COLUMBIA, S.C. — The former Columbia Housing Authority Executive Director is speaking out after the tragedy at Allen Benedict Court.
Rodney Fauser sent a letter to the News 19 Deep Dive team explaining that he was the executive director from 1990-2000, preceding Gilbert Walker.
In the letter he explained that during his tenure the Housing Authority was designated as "One of the top best managed large housing authorities in the nation" by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"It is hard for me to understand how the Allen Benedict disaster could occur," wrote Fauser. "How could two human beings die from carbon dioxide poisoning when the problem had been reported to management over a year ago and many times since? How is it that nobody in the authority apparently took little or no time to solve the problem? This is not the Authority I knew."
Fauser also questioned who will be held accountable for the deaths of Calvin Witherspoon, 61 and Derrick Roper, 30.
"In addition to the failure of management, what about the failure of the Board of Directors and HUD - who both have oversight - are they not culpable as well?" questioned Fauser. "In my view it is time for accountability. The Allen Benedict disaster is nothing less than gross negligence! The residents deserve better than this - Columbia deserves better than this and the tax payers deserve better than this."
Fauser said he retired in January of 2000 after funding was secured to tear down Saxon Homes and rebuild the Celia Saxon community.