Housing agency has landlord problems.

If you ask Jerry Hayden, president of the Charlotte Landlord Association, folks at the Charlotte Housing Authority are arrogant, incompetent bullies. He says they owe his JEH Associates Inc. almost $16,000 in late rent, some as late as six months. "These people just don't care. They say, 'If you don't like it, take your stuff off the program.'"

So that's what Hayden is doing. In early August, he gave 25 tenants, most of whom are elderly, disabled or teen-aged moms, 30 days to clear out. His other 15 rent-subsidized tenants will be asked to leave as their leases expire, ending his 20-year relationship with the authority. "We would rather spend $100,000 in turnover costs, than deal with [the housing authority] any more."

Housing Authority President Harrison Shannon didn't return phone calls seeking comment on Hayden's accusations. But Shannon did write a letter to the authority's board, saying, "The problem derives from Mr. Hayden not being a good landlord."

Hayden has been abusive to authority staff, Shannon wrote. On several occasions, police were called to remove him from the building, but he always left before they arrived. Authority staffers won't handle his accounts. Some have quit because of him. He gives his tenants bad information about the authority and has had rent withheld because units failed inspection, Shannon wrote. Even so, Shannon asked the authority's auditor to investigate Hayden's claim that the authority owes...