Carl Greene, executive director of the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA), has taken leave from his longtime job as he faces foreclosure on his condominium and accusations of sexual harassment.
Greene had fallen five months behind on his mortgage payments and faced foreclosure proceedings.
He has now paid his mortgage through October and hired an accountant to review his personal finances, according to a statement released by PHA, the nation’s fourth largest public housing authority with about 16,800 public housing units.
He also settled an Internal Revenue Service lien, confirmed a PHA spokeswoman.
Greene, who has led the agency for 13 years, recently announced that he is taking several weeks leave.
“My lack of attention to my personal financial dealings is a failure on my part,” he said in a statement. “I want to assure the citizens of Philadelphia as well as the employees and residents of PHA that the problems I have created for myself personally have not affected my stewardship of the housing authority. We continue to be a dynamic organization and a leader in the development and management of affordable housing.”
Greene’s mortgage problem is only part of his growing problems. He has also been hit with allegations that he sexually harassed a female PHA employee this year.
Attorney John M. Elliott, who represents the woman, said he wrote an extensive letter to the PHA board earlier this year but has yet to receive a response.
He said complaints have also been filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. According to Elliott, the complaints involve sexual harassment and retaliation.
A PHA spokeswoman on Tuesday said the agency’s insurance carrier has agreed to settle the harassment claim.
