North Las Vegas Housing Authority chief resigns

By Timothy Pratt (contact), Mike Trask (contact)

Friday, Nov. 21, 2008 | 8:46 p.m.

The rundown Casa Rosa apartment complex in North Las Vegas is seen from the North Las Vegas Housing Authority offices on Yale Street.

Nov. 17, 2008 -- E-mail reveals hesitancy to move at-risk tenants
May 12, 2005 -- Housing authority slashes budget, programs
April 20, 2005 -- NLV housing board delays controversial budget

North Las Vegas Housing Authority

North Las Vegas Housing Authority Chief Executive Don England resigned from his post today, North Las Vegas City Councilmen William Robinson and Robert Eliason said.

The resignation comes following recent concerns about the authority's handling of an apartment complex it had managed until July.

England and the authority have come under fire in recent weeks following Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review-Journal reports about the poor handling of the Casa Rosa Apartments.

A series of e-mails obtained by the Sun showed England seeming to avoid and delay a timely response to dangerous conditions facing public housing tenants at Casa Rosa.

Residents of Casa Rosa are being relocated in the next week.

It’s only the most recent string of concerns over the North Las Vegas Housing Authority. In 2005, the organization that provided insurance to the authority terminated the agency's policy because of ongoing operational and financial problems.

Before that, the federal government labeled the agency "troubled," meaning it couldn't compete for certain federal grants due to the same issues.

There was also the failed Desert Mesa project, an estimated $20 million plan meant to provide 123 homes.

The project never got finished amid lawsuits over an alleged lack of payments to contractors and plans to sell the property on Carey Avenue and Commerce Street to a private company.

In a conversation Friday evening Robinson, chairman of the authority board, said: “It’s probably time. Don has had his challenges.”

But, Robinson noted, the units are old and funding is low.

England had run the agency since 1999.

Carl Rowe, director of the Las Vegas Housing Authority, which took over management of Casa Rosa in July and revealed its problems in an inspection, said he was not surprised by England's resignation.

"He must have felt a good deal of pressure."

Discussion: 2 comments so far…

By revtomperl

11/21/08 at 9:51 p.m.

Suggest removal

HUD is severely under funding these projects. George Bush should resign as well as his federal appointees for messing with the poor of the nation. They should be held accountable to the American people. HUD has helped 13,000 delinquent homeowners out of millions in need in the current crisis. They are not serious about serving the American public. I hope Obama gets rid of as many of those bums as possible.
By casinokid

11/22/08 at 6 p.m.

Suggest removal

I would like to fill the job! I dont see why it would be so difficult to head up a project if you make yourself available with hands on management to contractors, maintenance, and staff.

Anthony