The city of Inglewood has introduced a new Housing Manager to relieve Acting Housing Manager Melanie McDade from her temporary duties.
Roberto Chavez was lured away from the City of Redondo Beach, after seven years of service, under the pretense of heading this new department. He may or may not be aware of his new boss, CFO David Esparza, being involved in an expose regarding nefarious spending at the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, under his watch.
It was well documented that Esparza condoned peculiar accounting practices of taxpayer money.
Related: Show Me the Money: Government Gone Wild
Hopefully, Mr. Chavez fairs better than the previous Housing Manager, Cecil Flournoy, who was also lured away from a position he held for a decade with the city of Carson. Flournoy was let go a month before his probation was up.
During yesterday’s regular city council meeting, residents received a presentation on a newly funded HOME program for housing repairs.
The council allocated $500,000 to the program which expects to serve 30-40 households. To qualify for the grants, which could reach $15,000, one must be low-income and have legitimate repairs related to code violations.
Applications will be received and prioritized and based on severity, some could be helped over others who may have applied first.
Habitat for Humanity, who has built multiple homes in the city of Inglewood, was awarded the contract to perform the services.
Elderly residents complained that despite nearly $150,000 being spent to upgrade and enhance security measures at City Hall, the Office of Emergency Services department failed to purchase and install signage at entry points that were traditionally accessible to the public.
Entry points on the second level, that connect City Hall to the police department on the North, and the Main Library from the West are now closed to the public. The only entrance allowed for entry is at the main entrance where the water fountain is located.
Members of Uplift Inglewood and the Inglewood Tenants Union sat this meeting out.
