Federal Takeover Forces Atlantic City Housing Chairman Off All Authority Sites

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has removed Atlantic City Housing Authority Chairman Geoffrey Dorsey and prohibited him from entering any of the agency’s properties, part of a sweeping federal intervention attempting to restore stability to the troubled housing agency. The enforcement action was issued the same day federal officials assumed full control of the authority, dissolving its board of commissioners. HUD determined the agency had failed to meet basic performance and maintenance standards, leaving many public housing residents without reliable heat, hot water and safe living conditions.
Officials cited years of declining federal performance scores, low occupancy rates and the diversion of resources toward contracts that offered little direct benefit to tenants. The removal of leadership was described as a necessary step to address deep-rooted management problems. The takeover follows years of appeals from elected officials and community groups who argued that the authority’s leadership was unable to deliver critical repairs or improvements. HUD has said its immediate priorities include restoring essential utility services before the winter and beginning long-overdue property upgrades. The barring of Dorsey from all housing authority sites marks one of the firmest actions taken by HUD in the state in recent years, underscoring the agency’s willingness to use its authority to remove local officials when public housing operations consistently fail residents.