Development Director Ashley Wright News Today

CANTON  Britnee Allens rental house and new job at the Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority are glowing examples of an agency success story — or the fruits of favoritism from the top. On one hand: Using her government-funded Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8), the unemployed single mom moved her family from Orrville into the Plain Local School District and a house on 41st Street NW the Housing Authority had recently purchased. Then in short order, Allen landed a newly-added Housing Aut...

But on the other hand: Hill knew Allen personally. Their now seventh-grade sons, both currently living in the Plain school system, played together on an Ohio Phenom Academy travel basketball team in 2017, and have played against each other since. And that house Allen leases on 41st Street was the only one purchased last year by the Housing Authority. Some former and current Housing Authority employees said they believe Hill used his position to give Allen special treatment. Last month, an ...