When will it stop? Maybe we should ask HUD. The Tribal Housing Department lead by on again off again consultant Leon Jacobs has a unique way of selecting people for the 184 housing loans. It’s very very unique indeed. These 184’s are basically cosigned by the Tribe because usually the applicants will not qualify for a standard loan. It’s supposed to be awarded through a lottery and based on “need” .The tribal member should also be able to eventually assume the loan on their own .
A program where nepotism reigns
But Leon ( a Lumbee who can’t get hired by his own tribe) has his own rules. And perhaps he’s getting direction from a Poo Bah on high….but 90% of the people who get these homes, are Tobeys or Fryes and coincidentally tribal employees.
Earlier this year Joanne Frye, who runs the Elders program got a house on Santuit Pond and her sister Nancy Frye Joseph who works in finance got a house. Joanne is a master at surviving threats of termination. That’s because she knows where that 2009 voter list went to and she knows how the pending tribal members ended up on the voter list because Trish gave her the list from start to finish.. Viola! Cedric, Tah Tah and Mark Harding no less are elected. Joann (and her son Bobby) is all powerful and gets what she wants…credit cards,food cards, air conditioners, fans, emergency kits, pantry items…houses.
Here’ the latest batch— Yvonne Tobey who runs WIA and 2 other Tobey-Frye tribal employees have been awarded 184 homes. Now the Yvonne Tobey giveaway is too much. They just froze her WIA money because she gave her cousin former Vice Chairman Aaron Tobey $700 to do his resume. Of course that’s a free service the state and the tribe does for the unemployed . It’s so ridiculous you have to wonder when someone is going to save us from these duplicitous people.
The old saying get what you can while you can is in play. These practices are blatantly discriminatory against families who are not Tobeys or Fryes. And it’s nepotism in the worst way! The pattern is pretty consistent along with the violation of other HUD procedures. Leon knows HUD don’t play so he’s been trying to shift the focus.
Instead of hiding, Robbie should be investigating this crap. Instead of talking about all the meetings she attends for $98,000.00 a year, Jessie should for once do something for her people. As close as she was to Alice you would think she would be all over this. But her BS is a mile wide and just as deep. Jessie is about Jessie.
The 184 loans are a government to government partnership that is being abused at the expense of the tribal people who really need housing. It’s supposed to give them the opportunity to get on their feet and own a home. Instead it is being exploited for the most unworthy of our people.
So sad.
