Resign or be Ousted, City Tells Entire Housing Board

ORLANDO-Concerned that its image as a budding business relocation center is being battered by a lackadaisical housing board, the city, located 25 miles north of Downtown Orlando, is giving the five-member agency until Thursday to resign or be fired. If the board is dismissed, city commissioners would temporarily fill the work load until a new board is assembled.

The latest action comes as this blue-collar suburb of 37,327 residents awaits a final report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development on alleged irregularities at six federally funded, multifamily shelter projects for low-income families. The report was due Mar. 27.

HUD’s preliminary report last week lashed the Sanford Housing Authority for failing to monitor the activities of its executive director, Timothy D. Hudson, during the seven years he has run the agency. Hudson is resigning Apr. 20 but some city commissioners want to fire him immediately, based on HUD’s preliminary findings.