Heights Housing Officials Gone Amid Ethics Investigations

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Two Cleveland Heights Housing Department officials have left the city's employment amid an investigation into their conduct. City Manager Tanisha Briley released a statement on the departures on Thursday.

"The departure of these two former employees, after comprehensive investigations and internal hearings, was handled quickly. Their actions were isolated and they were held accountable for their transgressions," Briley said.

Chief of Inspections Officer David Harris resigned after the investigation and Housing Inspector Anthony DiFrancesco was fired, Briley said. Both men were investigated for separate conflicts of interest.

Harris' son owns a property management business with sites in Cleveland Heights. Cleveland Heights officials discovered Harris had conducted investigations at these properties and signed city documents using his son's signature.

Harris, who had worked for the city since 2002, admitted to the allegations and resigned from his position, Briley said.

DiFrancesco owns his own business. When he was hired in 2018, he was told his company could not conduct business in Cleveland Heights in any way that would pose a conflict of interest with his duties as a housing inspector.

Cleveland Heights officials discovered DiFrancesco inspected properties that his company had worked on. He was fired after these allegations came to light, Briley said.

"There is no room for this kind of behavior in our organization, and I am pleased that the culture of ethics we have built over the years encouraged a city employee to come forward and report these allegations," Briley said in a statement.

The first complaint filed against Harris and DiFrancesco was filed July 11, 2019, a Cleveland Heights spokesperson told Patch. The investigation into the two city employees was launched the next day, July 12.

Officials concluded their investigation on August 9, with a pre-disciplinary notice sent out August 14. Both Harris and DiFrancesco were given seven days to respond. A hearing for the two was held August 20 and the resignation and termination happened August 21.

Briley said she wanted the city to be transparent about these investigations.

"These types of events can threaten the public’s trust of our city so it is important that we provide an understanding of the events that occurred and the swift actions that were taken following the report of the allegations," she said.