Pass Rob the 'Jaws of Life'

How can the HHA Board get Carmelo Garcia to release basic information about the HHA?

Congratulations, Rob Davis on becoming the Chairman of the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) last night!

It will be an exciting and challenging year ahead, leading the HHA Commissioners who supervise HUD employee, Executive Director, Carmelo Garcia.  

GA understands the Board has been operating 'in the dark', without the 'tools' you need for oversight of the Executive Director and his staff.

So here you  go, an HHA 'starter kit'- a list of some basic items you'll need to perform your duties as Board commissioners.

Best of luck in prying these from ED Carmelo Garcia without the Jaws of Life.

1. The Wait List of applicants for HHA residency.
2. A list of all HHA employees with full name, address, job title, work location (if applicable) and salary.
3. A list of tenants in all HHA buildings with all current vacancies.
4. A list of all law enforcement tenants living in the HHA under the "police next door" entitlement program
5. All professional service contracts.
6. A full budget. (not a smattering of pages)
7. An audit with a corrective action plan.
8. The full contract with RPM, developer of the Vision 20/20 project.

Next, GA is worried about the tenants of 501 Marshall- adults and children- with respect to exposure to contaminants from the production of methamphetamine on the fifth floor.

Rob, please make sure you get answers from ED Garcia for the following:

1. Has 501 Marshall been tested for toxins related to the production of meth in one apartment for an indeterminate period of time?
2. What was the result?
3. Has the building been remediated and tested for safety?
4. Is the building safe enough that ED Garcia and his family would live in the vacated meth lab (hypothetical)?

GA hears Garcia said the apartment only needed to be 'cleaned'.  Really?   Does the Board accept that when the health and safety of HHA residents are at stake?  Ask Garcia for the lab results for air, drywall, floor, ceiling, etc. testing; get a copy of the lab report. 

Thanks, Rob.  

All the best,
GA