KILLEEN, Texas — It's been financial turmoil for the Killeen Housing Authority (KHA) for over two years.
That turmoil has led to some Killeen residents living under Section 8 with unpaid rent, board members quitting their positions, and an embezzlement indictment.
6 News had an exclusive interview with KHA Board Commissioner Ebony Jackson. Jackson has been board commissioner since November 2022 and told 6 News the KHA's finances have been in shambles since the last three commissioners.
"The Killeen Housing Authority has no money that we can touch and reach vendors or bills or anything that we've acquired in the past up until now," Jackson explained.
Back in Jan. 2024, ex-Killeen Housing Authority (KHA) Director DeAdra Johnson was indicted on nine counts of embezzlement and one count of providing false statements on Jan. 9, court documents revealed.
According to the court documents, 52-year-old Johnson served as the executive director from Jan. 10, 2019 to Aug. 1, 2022. Her duties included organizing and directing KHA's public housing programs, as well as managing the budget and financial affairs.
In June, the KHA was taken to court and Bell County judge Gregory Johnson granted the KHA pay Killeen Texas Movers about $17,000 in back pay.
"We are going to be accountable for what happened," Jackson said. "They did not get paid for the service that they provided. It's been our focus and goal to make sure of that once we start."
The KHA has been forced to sell all of their assets to pay back the United States Department of Urban Housing Development (HUD) and other properties. Jackson could not divulge how much that equated to but said the number was very high.
Some of their assets include the Moss Rose Center, a center used as both a cooling center and a warming center for the unhoused and community. Without that, Killeen will not have a place for the unhoused to go.
"We do not have a cooling center for our at risk and homeless which is unfortunate," Jackson added. "However, that was closed approximately October or November due to the KHA not being able to pay for insurance for the buildings and properties. The commissioners at that time voted on closing the community center due to not having the insurance to cover the property."
Jackson added that those assets were purchased with federal dollars so they must sell the assets to reimburse the HUD.
"They want their money back," Jackson added. "
Jackson and the other three commissioners are now working to comb through the disorder at the KHA and build back the bridges that were burned over the years.
"We would have to come up with some creative ideas to get involved with properties and the community," Jackson shared.
She also said as of right now, there is no set time on when they'll begin accepting housing vouchers under Section 8 again.
"It's gonna be a long time because we have lost credibility. There really needs to be more oversight with the Housing Authority than in the past, I think we would have been in a better place."
The next KHA public meeting will be Thu. June 28 from 10 a.m. to Noon at the Rosa Hereford Killeen Community Center business office.