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Ethics Commission To Discuss Section 8 Subsidies Issue

By Jenna Carlesso

April 12, 2011

News broke over the weekend that Mayor Pedro Segarra's spouse, Charlie Ortiz, collects about $2,000 a month in federal Section 8 rent subsidies as the landlord for low-income tenants, and that Segarra hasn't disclosed that on his annual ethics disclosure forms. This afternoon, the city's ethics commission will discuss the issue during its regularly scheduled meeting.

The Courant reported Sunday that Ortiz collects about $2,000 a month in federal Section 8 rent subsidies as the landlord for two low-income tenants in apartments that he owns. The subsidies, totaling more than $120,000 in the nearly five years that Segarra has been a councilman and now mayor, are under a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development "housing choice voucher program" administered locally by the city. HUD now is reviewing the matter.

The city's ethics commission will add the matter to its agenda under new business, member Arnaldo Sierra said today. It is unclear if the commission will take action on the issue, he said.

The ethics commission will meet at 5 p.m. at city hall, 550 Main St. The meeting will be held in the third floor conference room.