JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – She’s been on the job for only a year and a half, and now News4JAX has learned the CEO of the Jacksonville Housing Authority could be on her way out.
The Housing Authority board is holding an emergency meeting on Tuesday to review the performance and continued employment of Cheron Corbett Waller.
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Last week, Corbett proposed to board members that she get a 12-percent cut of developer fees on any new housing authority project to be built.
On one project, she could’ve been compensated $1 million. Corbett Waller makes an annual salary of $300,000.
During the meeting set for 10 a.m., the agenda calls for the board to discuss CEO performance and “CEO continued employment.”
“JHA has a strong and professional board that is empowered to oversee agency leadership and make decisions that are in the best interest of tenants and taxpayers. They work with the CEO on a regular basis and are best positioned to judge performance,” the mayor’s office said in a statement to News4JAX. “Executive Order 2026-03 was issued by Mayor Deegan to provide independent authority board members the tools they need to provide proper financial oversight. This is an example where a board has a fiduciary responsibility to perform its due diligence.”
We spoke with Daniel Blanchard, board chairman, on Monday. He said he found the proposal “offensive and shocking,” and explained that the board shot it down, which led to Tuesday’s emergency meeting.
We were told the proposal came out of the blue, particularly because she wasn’t in contract negotiations at the time.
City Councilman Michael Boylan is the liaison to JHA. While acknowledging that Corbett had done some good things at JHA, he thought her compensation proposal was inappropriate and bad optics.
“Where is your priority? Your priority’s going out there and getting development deals done so you get your compensation or is your priority focusing on, you know, the day-and-day work of the JHA,” Boylan said.
We provide an update to this story after Tuesday’s meeting. We also reached Corbett for comment but haven’t heard back yet.
She has a year and a half left on her contract, and she could stay on the job, but if she’s terminated without cause, her contract states she could get 22 weeks of her salary, or over $100,000.
If she is terminated with cause, she could get nothing from her contract.
