The Gray Line Tour – Leonard Gray

The years-long battle over administration of the St. John Parish Housing Authority continues, with no apparent end in sight.

Allegations continue, with the board unsatisfied, on now-former director Alice Crenshaw, since she did not attend Monday’s housing authority board meeting, nor did she send a representative.

Meanwhile, the perpetually-depressed state of the housing developments themselves likewise continues. Residents and their children and elderly continue to live in sub-standard conditions.

The system for handling maintenance and for handling the money for maintenance is badly in need of a complete overhaul. A firm hand is needed at the wheel to guide this ship to safe harbor.

While there are certainly exceptions, it’s pretty much accepted that children who grow up in such conditions either descend into criminal activity or simply perpetuate their existence into the next generation, with little or no hope to escape, often themselves the victims of crimes.

There are no easy answers to the problem of providing clean, safe and decent housing to those who cannot otherwise afford it. The system itself can also be the victim of less than scrupulous administrators and the victims are not only the taxpayers supporting the system but especially those residents in the housing developments themselves who suffer from years of neglect.

One only has to look in the eyes of the children to see the innocence turn to shame during the years. From there, the shame becomes resignation to their fate or a fierce determination to either escape by their own accomplishments or adoption of criminal activity to prey upon their neighbors.

The job of public housing director is often a thankless one, filled with frustration and often lacking in true progress toward making a positive difference. It is not something most people would aspire to do for a career, filled with challenges, setbacks and unblinking scrutiny.

The potential is there, though, to do great good for not only the residents but also the surrounding community and the taxpayers as a whole.

The search committee to select a new director certainly has its hands full.

LEONARD GRAY is managing editor of L’Observateur. He may be reached at (85) 652-9545.