After the Chattanooga Housing Authority has laid off a third of its staff, the agency’s administrative office still is overstaffed by an estimated 33 employees, according to a recent financial review performed by a team from HUD’s Real Estate Assessment Center in Washington, D.C.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development conducted a monitored review of the agency in June. Housing officials released the results of the review today.

The local authority’s staffing has been reduced from 206 to 142 employees this year. However, based on HUD’s historical staffing guidelines, CHA still is overstaffed by about 15 employees, according to the report.

“Moreover, the authority’s administrative offices are overstaffed by an estimated 33 employees, while its maintenance department is understaffed by approximately 18 employees,” according to the report.

Maintenance workers were included in CHA’s reduction in staff earlier this year.

The report also stated that CHA more than tripled the amount of severance pay that it had intended to give to employees.

“The difference between the cost of the severance pay contemplated in CHA’s policy manual, which totaled $81,071, and the amount actually paid to employees covered by the reduction in force ($292,589) was $211,519,” the report states.

Included in that amount is the $86,804 severance package given to former Executive Director Bob Dull even though he resigned from his position, according to the report.

Severance packages usually are reserved for employees who are laid off without receiving two weeks notice, according to the report.

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