Chicago Housing Authority Commissioner Fights for Board Seat

A Chicago Housing Authority board member once hailed as a symbol of tenant representation is now fighting to keep both her seat and her housing subsidy after an internal probe concluded with allegations of fraud.

Debra Parker, appointed in 2018 by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel as the first CHA commissioner with a housing voucher, is facing mounting scrutiny after a hearing officer alleged she engaged in a “pattern of actions” meant to mislead the agency, according to findings obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ.

The 62-page decision lays out allegations that Parker failed to disclose key income and household details tied to her participation in the federal Housing Choice Voucher program, commonly known as Section 8. The program subsidizes rent in private housing, typically requiring tenants to pay about 30 percent of their income while the government covers the rest.

At the center of the case is where Parker actually lives. While receiving a subsidy for a four-bedroom home on the South Side, investigators determined that she and her son were instead spending significant time at a luxury high-rise in River North owned by her fiancé, Charles Bell. Evidence cited in the report includes ride pickups and official board materials being sent to the downtown address.

The decision also alleges Parker failed to report that her daughter lived in the subsidized home and did not disclose her daughter’s income from CHA contracts.

An earlier investigation found companies owned by her longtime boyfriend, sister and daughter collectively received more than $22 million in CHA contracts. The daughter’s cleaning company alone received more than $1 million from the agency, though Parker has denied steering business to family members, noting commissioners have no role in vendor selection.

In total, the CHA determined Parker owes the agency more than $12,000 due to unreported income and benefits, according to the publication. The agency moved to terminate her voucher in February, a decision Parker is now challenging in Cook County Circuit Court as she seeks to avoid eviction.

CHA Chair Matthew Brewer has urged Mayor Brandon Johnson to consider removing Parker, citing concerns about her fiduciary responsibilities. State law requires resident representation on the board, meaning Johnson would need to replace Parker with another CHA resident.

Parker has denied wrongdoing, calling any reporting failures an “oversight” during hearings.

— Eric Weilbacher