Jacksonville Housing Authority Board Fires CEO: One Jacksonville Board Takes a Stand on Executive Accountability

John Hawley

Oct 27, 2026

The Public Money Pipeline: Part XIII

The Jacksonville Housing Authority board unanimously fired CEO Cheron Corbett Waller on Tuesday after a proposed developer-fee compensation plan brought renewed scrutiny to the agency’s leadership.

The board terminated Waller without cause, effective immediately, and named former JHA leader Roslyn Phillips acting CEO. Commissioners pointed to concerns about operations, organizational culture and finances, as well as the compensation proposal that could have produced a substantial payment for Waller from a single housing development. Waller’s attorney criticized the decision and said she was not given an opportunity to respond to the allegations.

The vote offers a timely example of a Jacksonville board exercising its authority over an agency executive. It also leaves the board with a responsibility to explain the concerns behind its decision and how it will address them while continuing to serve residents who depend on affordable housing.

JHA Board Takes Action After Developer-Fee Proposal

The emergency meeting followed reporting on Waller’s request for compensation tied to developer fees generated by JHA projects. As The 101 Report previously covered in Part XI, the proposal called for Waller to receive 12% of developer fees, along with a $30,000 bonus. It also proposed setting aside 13% of developer fees for eligible senior staff.

Board Chair Daniel Blanchard said directors rejected the proposal. At Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners cited the proposal among their reasons for removing Waller. The percentages were proposed compensation; they were not approved payments.

The dispute drew attention because executive compensation at a public housing authority affects public confidence in how development resources are managed. The board’s rejection showed that directors were willing to challenge the proposed terms. The subsequent employment decision moved that scrutiny from the compensation plan to Waller’s leadership of the agency.

Franklin Arms Showed the Potential Value of the Proposal

Action News Jax obtained documents showing an approximately $8.1 million developer fee associated with the planned Franklin Arms redevelopment. Applying the proposed 12% rate produced a potential payment of approximately $972,626 for Waller from that project alone.

The figure was an estimate based on the proposed rate and the project documents. Waller did not receive that payment under the rejected plan. The calculation nevertheless showed why the proposal attracted attention from board members and the public.

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’s earlier reporting. That public investment adds to the importance of explaining how project fees and any proposed executive incentives would work.

JHA Chair Cites Operational and Financial Concerns

At Tuesday’s meeting, Blanchard described problems with JHA’s operations, organizational culture and finances. He also criticized the condition of the authority’s books and the developer-fee proposal.

Those statements identify concerns that deserve a documented public explanation. The board should make clear which financial issues it found, when directors became aware of them and what steps acting management will take to address them. Tenants and taxpayers should not have to infer the details from a general description of the books.

The distinction matters because the board fired Waller without cause. The vote ended her employment, but it did not establish that she committed a crime or a financial violation. The underlying records and any subsequent reviews will determine what can be concluded about the agency’s financial management.

Corbett Waller’s Attorney Challenges the Process

Waller’s attorney, Tad Delegal, told Action News Jax that the decision was unfortunate and said she had not been given an opportunity to respond to the criticism or defend herself. He also said she had done a good job leading the authority.

News4JAX reported that officials said Waller had been offered an opportunity to resign over the weekend and declined. The board then voted unanimously to dismiss her at Tuesday’s meeting. The public record should show how directors evaluated her performance and what procedures governed the decision.

Delegal said it appeared the board would pay Waller severance equivalent to 22 weeks of pay. News4JAX reported that her contract could provide that amount, worth more than $100,000. The final amount and other separation terms remain to be confirmed.

Roslyn Phillips Returns as Acting JHA CEO

The board named Roslyn Phillips, a former JHA leader, acting CEO after Waller’s departure. Phillips previously served as the authority’s interim president and CEO during an earlier leadership transition.

Her appointment provides an immediate management transition, but the board still needs to explain its plan for permanent leadership. That includes how long the acting arrangement is expected to last and how directors will evaluate candidates for the position.

For residents, the transition is more than a personnel matter. JHA must continue managing housing operations, addressing service concerns and communicating with tenants while directors confront the issues raised at the meeting.

What the JHA Vote Shows About Board Responsibility

Independent authority boards have substantial responsibilities even though their members are not elected to those positions. They evaluate executives, review financial information and make decisions that affect public services. Their authority matters most when directors are willing to question management and explain their decisions publicly.

The JHA board rejected a compensation proposal and then voted to change leadership. Those actions distinguish the board’s response from the still-unresolved leadership debate at the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, where a director has called for senior executives to resign amid a separate financial crisis.

The comparison has limits. The available reporting does not establish that JHA has the same budget problems or accounting practices alleged at JTA. The common question is whether each board receives the information it needs and acts effectively when concerns arise.

Mayor Deegan Praises the Board’s Decision

Mayor Donna Deegan praised the JHA board’s vote in a statement reported by Action News Jax. She described the action as an example of board oversight and said she was confident directors would select a CEO who continues addressing housing affordability.

The mayor appoints JHA board members, while the board oversees agency leadership. That arrangement places the immediate responsibility for the vote—and for explaining the concerns behind it—with the directors who made the decision.

The board’s next challenge is to turn the leadership change into a clear plan. Residents need to know what financial and operational problems require correction, who will oversee that work and how progress will be reported.

What Happens Next for Jacksonville Housing Authority?

Tuesday’s vote settled Waller’s immediate employment status, but questions remain about the developer-fee proposal, JHA’s financial records and the cost of her departure. The board has not yet publicly established a final severance amount in the reporting reviewed.

Directors should also explain whether they intend to establish clearer policies for future executive incentive proposals. A compensation plan tied to development fees can affect public confidence even when a board ultimately rejects it.

For tenants, the most important outcome will be whether the authority maintains reliable housing services and addresses management concerns during the transition. The board took a decisive personnel action. Its continuing responsibility is to show Jacksonville what that action accomplishes.

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