The Hickory City Council will meet Tuesday night and discuss a resolution to abolish its public housing authority amid accusations the agency is failing tenants.
The city council has been talking about dissolving the agency since October, though there were also discussions in 2016 when the agency was accused of misspending taxpayer money and sexually harassing tenants.
This time, council members cite tenant complaints and performance issues. The agency is only using 61% of its federal vouchers, which help low income people pay for housing.
After the city council began discussing shutting down the agency in October, the Hickory Daily Record reported that the housing authority’s board met in closed session and changed the executive director’s contract.
Now, if Hickory fires the housing authority's executive director, Alanda Richardson, the city must pay her the equivalent of two years' salary — a total of $290 thousand dollars.
Tuesday's meeting starts at 6 p.m. inside Hickory City Hall at 76 North Center St.
