Corruption At The Los Angeles City Housing Authority

"A high-level manager for the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles directed nearly $800,000 in contracts to his brothers and three politically connected firms without competitive bidding or after rigged contests, a Times review has found.

...The authority is responsible for providing housing to about 60,000 of the city's poorest families. Though governed by a commission appointed by the mayor, the authority is a free-standing agency primarily funded by the federal government.

...For instance, the authority paid nearly $2,500 each to install 20 toilets for disabled people in projects around the city. By comparison, the Los Angeles County Housing Authority would pay about $620, said Geoffrey Siebens, a construction manager there.

Taracena, who was recently fired from his $104,000-a-year job after a housing authority investigation, declined to comment, but his attorney, Marshall Rubin, said his client denies any wrongdoing. He would not elaborate."