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Council forwards two nominees to Harrisburg Housing Authority board after residents describe concerns
Summary
The council’s administration committee moved two resident nominees — Yvonne Marie Jackson and Laura Corey Robinson — forward for formal vote after both described experience living in and advocating for improvements to local subsidized housing, including a lack of an evacuation plan at Jackson Towers.
The Harrisburg City Council moved two nominations to the Harrisburg Housing Authority board to its next legislative agenda after the nominees described their ties to and concerns about city-owned housing.
Yvonne Marie Jackson and Laura Corey Robinson appeared before the administration committee Feb. 2025 to introduce themselves and explain why they want to serve. Jackson said she has lived in Harrisburg her whole life and told the committee, “I would like to be a member to help our seniors in our building.” Robinson said she has lived in Harrisburg for 56 years and, referring to past residence at McLeish Street Apartments, said she was “very dissatisfied” with conditions there and wants to help “make a better living space for some of our low income people.”
The nominations were read into the record as Resolution 34 and Resolution 35. Council members asked the nominees about specific goals and potential conflicts of interest. Jackson told the council she wants the housing authority to “listen to our seniors” and raised a specific operational concern: “we have no evacuation plan for Jackson Towers,” she said. Council members suggested the solicitor determine whether Jackson’s role as treasurer of Jackson Towers presents a conflict on particular votes; the solicitor said there may be instances requiring recusal.
Council members praised both nominees’ willingness to serve and asked them to provide contact information for follow-up. Council President Hill moved both resolutions to the next legislative session agenda for a formal vote.
The committee chair, Councilwoman Davis, told the nominees she would work with them as chair of the Building and Housing Committee, and other council members emphasized accountability and the need for the nominees to be willing to speak up if they see maintenance or safety problems.
No formal vote on the appointments occurred at the work session; both resolutions were forwarded for a formal vote at a later meeting.
