OPINION
As the former Executive Director of the Atlantic City Housing Authority (ACHA), I have had the unique opportunity to see the ACHA from the inside. Unfortunately, that perspective was so bad that nothing short of major changes would benefit area residents.
In fact, in September 2023 I was actually fired by the board for publicly exposing corruption and mismanagement that I knew would result in seniors and families living without heat or hot water. My warnings were ignored, and residents paid the price.
In May 2024, I testified before the House Financial Services Committee to detail the failures and corruption undermining the ACHA. The picture I presented then is the same one that ultimately forced federal intervention. By the time HUD took control this month, the Housing Authority had effectively become Atlantic City’s largest slumlord.
At Stanley Holmes Village, built in 1937, inspectors found infestations of bedbugs, roaches, and rodents, widespread mold, broken plumbing, and—most egregiously—no heat or hot water in the coldest months. These conditions were endured by the city’s most economically vulnerable residents: low-income seniors, families, and people with disabilities.
HUD’s July 2025 finding of “substantial default” laid bare the years of neglect. Occupancy had plummeted to 71.4%, far below the target of 96%. Uninhabitable units worsened an already severe housing crisis, forcing more residents into unsafe or overcrowded housing.
The responsibility lies squarely with the board’s leadership and its hand-picked consultants. Former board chair and current Councilwoman Stephanie Marshall, her successor Jeff Dorsey, and consultants Jerry Volpe, John Clarke, Diane Johnson, and attorney Joe Manfredi presided over a system that prioritized insider contracts over resident welfare. These consultants collectively received millions of dollars in recent years, while doling out $7.4 million in no-bid contracts. As I have now stated multiple times, publicly, these individuals should be permanently banned from working for any housing authority in New Jersey.
This was not simply a local governance failure — it was a national misuse of federal taxpayer dollars. Whether one lives in Atlantic City or across the country, the waste of funds meant to provide safe housing is unacceptable. Every misallocated dollar was a dollar that could have repaired boilers, restored roofs, or eradicated infestations and the ongoing federal and state investigations must result in prosecutions and convictions where warranted.
On July 21, 2025, Congressman Jeff Van Drew — who had toured the deteriorating properties with residents and pressed for action — announced that federal intervention was imminent. Less than three weeks later, HUD removed the entire board and assumed control of the Authority.
This is the decisive action that should have been taken years ago.
I commend Congressman Van Drew for his leadership and persistence in bringing this crisis to Washington’s attention. His advocacy was instrumental in securing the federal response that residents desperately needed.
Now, HUD has the resources, authority, and responsibility to turn the page. Federal funds must be used for their intended purpose: to restore heat, make urgent repairs, and return vacant units to service. Just as importantly, HUD must rebuild trust with residents, ensuring that they can live without fear of being left cold, unsafe, or ignored.
But HUD’s takeover is only the first step in repairing the damage. The next is ensuring that no one ever again turns the Atlantic City Housing Authority into a political prize or a personal revenue stream.
For the residents who endured years of cold nights, mold, and broken promises, this is not simply about repairing buildings. It is about restoring dignity, trust, and the fundamental promise that in the United States, even the most vulnerable among us deserve safe, decent housing.
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