NJ Rep. Van Drew Calls for Investigation of Atlantic City Housing

United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew, NJ-R-2, has formally requested that the Office of the Inspector General for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to open an investigation into the Atlantic City Housing Authority.

Van Drew wants to determine if any criminal violations have occurred over the past 5 years.

Van Drew wrote:

Your investigation should scrutinize every single contract that has passed through ACHA in the past five years. You should examine all actions associated with the development and execution of all contract agreements at a granular level. You should interview every individual that has associated with the Housing Authority under oath through depositions. You should not hesitate to subpoena relevant documents. You should attempt to identify any instances of extra-organizational communications between current or former Authority officials and their preferred vendors. You should assess whether contracts delivered the promised result in a manner consistent with federal health and safety guidelines. Very importantly, you must analyze whether failure to fulfill a contract resulted in any changes by Authority officials in awarding such contracts to the defaulting contractors. You should leave no stone unturned, wrote Van Drew.

In a live interview this morning, local Atlantic City activist Steve Young was very complementary of United States congressman Jeff Van Drew.
Young stated that “every promise made by Van Drew he has kept,” said Young.

A few days ago, Marcus Fudge resigned as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Van Drew is hopeful that perhaps a new cabinet secretary will be willing to bring about the much-needed change that is required at the very dysfunctional Atlantic City, Housing Authority.

I have obtained a copy of the Van Drew letter to the United States Inspector as follows:

Harry Hurley photo.

SOURCES: United States Congressman Jeff Van Drew & Steve Young.