Former Executive Alleges Wrongdoing at V.I. Housing Finance Authority

The V.I. Housing Finance Authority and two of its top executives were named in a whistleblower suit filed this week by former Chief Operating Officer Stephanie Berry.

According to the complaint, filed in V.I. Superior Court by attorney Lee Rohn, the authority “will stand to lose millions of dollars through recapturing of federal funds due to noncompliance with policies and procedures,” and projects funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are at a standstill because of inaction by VIHFA leadership.

After expressing concerns internally, Berry claimed that VIHFA Executive Director Eugene Jones Jr. cautioned that “if she kept putting things in writing, it would be to [her] detriment.” The suit also names Chief Disaster Recovery Officer Dayna Clendinen, who served as the authority’s interim executive director for much of Berry’s tenure.