HPHA BOD chooses a new Executive Director

[hawaiiguy]

I presently work for HPHA, and am so upset with the BOD letting Chad walk... he has been 'THE BEST' of those who came before him...went to visit all of the projects...who did this before? ...he choose to know all HPHA employees by meeting with us...anyone did that before?

He balanced HPHA's budget for 08-09!!! How many state agencies can proudly say that???

travesty!!!

[Frankie's Market]

Re: HPHA BOD chooses a new Executive Director

This seems to be one of those "gotta wonder what the board was thinking?" kind of decisions.

No specific reason was given by the HPHA board as to why incumbent director Chad Taniguchi was deficient at carrying out his job. As a matter of fact, the Star Bulletin quoted board chairman Travis Thompson as saying that Taniguchi had "done a great job." So why the change then? You think the new person you're gonna hire will do a "super terrific great job" for you?

Just as telling was the rationale given by Thompson in looking for a new executive director.

"We just felt there was enough work involved to go to the next level," he said. "From a financial point of view, it's going to be a real management challenge."

Once again, no specifics offered. Next level? Real management challenge?

Boy, could the HPHA BOD be any more transparent in telling the world, "We're dismissing Taniguchi for political reasons" than that?

Of course, not everyone is happy with Taniguchi's actions as the exec. director. But who are they and what are their agendas?

Community activist and former state legislator Bob Nakata offers this speculation:

But the Rev. Bob Nakata of the community group Faith Action for Community Equity said the agency's leaders do not like Taniguchi because he is outspoken.

He cited Taniguchi opposing the board's plan in 2008 to move homeless shelter residents into public housing, jumping them ahead of some 8,600 people already on a waiting list.

And back in September, the Advertiser's Mary Vorsino had this to say:

But not everyone has supported Taniguchi's leadership style. Some have criticized his push to crack down on delinquent renters, saying the program has penalized working households that have fallen on tough times.

But of course, it wouldn't look good for Chairman Thompson or any other member of the housing board to say, "We want to appoint a submissive puppet as the director," or "Taniguchi had the nerve to make my deadbeat (fill-in-the-blank) pay his/her rent on time." Which would certainly explain all this abstract talk about finding a new director who will take the housing authority to "a new level." Yeah, sure.

Thanks for sharing your opinions on this as an HPHA employee, Hawaiiguy. This whole thing certainly does look fishy.

[hawaiiguy]

Re: HPHA BOD chooses a new Executive Director

That disagreement about NOT allowing the homeless to get priority (over those thousands of people having waited patiently for a number of years to move into the State of HI project, 'Puahala Homes' / the housing project behind HPHA) got Chad into trouble almost right away when he began...

He told many of us not too long ago (perhaps a few months ago) how Linda Lingle asked the HPHA BOD who the hell was this guy wanting to 'go against me' in disapproving her desire to move the homeless people into several of the units there...

That comment 'really turned me off' about Linda, even though I am Republican!