Florence Housing Authority wants board member removed over possible fraud, illegitimate contracts

FLORENCE, S.C. (WBTW) — The commissioner of the Florence Housing Authority explained Tuesday why its board of directors wants to have one of its members removed.

Commissioner Jerrod Moultrie said many factors went into the decision to ask Florence Mayor Teresa Myers Ervin to proceed with the removal of board member Linda Becote. Florence City Council is responsible for appointing the authority’s board members. 

Becote was not at Tuesday’s meeting, and the Florence City Council plans to have a hearing on Thursday to determine whether Becote should be removed as a commissioner for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or misconduct in office. The special hearing has been postponed three different times.

Moultrie said Becote and Clamentine Elmore, the authority’s former executive director, might have signed contracts that the board did not authorize. Moultrie also said Becote has failed to turn in public records and assets, raising questions about potential fraud.

“Let the record, let the board, and let the public know that as a commissioner I intend to turn this over to SLED for possible prosecution,” Moultrie said. 

Moultrie said there have been allegations and rumors that he is picking on people, but he said he is on the board to help the residents and not “line our pockets.” 

The Florence Housing Authority has seen several board members depart recently. In addition, residents are still displaced from Creekside Village apartments where 30 of 100 units were found to have mold in them, causing those residents to be displaced.

The authority has spent more than $500,000 relocating the residents and providing them with food vouchers. 

Moultrie said policies need to be put into place to make sure residents that are displaced find housing because it is costing the authority a lot of money to provide them with housing and food vouchers.