By Eileen Buckley
Buffalo, NY – One day after a much anticipated report of practices at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority was released, the new mayor is calling for an independent review. One local housing official says the findings in the report are disturbing.
Last month, a preliminary report indicated lavish spending. HUD field office director Steve Banko says there are 30 findings in the finalized report. Banko says he fears this is just the "tip of the iceberg."
One of the findings includes a scholarship fund, established under former executive director Sharon West. But Banko says no one seems to know about the fund.
Now Mayor Byron Brown wants some answers. He's appointed Buffalo criminal defense attorney John Elmore to review the findings and issue recommendations in three weeks.
"He (Elmore) could recommend a variety of actions -- potential repayments or return of equipment," Brown said. "So, we are going to rely on the special counsel to advise us."
Brown says he is surprised by the findings, but his main concern is to make sure public housing tenants receive proper services from the city.
Elmore tells WBFO News that as of Wednesday, he did not have a chance to begin reviewing the report. He admits there is not much time to conduct his work.
"What I've been called to do is to review the report and conduct an investigation, which will require me to talk to people, do site visits, meet with HUD and then come up with some recommendations to the Mayor," Elmore said. "That's what I'm going to do without any preconceived notions or biases."
Three of seven BMHA commissioners agreed to step down and allow for changes under the new Brown administration. But four commissioners remain on the board, refusing to leave. Brown says unlike Masiello, he is not calling for their resignation at this point.
But Brown say even before he receives recommendations, he is planning to appoint three new commissioners. Brown says, in the end, there could be structural changes at the BMHA, but he would not call for dissolving the Housing Authority because the city would risk loosing federal housing dollars.