Jacksonville Housing Authority Board to Review CEO’s Future After Developer-Fee Pay Proposal

John Hawley

Oct 27, 2026

The Public Money Pipeline XII

The Jacksonville Housing Authority board is scheduled to meet Tuesday to review CEO Cheron Corbett Waller’s performance and continued employment, following controversy over her proposal to receive a percentage of developer fees from housing projects.

The special meeting comes after board members rejected the proposed compensation plan, which could have produced a payment of approximately $972,626 for Waller from one redevelopment project alone. The discussion also arrives as Jacksonville residents are questioning financial oversight at another independent authority, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority.

News4JAX reported that the JHA meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. October 27 and that the agenda includes CEO performance and continued employment. A review of Waller’s employment does not mean the board has decided to terminate her; the outcome remains to be determined.

What Did the JHA CEO’s Developer-Fee Proposal Include?

As The 101 Report previously examined, Waller proposed compensation equal to 12% of developer fees generated by JHA projects, along with a $30,000 bonus. The proposal also called for setting aside 13% of developer fees for eligible senior staff.

The percentages represented separate portions of developer fees—not a 12% payment shared collectively by Waller and her senior leadership team. Board Chair Daniel Blanchard told Action News Jax that the board rejected the proposal. Waller has said developer fees can range from 1% to 12% and characterized her proposed compensation as consistent with industry practice, according to the station’s reporting.

Why Did the Franklin Arms Project Draw Attention?

Action News Jax obtained documents showing an approximately $8.1 million developer fee associated with the planned Franklin Arms redevelopment. At the proposed 12% rate, Waller’s share could have been approximately $972,626 from that project alone, if the proposal had been approved and applied as described.

That figure was a calculation based on the proposal and project documents. It was not an approved payment or money Waller received. The board’s rejection is central to understanding what occurred.

Franklin Arms is a roughly $50 million redevelopment intended to replace the former apartment complex with approximately 130 affordable housing units. Jacksonville City Council has approved $1 million toward the project, according to Action News Jax. The potential executive payment therefore raised questions about how development fees would be used alongside the public resources supporting affordable housing.

What Will the JHA Board Consider at the Special Meeting?

News4JAX reported that the agenda calls for discussion of Waller’s performance and continued employment. The station also reported that the mayor’s office described the JHA board as empowered to oversee agency leadership and make decisions in the interests of tenants and taxpayers. The mayor appoints members of the independent authority’s board.

The compensation proposal supplies a clear reason for public interest in the meeting. The reporting reviewed does not establish that it is the only issue board members will consider, or that the board has reached a conclusion about Waller’s employment.

The meeting should clarify how the board evaluates the CEO’s performance, whether it plans any change in compensation and what action, if any, it takes on her contract. Residents also need to hear how the board intends to communicate its decisions to tenants whose housing depends on the authority’s operations.

A Disputed Trash Bill Raised Earlier Questions About JHA Operations

JHA’s recent history includes a separate dispute over payments for trash collection at Brentwood Lakes Apartments. In August 2025, Action News Jax reported that Republic Services said JHA had failed to pay a $5,500 bill dating to September 2024, and collection at the property had stopped.

Waller disputed the company’s account. In an internal email obtained by the station, she said the bill had been paid and attributed the issue to a delay in Republic’s accounting department. Those competing explanations should remain attributed; the report does not establish that Waller committed a financial violation or that the dispute was caused by the same problems alleged at JTA.

The practical concern for residents was the interruption of a basic service while the payment was disputed. For board oversight, the episode raises questions about how JHA tracks invoices, resolves disagreements with vendors and reports service interruptions. Those questions are separate from the developer-fee proposal, but both concern how the authority manages public responsibilities.

How Does JHA Compare With the JTA Financial Investigation?

JTA’s financial crisis has prompted questions about reserves, budget forecasts, executive decisions and what directors were told. At JHA, the immediate issues reported ahead of Tuesday’s meeting are the rejected compensation proposal and the board’s review of its CEO.

The two authorities serve different purposes and face different reported circumstances. The available reporting does not establish that JHA has a JTA-like budget shortfall, that its board was misled about reserves, or that Waller caused financial irregularities. Those claims would require their own records and investigation.

The connection is nevertheless important for Jacksonville. Both agencies operate with public responsibilities and boards expected to oversee management. As The 101 Report continues its JTA at a Crossroads coverage, the JHA meeting presents another opportunity to examine how an independent board evaluates executive performance and responds when a controversial proposal reaches its agenda.

JHA’s Leadership History Adds Context

Waller was selected for the CEO position in January 2025 after the board’s first-choice candidate withdrew. News4JAX reported that the board offered her a compensation package described at the time as $290,000 in base pay plus $10,000 for medical coverage. The board presented her arrival as an opportunity to improve the agency’s performance and culture.

That background matters as the board evaluates her roughly year-and-a-half tenure. The review is an opportunity to measure performance against the authority’s responsibilities to residents, its financial management and the expectations established when she was hired.

It is also an opportunity for the board to explain the criteria behind any decision. A clear public account would help tenants and taxpayers understand whether the board’s concerns involve compensation, management practices, agency performance or some combination of those issues.

What Should Jacksonville Watch for at the JHA Meeting?

The immediate question is whether Waller remains CEO after the board’s review. Just as important is whether directors explain the basis for their decision and what comes next for the authority.

If the board keeps Waller, residents should hear how it will evaluate her performance and handle any future compensation proposal. If it changes leadership, the board should explain who will manage the agency during the transition and how housing services will continue. Either outcome should leave tenants with a clearer understanding of the authority’s plans.

The rejected developer-fee proposal brought public attention to the value of JHA redevelopment projects and the incentives available to agency leadership. Tuesday’s meeting will show how the board responds to that scrutiny—and whether it provides a fuller account of the agency’s performance.

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