MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Memphis City Hall is investigating one of its programs after an ABC 24 News report showed tens of thousands of dollars in city money wasted.
The city's HARP program pays for home repairs for people who have low to moderate incomes. Taxpayers are picking up the tab.
It all started with one south Memphis woman who says the contractor hired to work on her home did a botched job. But she wasn't alone.
ABC 24's Jeni DiPrizio finally got the truth from Housing and Community Development Director Robert Lipscomb.
Barbara Davis lives on Ida Street in south Memphis. Last month, the federal government was asking questions about the work done at her home; now the city is too.
Director Lipscomb wouldn't go into details, but truth is the city's taking a look at the quality of work done at Davis' home.
He told abc24.com, "We want to make sure if we spent money on rehab we want to make sure it was done right so we have our own [inspector general] looking at it."
Two months ago, Davis showed ABC 24 News what was supposed to be $20,000 worth of work contractor's hired by the city did to her home.
"I don't want my property to look bad and this looks bad," she said.
She was upset about improperly installed railings. The new kitchen cabinets were warped. The new roof was leaking. The toilet wasn't secure. The list went on and on.
The truth according to Lipscomb, "We go in and do just enough to keep the people in their houses and sometimes they are not happy about it," he said.
After our first report, Davis said contractors came back and made additional repairs but it's work you wouldn't pay for, even though you did.
Davis said, "If you're gonna do something, do it right. Don't just send the lowest bidder to my house."
Truth is, another viewer called who was also part of the HARP program. She had work done on her home by the same contractor who worked on Davis' home, and says the work was substandard. She didn't want to be identified fearing retaliation from the city.
