E-mail suggests retaliation by HUD

WASHINGTON, March 12 (UPI) -- Two U.S. officials exchanged e-mail messages about punishing Philadelphia's housing director after he refused to transfer ownership of some city property.

The e-mail from a pair of political appointees of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development were obtained by The Washington Post in connection with a lawsuit over HUD's decision to strip the Philadelphia Housing Authority of as much as $50 million in federal funds, the newspaper reported Wednesday.

HUD has said publicly that its funding decision is not related to demands by HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson that Philadelphia housing director Carl Greene turn over a $2 million vacant lot to a friend of Jackson's.

However, in one of the e-mail messages obtained by the Post, HUD Assistant Secretary Orlando J. Cabrera writes about Greene: "Would you like me to make his life less happy? If so, how?"

"Take away all of his federal dollars?" responds Kim Kendrick, an assistant secretary who oversaw accessible housing.

The Post says on the date the messages were sent HUD officials notified Philadelphia of violations that jeopardized $50 million in funding.