State affordable housing director resigns. Chosen by DeSantis, he was suspended twice
Gov. Ron DeSantis’ embattled affordable housing director, who was accused of creating a hostile workplace, resigned on Thursday.
Mike DiNapoli, 54, stepped down a day before the Florida Housing Finance Corp. board of directors was set to fire or reinstate him.
The resignation ends months of drama since DeSantis chose the former New York financial adviser to lead the housing corporation, an independent state entity that oversees and distributes billions of state and federal affordable housing dollars.
In July, the corporation’s board chairman placed DiNapoli on paid leave while its inspector general looked into allegations that he was abusive and sexist.
A month later, DeSantis reinstated DiNapoli, with a spokesperson saying the investigation had “found nothing to justify the placement of Mr. DiNapoli on administrative leave.”
In September, the corporation’s inspector general, Chris Hirst, presented his investigation to the board, reporting that employees alleged DiNapoli screamed at staff, made sexist comments, talked about their weight and threatened their jobs.
The board then placed him on leave a second time, prompting a DeSantis administration official to call the inspector general report a “media hit piece.” DeSantis’ press secretary blasted the board, mostly made up of DeSantis appointees, as members of the “deep state” and lacked the “ability to sort fact from fiction.”
A spokesperson for the corporation did not respond to a request for comment on the resignation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
