Houston Housing Authority CEO placed on paid administrative leave amid federal investigation

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- The president and CEO of the Houston Housing Authority was placed on paid leave amid an ongoing investigation.

This is not even the first time this month that David A. Northern Sr.'s position was in jeopardy.

There was a board meeting on Oct. 9 about Northern's job, but no action was taken at that time.

PREVIOUS REPORT: 13 Investigates: HHA site under federal investigation purchased for 4x appraised value

13 Investigates found the Houston Housing Authority property federal investigators spent the last three days drilling at was purchased for four times more than what the county appraised it at.

That was until Tuesday, when the board voted to place him on administrative leave to conduct an investigation into his performance.

Federal investigators raided one of the Houston Housing Authority's properties last week.

The raid happened at The Pointe at Bayou Bend -- a vacant, 400-unit affordable housing property in the Second Ward.

READ MORE: Houston Housing Authority under federal investigation after toxic ash found on Main Street complex

Toxic ash from a former trash incineration plant was found buried on a portion of the site last year, although the Housing Authority has long maintained the soil, which is fine where The Pointe at Bayou Bend apartments were built.

There are questions about why it was built next to land that contains toxins, according to documents.

Northern had been with the Houston Housing Authority since 2022.

In that time, Mayor John Whitmire has accused the Houston Housing Authority of inefficient leadership and money mismanagement.

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Federal investigators are collecting evidence at a Houston Housing Authority complex for a second day after toxic ash was found on the property.

Northern, on the other hand, said in that statement that the move by the board and the investigation into his performance are "warrantless."

The board has hired an outside consultant to review Northern's performance. An interim president has yet to be named.

Read Northern's full statement:

"I'm confident this warrantless investigation to try to remove me from my position will turn up nothing. The Board has taken this step to try and fabricate a reason to remove me because they do not have one. This decision stems from the coordinated opposition from anti-affordable housing and special interest groups who view affordable housing as a threat to their pocketbooks.

Regardless, I remain committed to the vital mission of providing affordable housing to Houston families, despite the attacks my team and I have faced. Since 2024 alone, we've secured over $60 million in federal funding that will lead to an anticipated $750 million dollar investment into some of Houston's historically underserved communities. And we've launched innovative programs that make real differences in people's lives including programs that help families access thriving neighborhoods, support seniors aging in place, and expand services for our most vulnerable residents. Furthermore, my administration has systematically resolved the HUD deficiencies identified before I took over as President & CEO, and caught the agency up on its 3-year audit backlog. And several weeks ago, I proposed an independent audit - unanimously approved by the Board - to ensure complete transparency of our contracts and procurement process.

I am deeply concerned about the weaponization of our housing authority and the negative impact that this has had on the morale of HHA staff and our ability to serve our constituents. Nevertheless, I will keep fighting to protect both our mission and the truth. At the heart of this issue, it is Houston's most vulnerable residents who stand to lose the most."

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