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• Opelousas Mayor Upset Over OHA Audit Accusations

  May 24, 2011 10:59 PM

  The Mayor of Opelousas coming under fire after an independent audit of the Opelousas Housing Authority for the fiscal year from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010. Mayor Donald Cravins, Sr. said he doesn't often get upset about what is said about him in the public eye, but... more »

• Alexandria Housing Authority Audit Released

  April 28, 2011 7:11 AM

  ALEXANDRIA, La. (AP) - An independent audit has found that the Alexandria Housing Authority kept shaddy books, paid invoices in a haphazard way and wrongly distributed money among restricted funds en route to losing almost $2 million in the 2009-10 fiscal year. Outside auditor Dan McCaskill, an accountant from Mandeville,... more »

• HUD Sets New Ethics, Other Policies in Lafayette

  April 24, 2011 2:08 PM

  LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - A new board of employees from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has set new policies to deal with nepotism, absenteeism and ethics at the Lafayette Housing Authority. A HUD spokeswoman says the agency has cut $300,000 in contracts, tightened financial controls and reassigned... more »

• Past, Present and Future of the Lafayette Housing Authority

  March 7, 2011 6:54 PM

  Five new commissioners make their debut with the Lafayette Housing Authority. Shirley Vige was appointed to the board in late October but was sworn-in on Monday and elected Chairperson. Mary Guidry joins the Housing Authority's board of commissioners from Iberia Bank. She was elected Vice Chair during Monday's meeting. Attorney,... more »

• LHA Board: Out Again

  March 1, 2011 11:48 PM

  For the second time in six months, City-Parish Council has removed three Housing Authority commissioners from their posts. Joe Dennis, Leon Simmons and John Freeman appealed City-Parish President Joey Durel's decision to remove the trio after they allegedly held a closed meeting in October. Wednesday night, their appeal took more... more »

• Judge: LHA Board did not violate laws

  February 15, 2011 12:01 PM

  Three Lafayette Housing Authority Commissioners alleged to have violated open meeting laws were not found to be in any violation. Retired Judge Arthur Planchard was appointed to the case, hearing testimonies from the commissioners and witnesses on Monday. The meeting in question dates back to October 26th where an... more »

• Housing Authority Commissioners in District Court

  February 14, 2011 11:22 PM

  Three Lafayette Housing commissioners accused of violating open meeting laws answer to a district judge. How did it all play out in court? "If in fact the commissioners went into a closed setting and created policy involving the housing authority, it would be a violation of the open meeting law,"... more »

• Lafayette Housing Authority will meet today

  October 26, 2010 6:41 AM

  The Lafayette Housing Authority will meet at 3 this afternoon. This comes on the heels of a pair of unexpected resignations by both L-H-A director Walter Guillory and assistant director Jonathan Carmouche. more »

• Top officials at Lafayette Housing Authority quit

  October 25, 2010 4:37 PM

  Two top officials at the Lafayette Housing Authority have quit less than a week after the agency was mandated to get federal approval for all spending. Executive Director Walter Guillory and Deputy Director Jonathan Carmouche left their posts Monday. Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development said the... more »

• Lafayette Housing Authority Board members met Wednesday

  October 21, 2010 6:50 AM

  Three Lafayette Housing Authority Board members met for the first time Wednesday since being reinstated. Joe Dennis, Leon Simmons and John Freeman heard from auditors who drafted the unfavorable report for the housing authority. That report led to most of the board members being dismissed by city Parish President Joey... more »

• Housing Authority Members Back on Board

  October 15, 2010 4:56 PM

  Three Lafayette Housing Authority board members who were ousted from their position, are back on the board. Judge Ed Rubin handed down that decision today. Joe Dennis, John Freeman, and Leon Simmons appealed their dismissal by City-Parish President Joey Durel. Durel says he let all but one board member go... more »

• Lafayette Housing Authority Hearing

  October 12, 2010 1:18 PM

  The Lafayette Housing Authority hearing wraps up in Judge Edward Rubin's courtroom today after just a few minutes. During the 10:30 a.m. hearing, both sides submitted evidence. Lafayette City-Parish President Joey Durel was not present. City-Parish Attorney Pat Ottinger was there in his place. Durel had been ordered to appear... more »

• Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Announced

  October 7, 2010 5:08 PM

  Lafayette, LA --- City-Parish President Joey Durel today announced the appointment of six individuals to the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette. "I am pleased to announce that Amos Batiste, Kevin Carrier, Gregory Dugas, Mary Guidry, Penny Malbrew, and Shirley Vige have agreed... more »

• LHA meeting flops

  September 30, 2010 8:08 PM

  Three former LHA commissioners held a public meeting on Thursday as if they were never removed. "There's a pending issue," LHA Attorney Daniel Stanford said. "Three of the individuals are filing a petition in district court that they are in fact board members." A *pending* issue that didn't stop John... more »

• Housing Authority Meeting Canceled in Lafayette

  September 30, 2010 4:33 PM

  Three of the commissioners ousted from the Lafayette Housing authority say they're back on the job and they planned on holding their next meeting today. But the special board of commissioners meeting was canceled after the Housing Authority failed to get a quorum. Three members showed up, but they needed... more »

• LHA Board to go back to work, is it legal?

  September 28, 2010 7:40 PM

  Three ousted Lafayette Housing Authority commissioners say they're going back to work for HUD. A district judge decided former commissioners Joe Dennis, Leon Simmons and John Freeman should remain board members until their appeals process is completed. It's all summed-up an 80-page judgement. After reading the judgement, former city attorney... more »

• Council Members set to Hear Former Housing Authority Board Members

  September 21, 2010 5:57 PM

  Lafayette council members will hear from three men dismissed last month from the Lafayette housing authority board tonight. Joe Dennis, John Freeman Jr and Leon Simmons are listed on the council agenda. They say they were unfairly let go following a questionable audit of the housing authority. ... more »

• LHA Assistant Director driving under suspended license

  August 31, 2010 7:19 PM

  More controversy swirling around the Lafayette Housing Authority. KATC learned the Assistant Director has been driving a government vehicle with a suspended license. This is the latest in a series of stories KATC has uncovered since an audit found more than $400,000 of mishandled funds. Here's a short history: Auditors... more »

• Housing Authority update: Protest in support of board; questionable expenses

  August 30, 2010 7:33 PM

  A protest at the Lafayette Housing Authority Monday defended the actions of LHA board members. This comes after a recent audit found more than $400,000 in misused funds. Nearly a dozen protesters made their opposition to Parish President Joey Durel's decision known. They want six African American housing authority board... more »

• Protesters Call for Durel's Resignation

  August 30, 2010 1:55 PM

  KATC has just left a press conference where protesters are calling for the resignation of Parish President Joey Durel. The group was speaking in support of the Lafayette Housing Authority and board members who were recently let go. They say Durel's decision to replace a majority of the board was... more »

• Housing Authority scandal: Where's HUD? Exec. gets $55,000 raise amid DHAP height

  August 27, 2010 7:36 PM

  Board positions with the Lafayette Housing Authority are still up in the air... following an audit highlighting questionable payroll practices. City-Parish President Joey Durel is still waiting on commitments from two candidates. He now expects the board to be ready by Tuesday... questions still surround HUD and who... more »

• More Scandal out of Lafayette Housing Authority

  August 25, 2010 7:23 PM

  New details out of the Lafayette Housing Authority scandal but these details may lead to more questions than answers. The questions surround the hiring process; at least one of the applicants who was hired, a convicted felon. Parish President Joey Durel browsed through more than 10-pages of criminal documents surrounding... more »

• Housing Commissioners ousted after audit

  August 18, 2010 7:45 PM

  Three Housing Authority commissioners received a letter in the mail. It told them they are no longer to report to commission meetings and will no longer be needed by the Housing Authority. The letter was signed by Parish President Joey Durel. The move comes after an audit discovered "mishandled... more »

• Durel: Three Removed From Housing Authority

  August 18, 2010 11:11 AM

  Press Release: City-Parish President Joey Durel today announced that he has exercised his authority and has removed three Commissioners from the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana. City-Parish President Durel stated, "Although the Housing Authority of Lafayette is not a unit of the... more »