A.G. Gancarski
City Councilman Tommy Hazouri is the only former Jacksonville mayor on the 19-member legislative body.
During his tenure, he dealt with issues in low-income housing at Blodgett Homes.
A quarter-century later, Hazouri is dealing with issues at properties owned by Global Ministries Foundation, such as Eureka Garden and Washington Heights.
Eureka Garden has gotten national scrutiny; Washington Heights, not as much.
Though Hazouri wouldn’t say so, what’s notable is that Councilman Garrett Dennis has taken the lead on Eureka Garden in his district, while Reggie Brown has been less stalwart in calling for action.
On Friday, Hazouri called a press conference in Riverside to discuss a “disappointing” meeting between HUD, GMF, tenants, and local politicians that raised what he called “accountability questions.”
“With what’s been going on,” said Hazouri, “how can you trust HUD and Global Ministries Foundation?
“Somebody needs to hold a stick over HUD,” Hazouri added. “Global Ministries Foundation has done a horrible job all over the country.”
Hazouri claims that “the lack of accountability that has existed over time with HUD still exists today,” a “credibility gap” that impacts residents and taxpayers both.
“They’re apologists for what they haven’t done,” Hazouri asserted, and “the president and the congress need to be on top of HUD,” which he described as “major sinners.”
And on top of Global Ministries Foundation, which has a “dismal” history.
Moreover, he contends that despite Eureka Garden becoming the “poster child” for “Global Ministries and HUD’s incompetence,” Washington Heights has been “left in the dark.”
That strikes Hazouri as ironic, given Washington Heights scored a 60 on HUD’s evaluation matrix, below even the 62 that Eureka Garden got.
But, claims Hazouri, whistleblowers living in the complexes fear evictions with as few as three days notice.
HUD Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, “presented a case for HUD improvements,” Hazouri claimed.
A case he intended to refute.
Jennings, claimed Hazouri, told the press there was no mold in Washington Heights; Hazouri contends that without an air quality test, which hasn’t been done, there is no way to know.
The mold, said Hazouri, likely was behind the walls.
Just as it was at Eureka Garden.
As well, Hazouri said the HUD rep claimed there were no mold issues at Eureka Garden.
As of last month, that was not the case; no evidence of mold eradication was presented.
“Even today,” said Hazouri, “there is no evidence that they actually cleaned up Eureka Garden.”
Hazouri described dangerous rusted staircases; there is no timeline for repairs. Missing screen doors. “Insecure fencing,” with holes at the bottom that allow for easy entry by outsiders. And other safety issues, including “drug pushers.”
And there is no “sense of urgency” regarding repairs at Washington Heights.
Hazouri noted that he had to press for the Fire Marshal to install carbon monoxide detectors at the complex.
Hazouri noted also that one associate of his who was interested in buying the properties told him that because he couldn’t get access to the units or detailed financial information, that his interest had quelled.
The suspicion: there’s a buyer with the inside track.
A question going forward: Can the city do more to vet the next owner of these properties? The process was circumvented when Global Ministries Foundation entered the Jacksonville market without the vetting performed typically by the Jacksonville Housing Finance Authority, which handles financing for low-income housing.
“We’re not doing our share as a city,” said Hazouri, but whether a special council committee or JHFA is best equipped to handle the issue remains to be seen.
