Governor Katie Hobbs is under fired once again and demands are increasing that her Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) Director nominee, Joan Serviss, resign amid serious findings of waste, fraud, and abuse of taxpayer dollars by the Arizona Auditor General.
An Arizona Auditor General report details disturbing levels of incompetence including one instance in which the Department wired $2 million in State Housing Trust Fund monies to fraudsters impersonating officers from a title company and nonprofit housing organization in June of 2023 and did not realize the fraud occurred until six months later.
The Auditor General concluded ADOH failed to develop and implement wire transfer policies to prevent and detect fraud, waste, and abuse. While ADOH committed nearly $1.26 billion toward affordable housing issues in fiscal year 2023, the agency doesn’t have a comprehensive process to evaluate program performance, limiting its ability to ensure its programs are effectively addressing the state’s housing problems.
A review of a dozen housing projects paid for with grants from ADOH showed failures to address health and safety issues, including a rodent infestation; misuse of grant monies; and a lack of documentation demonstrating residents received supportive services to help them live independently.
In September of 2023, the Senate Committee on Director Nominations (DINO) found Serviss was unfit to serve as Director of ADOH after a troubling history of pervasive plagiarism was alleged while she served as Executive Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition. As a result, the committee recommended the Senate reject her confirmation.
Following the recommendation, Hobbs was accused of attempting to evade the confirmation process and withdrew all nominees.
The Senate sued, and Hobbs was found to have broken the law.
The Senate announced it was taking action now that the Governor renominated Serviss. Serviss’ Director nomination is currently scheduled for a Senate vote next week.
“Disturbing fraud, waste, and abuse have occurred under her watch. State lawmakers and citizens who rely on this agency are outraged. The Senate cannot in good conscience confirm this Director,” said Senate President Warren Petersen. “We are calling on her to do the right thing by stepping down immediately before the vote occurs. We are also asking the Governor to promptly send us a highly competent and qualified nominee to replace her. Arizonans deserve better.”
“This just another example of failure and scandal from the Hobbs Administration. Arizona cannot afford to have unqualified individuals running our critical state agencies, especially one that’s tasked with helping Arizonans facing homelessness obtain safe and secure housing,” said President Pro Tempore T.J. Shope. “Serviss should have been immediately withdrawn from consideration after DINO determined she was unfit to serve in this role.”
“Senate Republicans are committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, and unfortunately, Serviss falls short with supporting this important mission,” said Majority Whip Frank Carroll. “While the Trump Administration roots out fraud, waste, and abuse at the federal level, the Republican-led legislature will do everything in our power to ensure federal dollars sent to our state are managed in the most effective and responsible way.”
Since this is a public corruption fraud and could be linked to Governor or other Democrats in Arizona government, AG Mayes should ask the FBI to investigate this case. If she doesn’t it will appear she is protecting other possible Democrat suspects.
KATIE HOOBS = FLUNKED 1ST, GRADE BUT WAS EVENTUALLY PROMOTED TO VILLAGE IDIOT.
AG Kris MAYES = Studied Law with the Cliff Notes version of: “How to Make an Idiot Look Like An Attorney General.”
Hobb’s faces criticism? Is that it? That’s all the Republicans can do?
What do you suggest they do? Start impeachment proceedings with a majority far less than the 2/3 of the Senate needed to convict? Right now, all the Democrats in the Senate would vote for acquittal. Do you want to give Governor Hobbs another victory?
Incompetent and woke Leftists.
So who got the “10%?” Did Hobbies share with Biden? Or did he share with her? Cane them both.
It will never stop. Her backers, the Uniparty, successfully controlled the thinking of people, the media, and the courts. AZ has turned blue years ago, it is too late to stop that train. Welcome to California!
have to disagree – the window is open – the scam in full view – reprisals will occur – funds will be cut – those guilty put in a box.. strike fear in their souls – all works for me; go get’em.. the LA mayor is going to get her’s very soon. The Epstein life is now being exposed.. lots of heads will roll. Uniparty IS OVER ROVER.
Never fails. When they handing out other peoples money they care enough to be sure where it’s going.
Cut the state budget in half.
Hobbs and Mayes are the minor league version of Biden and Garland. We will be 2 years behind Trump in removing these criminally incompetent leeches from office. I hope the new team does the same type of comprehensive investigations that put a permanent stop, if not charges, to this pair and their cohorts.
the agency doesn’t have a comprehensive process to evaluate program performance, limiting its ability to ensure its programs are effectively addressing the state’s housing problems.
Gee, wonder why….if the above evaluation program isn’t in place how the hell do you now what you are doing and how well you are doing. Oh, well, its the government with an unlimited supply of taxpayer money that they can throw away without any oversight or goals. Seems about right for a government agency to me……
It would be nice to impeach this moron but that would mean Gov Fontes and that would be worse.
the faucet has been running ‘FULL OPEN’ without reserve.. that fraud gets in line – no surprise! I’d bet this is the tip of the iceberg of funds that have been taken, given, misused. no security in today’s market place an open door to much more
They all know where the money went. They just play dumb and want people to think they’re dumb. It’s all part of their plan. An investigation is needed immediately.
What does it take to put this criminal Hobbit in prison?
It takes an attorney general that’s not part of the cabal. You won’t see any investigation or charges until they are both out of office.
“And the beat goes on. . .”. The question is when will this BS stop??