City authorities push for ARHA scrutiny before critical council deliberations

The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) has scheduled a special board meeting for today, 8 a.m., via Zoom, in response to a personnel matter regarding CEO Erik Johnson. This comes a day after Mayor Alyia Gaskins sent a letter to the ARHA Board, demanding a third-party investigation into Johnson's residency in a public housing unit.

The controversy began in July when it was reported that Johnson, who was hired a year ago and started work in September 2024, temporarily moved into an ARHA property on Cook Street without the required approvals or knowledge of the ARHA Board. In response, the Board ordered Johnson to "vacate the property immediately."

Mayor Gaskins' letter, sent on Tuesday, calls for an independent investigation into three specific areas: Johnson's actions, ARHA's compliance with laws, and ARHA's finances, including an independent financial audit. The letter also includes multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, demanding responses by Sept. 3.

The City Council is also involved, with City Council member John Taylor Chapman initially calling for an investigation into the matter. The Council's FOIA requests also seek communications between ARHA and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Gaskins posed 13 detailed questions about Johnson's residency, including who approved it, whether he paid market rent or received subsidies, if he was income-qualified for the unit, and whether maintenance work was performed on the property.

The recent controversy follows tenant protests last week over poor conditions and delayed repairs at ARHA properties. HUD states that it is a conflict of interest for a public housing agency director to live on a property they manage.

The regular ARHA board meeting scheduled for Monday evening at 7 p.m. was canceled. The search results do not specify which person is obligated to respond by the end of business on Thursday, September 3, to the FOIA requests submitted by the city administration.

As the situation unfolds, the community awaits the outcome of the special board meeting and the results of the investigations called for by Mayor Gaskins.