CEO caught living in ARHA housing

[Anonymous]

The new mayor is totally ineffective. This is a federal crime they need to fire him yesterday and hand him over to the feds. Stop protecting criminals.

Its almost like clowns run this city.

[Anonymous]

$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2025/09/02/alexandria-public-housing-erik-johnson/

Here you go

THANK YOU!!!

I'm not sure how he still has a job and can still show his face in Alexandria. I wish him luck trying to find another job in housing now as clearly this man is as corrupt as they come! Skipped a head a 12+ year waiting list?! Makes $550K a year? Come on. FIRE HIM ALREADY.

So, the guy in charge of Section 8 housing makes $500K? Irony--even if he weren't living in the housing.

Local city government, paid density and the affordable housing scam $$$ are alive and well in Alexandria. Some of you should follow the money from the "developers." See where you get.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I think public housing leadership should be required to live in the different units as a condition of keeping the job. Yes, it would take out a unit for someone who doesn’t have other options. But it would absolutely improve conditions for everyone who is in if the leader had some skin in the game.

I agree. This appears to be a paperwork question - he didn't get the requisite approval. It's not good, but it's not terrible either.

Disagree. It’s terrible. The wait is years long and he skipped the entire wait and grabbed one of the nicest units when he could afford to pay and immediately access an equally nice unit within blocks that would be available on the free market at market prices. There are many rental buildings within blocks. He stole a unit out from under someone who does not have the ability to go and pay for a free market unit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AND he still has his job. Good old city of Alexandria!

It's astounding. The city doesn't even try to hide their bs.

Yep. Only Chapman shined a light on it. The rest of them just kept their mouths shut. What will really be interesting is if city records had Chatham Square as his mailing address.

Well most of Chatham Square is free market. Ironically? Chapman grew up in the berg, right where it was torn down and replaced by Chatham square

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:His salary appears to be $550k/yr. With a family, he's just barely scraping by in this area.

Why is his salary higher than the presidents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

The money came from a Hope IV program, which is HUD and federal funds. We all paid for it, via our tax dollars.

This was a very interesting and controversial project that involved several lawsuits (including one that went to the Supreme Court). The Section 8 units were a result of a lawsuit between ARC and HUD. Do you even know anything about this project before you start posting your theories?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

The money came from a Hope IV program, which is HUD and federal funds. We all paid for it, via our tax dollars.

This was a very interesting and controversial project that involved several lawsuits (including one that went to the Supreme Court). The Section 8 units were a result of a lawsuit between ARC and HUD. Do you even know anything about this project before you start posting your theories?

Hope VI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I think public housing leadership should be required to live in the different units as a condition of keeping the job. Yes, it would take out a unit for someone who doesn’t have other options. But it would absolutely improve conditions for everyone who is in if the leader had some skin in the game.

And they should be required to live in the dodgier ones. The ones that need improving.

And have their kids in the local public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Washington Post picked it up today.

1) He should absolutely be fired, and charged the full market- rate rent for the time he was there, illegally.

2) He should forfeit any pension

He'll be gone by the weekend. The city can't have this level of corruption on the front of The Washington Post.

I hope you're right but this is the city of alexandria you know. They don't do things like they are supposed to. They march to the beat of their own corrupt drum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

REALLY?!! WHO funds ARHA? Do you know? Also it's strange all cities employees salaries are listed online but but ARHA. What are they hiding? Funny the city claims "transparency" but clearly that's just a buzz word they like to use and it's meaningless to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:His salary appears to be $550k/yr. With a family, he's just barely scraping by in this area.

Why is his salary higher than the presidents?

Because corruption.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

REALLY?!! WHO funds ARHA? Do you know? Also it's strange all cities employees salaries are listed online but but ARHA. What are they hiding? Funny the city claims "transparency" but clearly that's just a buzz word they like to use and it's meaningless to them.

Google is your friend here: The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) is primarily funded through a combination of federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), revenue from its own housing units, and some funding and partnership initiatives from the City of Alexandria. HUD grants make up around 70% of that total funding.

It is independently funded in the sense that the majority of the funding does not come from Alexandria taxes (property, sales, etc). But it is overwhelmingly federally and municipal funded. And sometimes, it involves income received from their own developments, such as with this Chatham Square.

The real property for the location of Chatham Square was originally owned by ARHA with traditionally looking Section 8 apartments. Under Hope VI program, ARHA looked to go into a public/private partnership with EYA to sell them the land, have them build expensive, market rate townhomes and sell them for a huge profit. ARHA was going to take that money and use it to fund other projects and internal admin costs. Hope VI was for the replacement of poorly maintained Section 8 with other structures without a 1:1 replacement requirement, partially funded with HUD grants and other tax-exempt financing. The program was highly criticized as being basically gentrification and the removal of low income for the benefit of higher income. ARHA and HUD were sued over this very issue for this project and the Section 8 units were a result of a settlement. Sooooo, you're wrong. All of those Section 8 units are federally funded.

If this guy wanted to live in that development, then he should have rented or bought one of the market rate units.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$550k, $230k where are you all getting this information? The post story should have listed his salary.

Curiously, the ARHA doesn't post the employee salaries. They are an independently funded (ha ha) government organization and don't need to provide transparency at that level.

I think we will find that this sovereign government authority was not violating any of its own policies and that the federal government has no authority over that particular housing blocks because the money for obviously comes from a different block of grants.

REALLY?!! WHO funds ARHA? Do you know? Also it's strange all cities employees salaries are listed online but but ARHA. What are they hiding? Funny the city claims "transparency" but clearly that's just a buzz word they like to use and it's meaningless to them.

Google is your friend here: The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA) is primarily funded through a combination of federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), revenue from its own housing units, and some funding and partnership initiatives from the City of Alexandria. HUD grants make up around 70% of that total funding.

It is independently funded in the sense that the majority of the funding does not come from Alexandria taxes (property, sales, etc). But it is overwhelmingly federally and municipal funded. And sometimes, it involves income received from their own developments, such as with this Chatham Square.

The real property for the location of Chatham Square was originally owned by ARHA with traditionally looking Section 8 apartments. Under Hope VI program, ARHA looked to go into a public/private partnership with EYA to sell them the land, have them build expensive, market rate townhomes and sell them for a huge profit. ARHA was going to take that money and use it to fund other projects and internal admin costs. Hope VI was for the replacement of poorly maintained Section 8 with other structures without a 1:1 replacement requirement, partially funded with HUD grants and other tax-exempt financing. The program was highly criticized as being basically gentrification and the removal of low income for the benefit of higher income. ARHA and HUD were sued over this very issue for this project and the Section 8 units were a result of a settlement. Sooooo, you're wrong. All of those Section 8 units are federally funded.

If this guy wanted to live in that development, then he should have rented or bought one of the market rate units.

I don't think you can make that statement with certainty. ARHA does development through VHD, LLC. Since that's a private company, claims could be made about particular units and the source of the funding.