanship and safety hazards, the auditors’ report concluded.
Ciaramella reports that Carl R. Greene, the director of the PHA was was fired in 2010, spent “thousands of dollars on karaoke, yodeling, salsa dancing, and belly dancers” for the agency’s “training sessions.”
(Warren, Michael. Casey Pushed for Millions in Stimulus Dollars for Shoddy Public Housing. The Weekly Standard. October 26, 2012.)
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