Jacksonville Housing Authority to Review CEO Employment

The housing authority board will meet Tuesday to address CEO Cheron Corbett Waller's future following a fee proposal.

Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in People

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The Jacksonville Housing Authority board meets Tuesday to review the future of CEO Cheron Corbett Waller after her controversial fee-sharing proposal. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should public agency leaders be allowed to take commission payments from development deals they oversee?

The Jacksonville Housing Authority board has scheduled an emergency meeting for Tuesday to evaluate the status of CEO Cheron Corbett Waller. The meeting follows the CEO's controversial proposal to receive 12 percent of developer fees on new housing projects.

Why it matters

The board is re-evaluating the leadership of the Jacksonville Housing Authority after the CEO requested a significant portion of project-based developer fees. This proposal faced strong internal opposition, with leadership describing the request as shocking.

CEO Cheron Corbett Waller currently receives a $300,000 annual salary. Her proposal to collect 12 percent of developer fees could have netted $1 million from a single project, while termination without cause triggers a $100,000 severance payout.

The players

Cheron Corbett Waller

She serves as the CEO of the Jacksonville Housing Authority and has one and a half years remaining on her current contract.

Deegan

As the Mayor of Jacksonville, she issued Executive Order 2026-03 to address financial oversight concerns within the housing authority board.

The details

The board chairman rejected the proposal to share in project fees, characterizing the request as offensive. The authority is now operating under Mayor Deegan's Executive Order 2026-03, which mandates heightened financial oversight for the agency.

Timeline

  1. The board holds an emergency meeting on October 27, 2026.

  2. The board chairman provided comments to reporters on October 27, 2026.

Market Landscape

This leadership review occurs against the backdrop of Executive Order 2026-03, which mandates strict financial oversight for the board. It signals a move toward increased municipal scrutiny of executive compensation structures in local public housing agencies.

Residents should expect potential administrative shifts as the board decides the future of its top executive. These organizational changes may affect the timeline and management of new housing projects currently under development in the city.

The takeaway

Public agencies are increasingly facing intense scrutiny over executive compensation and project fee structures. Taxpayers and local residents can track board meeting minutes to stay informed on how administrative decisions impact housing resource allocation.

Further reading

For more on local leadership changes, visit the Jacksonville People section.

Live Poll

Should public agency leaders be allowed to take commission payments from development deals they oversee?