Audit: JP Housing Authority should repay $650K

A federal audit says the Jefferson Parish Housing Authority illegally paid board members nearly $107,000 and created a conflict of interest and violated federal rules by paying $91,000 to a state legislator's repair company.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development audit says the agency should repay the money and must either document or repay another $450,000. That includes $240,000 paid to four Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies for security services, $95,000 to its attorney and $81,000 to its accounting firm.

The parish agency did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. However, in its response to a draft of the audit the agency detailed what it said were mistakes of fact and law.

In releasing the final audit, HUD denied those claims.