Louisville Metro Council orders investigation of Metro Housing Authority

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bed bugs, water leaks and mold festering in Louisville's public housing.

Now city leaders will put the agency in charge under the microscope.

Several Louisville Metro Council members sponsored a resolution that was filed last week, calling for the investigation of Louisville Metro Housing Authority.

On Tuesday during the oversight committee meeting, members instead voted on an order, which meant that if a majority of the committee voted for the investigation, the process would begin immediately.

With eight votes against one, the committee has now ordered the investigation.

"I'm ready to get this investigation started," Councilman Jecorey Arthur (I-4) said. "It's long overdue."

Dosker Manor is the posterchild of issues within LMHA, which some members referred to as a slumlord.

In August 2023, WDRB News witnessed maggots in a mechanical room, mold, and holes under sinks in units.

"The fact that LMHA allowed these constituents, tenants, to live and be housed was heartbreaking," Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins (D-1) said.

Members said public housing is a citywide problem.

"When we see this level of problems, of inefficiency, of real harm and pain, that has happened to people of which the city governs their housing situation, the only way to get to the bottom of it is a thorough investigation," Councilman Anthony Piagentini (R-19) said.

The investigation will look into shortcomings in training, funding and also the leadership and fiscal management of LMHA.

The former director stepped down as pressure mounted last year. LMHA's new leader, Elizabeth Strojan, just took over the agency last month.

She has called the conditions at Dosker Manor unacceptable.

The investigation is ordered, but the pile-up of problems won't be fixed overnight.

Metro Council will first need to hire an independent investigator. Because this investigation involves several agencies, including at the federal level, this will be a complicated process that will take months, maybe years.