HUD Wants Housing Office To Give Back Money

TAMPA, FL - The newest problems for the Hillsborough Affordable Housing Office surfaces in a letter from the Department of Housing and Urban Development demanding the agency repay the federal government $826,511. HUD says the county failed to comply with regulation. We asked acting director Bill Armstrong how it got so out of control and he told us people clearly made some mistakes.

Armstrong, who was Hillsborough County's Animal Control director, is now the acting head of Affordable Housing. Armstrong is trying to help the $90,000 a year manager, Howie Carroll. Carroll lost close to $3 million in federal funds last year.

Meantime, the Affordable Housing Office maintains it isn't really losing $800,000 dollars. Armstrong says it just has to repay the federal government other money it has received. However, it means the other programs in the budget for Affordable Housing will have to be cut.

Hillsborough Commissioner Kevin White, a vocal critic of the Affordable Housing Office, is concerned. White says the unfortunate reality is he believes the citizens of Tampa and Hillsborough County are going to be affected. White says those affected are the people who can least afford to be impacted.

White became more concerned when told about an April 30th letter warning that $4,249,354 appears to be in jeopardy because the county isn't meeting deadlines. The county assures HUD it will meet the guidelines. However, there is another major problem. HUD says the county has charged the federal government staff time not supported by time sheets.

When we told Armstrong it sounded like fraud, he told us he wasn't aware of any fraud. However, White isn't convinced. He says he thinks there are some issues that are borderline fraud. But many believe the biggest issue is all the problems at Affordable Housing. When Armstrong told us the federal rules are extremely complex, we asked how other counties get it right and Hillsborough doesn't. Armstrong says he doesn't really know. It is something Armstrong says he intends to find out.