In a Jan. 27 oversight roundtable, the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) addressed findings from Chief Compliance Officer Petuna Cooper regarding the alleged mishandling of taxpayer dollars. Cooper, who is currently on paid administrative leave for reasons DCHA officials said are unrelated to the allegations, testified that she documented over $60 million in financial mismanagement within the agency.
Cooper’s observations, released in a September 2025 report to the agency, detailed 10 findings, including $60 million in unapproved transfers within the agency’s repair and maintenance fund, $1.4 million in unclear transfers, and $2 million in stale checks. Cooper and her team also found the agency made voucher payments for deceased residents and failed to distribute penalties under the Davis-Bacon Act following DCHA contractors’ violations of wage laws, totaling to $167,000.
Speakers at the roundtable, including Housing Committee Chair Council member Robert White and Ward 3 Council member Matthew Frumin, expressed concern over the findings. Calling the situation “grave,” the council members noted previous difficulties with DCHA’s financial statements, as D.C. taxpayers remain unaware of where DCHA’s money ends up…