Why this Paterson Housing Authority official is losing her commission seat

PATERSON — The controversy surrounding the newest member of the Paterson Housing Authority has culminated in the termination of the appointee’s Section 8 rent voucher and her impending removal from the agency’s board.

Irma Gorham, the executive director of the housing authority, made those pronouncements in a statement issued on her behalf on Monday evening regarding board member Carmen Rivera, who has been serving as the commission’s tenant representative for several months.

Gorham previously said Rivera did not disclose her household’s full income in applying for a rent voucher for her to live in Paterson’s recently rebuilt Riverside Village complex.

“Ms. Rivera has been made aware that her eligibility for Section 8 housing has been terminated based on the inaccurate submissions she made to the Paterson Housing Authority,” said Gorham’s statement.

“Because her termination means that she is no longer a resident of the PHA, she is also ineligible to serve as a resident commissioner to the Board,” Gorham added. “The PHA looks forward to working in concert with the Paterson City Council to fill this seat so that the residents we serve can have their voices exercised in the strongest way possible.”

Rivera did not respond to a message seeking her comment for this story.

Last month: Paterson housing representative failed to report income in getting rent voucher

What did officials say?

When the City Council appointed Rivera to the housing board in June, Councilman Michael Jackson cited social media photos of her at various events with other council members. Jackson and his supporters claimed that Rivera was picked to fill a housing board tenant seat that had been vacant for many years to stack the voting deck as the agency prepared to pick a new executive director.

Jackson in July sent Gorham a letter asserting that Rivera’s household exceeded income limits for Section 8 vouchers, triggering the housing authority investigation.

“What I did was derail a political maneuver,” Jackson said. “It’s unfortunate she had to lose her subsidy,” he added, referring to Rivera. “But she was a willing participant.”

Jackson said Rivera was allowed to “skip the list” by getting picked for an apartment at the new complex ahead of people who applied for housing before she did.

‘Compromised’: Paterson Housing Authority suspends ‘compromised’ search for new director

Rivera had been nominated for the housing commissioner position by then-City Council President Shahin Khalique. She was supported for the appointment by Councilwoman Maritza Davila. Khalique did not respond when asked for comment about Gorham’s statement on Rivera’s housing status. Davila said she had not heard about Gorham’s decision.

Two housing commissioners — Bob Guarasci and Flavio Rivera — said Gorham had not yet shared with the board her decision’s regarding Carmen Rivera.

“I’m very eager to learn more about it,” Guarasci said.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Paterson NJ housing official loses rent voucher, commission seat