SJ Housing Authority to be Audited

An agency that runs housing programs for the poor in San Joaquin County will soon be getting an independent review of some of the executive director´s expenses.

The San Joaquin County Housing Authority has decided to hire an independent auditor after disclosures that the executive director spent more than $70,000 in taxpayer money on business related travel.

Antonio Pizano also hired a friend as a consultant and paid him $1,000 a day. That´s according to documents reviewed by the Stockton Record newspaper. The travel expenses were first disclosed in an anonymous letter allegedly written by a Housing Authority employee.

One county supervisor says Pizano´s travel expenses are too high.

Pizano could not be reached for comment. The Housing Authority uses state and federal money to run housing projects for the poor in San Joaquin County.