ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Peterburg Mayor Rick Kriseman is removing three housing authority commissioners, alleging the board members neglected their duties and withheld information from the public.

  • Mayor Rick Kriseman tweets about housing authority staff shake up
  • Board members were notified by letter on Monday
  • The mayor has been at odds with housing authority over management, service being provided

The commissioners being removed are Harry Harvey, Ann Shermin-White and Delphinia Davis. They were notified about the removal Monday, and three new commissioners will appointed at a May 16 Council meeting.

The commissioners are not paid but are expected to make decisions that will benefit the residents who need affordable housing.

According to a 31-page report obtained by Spectrum Bay News 9, from 1995 to 2018 the authority didn't submit required annual reports to the city.

Harvey served for 23 of the 24 years the reports weren't filed.

Meanwhile, the mayor said Shermin-White was absent from 40 percent of the regular board meetings in 2018.

And Davis approved a nine-month, rent-free stay for CEO Tony Love in an apartment owned by the authority. Harvey also voted to approve that.

All three commissioners approved a salary raise for Love, despite a survey where staff members reported that Love screamed at them, the report said.

That vote was after $3,650 from the authority was used to pay for "professional coaching" to fix the issues mentioned in the survey.

The commissioners are also accused of not disclosing all information from some meetings to the public.

The mayor doesn’t have the authority to remove Love from his position. Only the commissioners are able to do that.

Spectrum Bay News 9 reached out Monday to the mayor's office, but Kriseman was unavailable for an interview. A spokesperson for the housing authority didn't return a call.