He was brought in to clean up Toronto Community Housing, but new CEO Gene Jones now stands accused of ignoring the basic rules that govern hiring and firing practices at his own organization.
Mr. Jones was brought in from Detroit’s public housing agency in 2012, with the full backing of Mayor Rob Ford. When the allegations investigated by the ombudsman first surfaced in February, Ford said that Jones has done “a phenomenal job” while calling on those making the allegations to come forward.
Critics have seized upon the allegations as ammunition against the mayor and his style of leadership. Ford is known for taking matters straight to the top and making unilateral decisions just as Jones is alleged to have done.
The mayor’s critics believe he has failed to provide necessary political oversight of a troubled public housing agency.
Watch: Toronto Ombudsman condemns TCHC on staffing, hiring practices
Whether the mayor wears this scandal is an entirely different matter. Ford has marketed himself as an advocate for those in public housing, making personal visits to buildings on regular occasion. In his campaign literature, Ford also claims to have “renewed public faith in TCHC,” citing the new Board of Directors and senior management team as prime examples.
Toronto Community Housing still faces the difficult task of rebuilding its reputation and these findings will certainly not help that process. Even if Ford is able to isolate himself from the problems facing the CEO he has proudly supported, he will now have a difficult time claiming to have turned around an agency that continues to struggle.
The findings from Toronto’s Ombudsman suggest Jones “felt that TCH’s human resource policies did not apply to him.” There were raises, promotions, hiring and firing, executed without proper approvals or process.
While the ombudsman is not suggesting any nepotism or cronyism, the allegations will no doubt shake faith in an organization that has worked hard to rebuild public confidence after a well publicized spending scandal.
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