Non profit housing developers thrive despite massive sequestration budget cuts

Non profit housing developers thrive despite massive sequestration budget cuts

By Lynda Carson - June 7, 2013

Oakland - On May 1, 2013, around $85 billion in budget cuts known as sequestration have taken effect that threaten around 140,000 households throughout the country in the nation's housing programs with homelessness, according to federal officials.

In addition, thousands of federal workers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) are losing work days recently due to mandatory furloughs occurring as a result of the massive budget cuts taking place. Additionally, housing authorities across the nation are saying that they may be forced to raise the rents on tens of thousands of low-income Section 8 renters as a result of the sequestration budget cuts that have gone into effect.

Despite the demise of the redevelopment agencies throughout California that provided funding to the so-called affordable housing industry, and the massive budgets cuts (sequestration) to the Section 8 voucher program (Housing Choice Voucher Program) that threaten the poor with homelessness, the local poverty industry is thriving and continues to give excessive raises to their already over payed top executives.

As an example of some of the excessive raises that have been going to some of the top executives in our local non profit housing sector, during 2009 Linda Mandolini, Executive Director of Eden Housing, was paid $162,393. In 2011, she was paid $188,834, a huge wage increase compensation of $26,441 during a 2 year period.

In 2010, Susan Friedland, Executive Director of Affordable Housing Associates, was paid $133,73, but was payed $152,966 in 2012, a huge wage compensation increase of $19,235 during a period of massive budget cuts to the nation's housing programs during that same period.

In 2010, Mary Murtagh, Executive Director of EAH Inc., was paid $264,763. However, in 2012 she was paid $298,850, a massive wage compensation increase of $34,087 after the demise of California's redevelopment agencies, during a period of massive budget cuts occurring to the nation's housing programs for the poor.

Meanwhile, despite the massive budget cuts known as sequestration occurring that threaten low-income Section 8 tenants in low-income housing projects, the so-called non profit housing developers continue to raise the rent on the poor as a way to be able to pay off some of their top executives that are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, from tax payer assisted low-income housing projects.

Recently, I heard from a frightened Section 8 tenant in Oakland that had her rent increased by around $100 dollars per month by a non profit housing developer after the sequestration budget cuts have already gone into effect on May 1. She wants to remain anonymous, but is very afraid that the rent increase will have to come out of her pocket if the sequestration budget cuts continue to remain in effect.

It's worth noting that in comparison to some of the local so-called non profit housing executives earning hundreds of thousands of dollars per year in the Bay Area from tax payer assisted housing projects for the poor, during 2013 President Barack Obama is currently earning $400,000 in salary as President of the United States. The Vice President is only being payed $231,900 annually, Senators and Representatives are paid $174,000, and the Speaker of the House earns $233,500 per year.

According to one of the latest 990 tax forms filed with the federal government it reveals that during 2011, Cynthia Parker of Bridge Housing took in a whopping $330,249 in wage compensation, being way more than Senator Dianne Feinstein is payed in salary annually, as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

During a period of massive state and federal budget cuts that have been occurring in recent years, including the demise of the redevelopment agencies in California, local non profit developers should be freezing the rents on the poor, and scaling back the salaries of their over payed top executives.

It's obscene that the so-called non profit, 501 c3 charity housing developers continue to jack up the rents on the poor in tax payer assisted housing projects, as a way to maintain or raise the already excessive high salaries of their over payed top executives.

See the latest in salaries and wage compensation for some of the top executives from some local 501 c3 charity non profit housing corporations operating in Oakland, according to some of the latest 990 tax forms filed with the federal government that are available for public viewing.

EAH Inc.; In 2012, more than 11 executives at EAH Inc., earned well over $100,000 per year, including 2 people raking in well over $200,000 a year. Leading the pack, Mary Murtagh, President, was paid $298,850 in 2012. Laura Hall, Chief Operating Officer, was paid $208,286. Cathy Macy, CFO, was paid $186,709. Stephen Lucas, VP Acquisitions, was paid $182,991. Dianna Ingle, VP Re MGMT, was paid $163,324.

Affordable Housing Associates; In 2012, Susan Friedland, Executive Director, was paid $152,966.

Bridge Housing; In 2011, the top executive at Bridge Housing took in well over $300,000 that year, with 6 other top executives pulling in well over $200,000 annually, including an additional 6 other top executives raking in well over $155,000 that year. Leading the pack, Cynthia Parker took in $330,249 in compensation during 2011. Rebecca Hlebasko was paid $278,224. Kimberly A McKay was paid $255,665. Susan Johnson was paid $235,875. D Valentine was paid $235.840. Lydia Tan's compensation was listed at $224,474 for 2011 (Severance pay on 1/3/2011, of $118,244, and distribution of an additional $106,230). Brad Wiblin was paid $200,887. Ann Silverberg was paid $196,499.

Christian Church Homes: In 2011, Don Stump, President/CEO, was compensated $181,874. Cynthia Lappin, VP Operations & COO, was paid $157,295. Winthrop Marshall, VP Finance & CFO, was paid $151,687. Leilani Siegfried, VP Human Services, was paid $138,810. Geoffrey Morgan, VP Development, was paid $130,948. Sheryl Stella, Controller, was paid $123,832.

Eden Housing; In 2011, Linda Mandolini, Executive Director, was paid $188,834. Jan Peters, Chief Operating Officer, was paid $187,538. Terese Mcnamee, CFO, was paid $175,804.

Satellite Housing; In 2011, Ryan Chao, Executive Director, Satellite Housing was paid $175,321. Dori Kojima, was paid $105,179. Miriam Benavides was paid $100,093.

East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation; During 2011, Jeremy Liu, Executive Director, was paid $125,217. Peter Sopka, CFO, was paid $125,101. Mary Hennessy, COO, was paid $110,126. Carlos Castallenos, Director of Real Estate Development, was paid $103,329. Records also show that in 2009, former Executive Director of EBALDC, Lynette Jung Lee, earned as much $140,536 that year, including an additional $5,942 in other compensation. Joshua Simon is the current Executive Director, of EBALDC.

Resources for Community Development; In 2011, Dan Sawislak, Executive Director, of received a total compensation of $127,330.

Lynda Carson may be reached at; tenantsrule [at] yahoo.com