Opponents of an affordable-housing project called for a review of the Howard Housing Commission that was suspected of illegal land deals and leaving residents in the dark.
But an audit released more than a year later didn?t address those claims, raised during the heated debates over the now-defunct project Centennial Gardens.
Instead, housing officials said they have taken steps to remedy many of those issues.
“The Centennial Gardens issue was not one of accounting but rather of process,” said Housing Director Stacy Spann.
“The administration is reviewing all policies and making modifications to existing policies where necessary.”
A recent financial audit, which reviewed the commission?s finances for the year ending June 30, 2007, found a lack of proper financial controls but that the commission is in good financial shape.
The audit was commissioned last spring after the upset over Centennial Gardens, but Spann said that incident is separate despite the timing.
Unrelated to the audit, the commission will be adopting a land acquisition policy, which creates a transparent and efficient process for buying land, Spann said.
“We never had land acquisition procedures before,” he said.
A measure passed in November further addressed some community concerns by allowing for a Planning Board review and restrictions for development on commercial property, said Deputy Director Tom Carbo.
Housing officials are still in discussions about selling back the land on Frederick Road slated for Centennial Gardens, and the commission is not developing on that property, Spann said.
Meanwhile, former Housing Director Leonard Vaughan is disputing the audit?s findings, saying some of the issues occurred after he left the department, according to a letter to the housing commission board and the County Council.
Housing officials responded with a point-by-point rebuttal.
The County Council is requesting a meeting with the outside auditors, based on a recommendation by the council?s auditor, said Council Chairwoman Courtney Watson, D-District 1.
“We want more information than we could get out of that report,” she said, adding the council wants to understand if other concerns were raised outside of the scope of the audit or more recommendations for future audits.
