The hunt for a temporary replacement for Greene suggests his return to the PHA's helm is doubtful.
"We are looking for names of people who could serve as an interim executive director," John F. Street, the PHA board chairman and former mayor, confirmed in an e-mail.
Asked if the search for an interim chief meant Greene is unlikely to return, Street said, "We are not sure, but better to have a pick and not need it than to need it and not have one." Plus, someone must supervise day-to-day activities, Street said.
Greene is currently out of state receiving medical treatment. Board members say they want to give Greene "due process" by conducting their own investigation into his conduct.
But some members, including Street, have expressed deep unhappiness at not being informed of the complaints or settlements. In announcing Greene's suspension following a unanimous vote of the five-member board, Street said Greene would lose his job if even one of the four sexual-harassment complaints was verified.
He also said the board was moving ahead to hire a "consultant" to help investigate the handling of the harassment charges and other elements of PHA management.
"We hope to have some outside consultant help identified soon," he said.
The board's inquiry will be running parallel to investigations by the U.S. Attorney's Office and the HUD audit.
The HUD team has "78 years of auditing experience," said a spokeswoman, Donna White.
"The length of the stay will be decided by the work we find on site," she said. "We don't have a timeline. It's going to be dependent on what they find and what they don't find."
