(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City Mayor Duane Parry is seeking the removal of four people from that city’s Housing Authority Board of Commissioners. Parry, who appoints the board members, notified them today of his desire to have them removed.

 

“In order to fully address the issues at the Michigan City Housing Authority and to give the community the services that they deserve, new leadership is necessary immediately. These measures are in the best interest of the residents of the City of Michigan City,” Parry said.

Parry believes that the board has long neglected its duties, which led to a designation of substandard management in 2016 from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He said HUD found the management deficiencies continued in 2018, and the board was sanctioned by HUD two years later as a “troubled agency.”

 

As a result, all Michigan City Housing Authority functions have been under HUD review. Parry said HUD took further action, but the board's mismanagement and failure of duty persisted, which left Michigan City at risk of losing total local control over the agency.

 

Willie M. Lee, Milton H. Malone, Doretha Sanders-Malone, and Carla Mock are facing removal from the board if found guilty of the allegations during a legal process.