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City council member accused of forging names to get his way

by Jeremy Rogalski/Investigative Reporter

khou.com

Posted on June 14, 2011 at 9:52 PM

Updated today at 10:35 PM

HOUSTON -- A Houston city council member is being sued by his neighbors for allegedly forging signatures on an official petition to change their street name.

In the heart of Asia Town in southwest Houston, some homeowners in the Turtlewood Square subdivision say they’ve been robbed. They were not robbed of their belongings, but rather their good names.

“Definitely homeowners [are] scared, shocked, angry,” said Jenny Lu.

Sue Tsai, another neighbor, agreed.

“This is really underhanded,” she said.

"When I looked at my name, somebody forged it," said Jody Pay.

The forgery feud involves an effort to change their street name from Turtlewood Drive, to Little Saigon Drive. One of the homeowners pushing for the name change is City of Houston Council Member Al Hoang.

The I-Team learned Hoang and five other homeowners are being sued by neighbors for allegedly forging signatures on a petition to change the street name. One way to officially file the petition according to city policy is for 75 percent of adjoining homeowners to sign their approval. The lawsuit claims such a petition, without enough signatures, was given to Council member Hoang. But when the politician later turned it into the City Planning and Development Department, it now had an extra 16 names on it, giving the document that needed 75 percent.

But plaintiffs claim those signatures were bogus.

"It kind of looks like my name, but it's not, and I was very angered," said Pay.

"It's a stealing of the vote--the stealing of someone's identities,” said attorney David Tang, who represents the angry homeowners.

"Without a question, the evidence shows that there were forgeries committed while this petition was in Councilman Al Hoang's custody, care and control," Tang said.

So the I-Team caught up with Hoang at city hall.

I-Team: “Did you forge 16 names on that street name change petition?”

Hoang: “No."

I-Team: “Then how did those names get there?"

Hoang: “They (inaudible) to my nanny.”

I-Team: “Your nanny?”

Hoang: “My nanny.”

I-Team: “Your nanny did it?”

Hoang: “I do not know for sure.”

I-Team: “Who's your nanny?”

Hoang: “At this point she doesn't work for me anymore.”

I-Team: “Can we talk to her?”

Hoang: “If we can find her, yes.”

I-Team: “So the nanny who may, or may not have forged these signatures is nowhere to be found?”

Hoang: “She's (inaudible), but I don't know, I haven't found her yet.”

But after the allegations surfaced, Hoang went another way to get the street's name changed--using his power as a City of Houston council member to push it through on his own. No signatures required.

The City’s Planning and Development Department confirmed that is allowed under city policy.

"Yes, council members can bypass the petition process and make a direct request," said Division Manager Jennifer Ostlind.

And that leaves some of Hoang’s neighbors feeling slighted.

"I feel like I've been robbed," said I-Le Lu.

"It's like somebody jammed something down your throat without your own consent," said Sue Tsai.

Meanwhile, Hoang told the I-Team that the reason he wants Turtlewood Drive to become Little Saigon Drive is to promote tourism and economic development. As for his co-defendants, five other homeowners also accused of faking signatures. Their attorney Vy Nguyen said her clients did not commit any forgery, nor have any knowledge of anyone who did.-
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KHOU 11 News I-Team
Mayor calls for OIG investigation into Council Member Hoang

by Jeremy Rogalski / KHOU 11 News I-team

khou.com

Posted on June 17, 2011 at 11:05 AM

Updated today at 11:39 AM

Related:
Mayor reacts to forgery allegations against council member
City council member accused of forging names to get his way
Controversy over Houston Councilman leads to criminal complaint
Critics: Councilman Al Hoang purports hate

HOUSTON—Houston Mayor Annise Parker is requesting the City’s Office of Inspector General investigate allegations that Council Member Al Hoang forged signatures on a street name change petition where he resides.

"Mayor Parker thought there were enough questions about the street naming to warrant an OIG investigation," said Parker’s spokesperson Janice Evans. "She has directed the OIG to go ahead rather than wait for formal request from somewhere else.

"I welcome the Office of Inspector General investigation and will fully cooperate with it. I have already volunteered information　to their office　for a full and thorough investigation. I am completely confident that when all the facts are reviewed, I will be cleared of any wrongdoing, Hoang said in a written statement.

The controversy centers around a push to change the name of a Turtlewood Drive in Asia Town in Southwest Houston, to Little Saigon Drive.

The I-Team first reported Tuesday how a group of homeowners in the Turtlewood Square community is suing some neighbors, including Hoang, for allegedly forging their signatures on an official petition to change the street name.

"This is really underhanded," said homeowner Sue Tsai.

"It kind of looks like my name, but it’s not, and I was very angered," added Jenny Lu.

Council Member Hoang was allegedly the last person to handle the petition before it was sent to the city with the forged names. But Tuesday he told the I-Team he didn’t do it.

Hoang: "They (inaudible) to my nanny."

I-Team: "Your nanny?"

Hoang: "My nanny."

I-Team: "Your nanny did it?"

Hoang: "I don’t know for sure."

I-Team: "Who’s your nanny?"

Hoang: "At this point she doesn’t work for me anymore."

After the forgery allegations surfaced, Hoang took another route to push the street name change through—submitting a direct request without neighbor signatures—which he is allowed to do as a City Council member.

After City Council convened for its regular session Wednesday, Mayor Parker pledged a thorough review of all petitions before any vote is taken to change Turtlewood to Little Saigon Drive.

"If there are any irregularities during that, we’ll investigate those, but we’ll have to get this sorted out," Parker said.

"Nothing is going to move until we can be assured that the community wishes have been fairly represented," Parker said.
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Báo Houston Chronico
***
Hoang accused of forging petition signatures to rename street
By JESSICA PRIEST
Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle
June 15, 2011, 9:07PM
Melissa Phillip Chronicle
City Councilman Al Hoang is facing a lawsuit from neighbors accusing him of forging their signatures on a petition to change the name of a street in west Houston.
Hoang said Wednesday that he does not know whether the document was forged or who may be the culprit but speculated that his former nanny, whose name he cannot remember, may be to blame.

"She was the last person to tender me the petition," Hoang said. "I do not know if she collected the signatures."

A petition to change the name of Turtlewood Drive to Little Saigon Drive initially surfaced in November 2010.

Hoang and four others are being sued over the petition signatures in a county court at law. The lawsuit accuses Hoang and the other defendants of stealing their neighbors' right to vote "in order to rename a public street that invokes images of a communist country."

County Court at Law Judge Jacqueline Smith has issued a temporary injunction in the case to block further action on the street renaming.

According to the plaintiffs, 13 petition signatures were forged. One neighbor, whose name initially was reported as forged, since has recanted her allegation, defense attorney Vy Nguyen said.

The petition
Nguyen said Hoang approached her clients about changing the street name in a bid to win votes for the upcoming city council election. She said they circulated the document around the street before one of her clients, Tam Pham, gave it to Hoang's nanny to give to the councilman. She said the group did not authorize Hoang to submit it to the City's Planning and Development Department.

"They stopped (getting signatures) at 24 when they got the first disapproval. They figured that they had gotten most of their people and that was all they could gather," Nguyen said. "After that, they gave it to the nanny who would've gathered more signatures … I heard that it would be left at people's homes. A lot of things could've happened to that petition."

The defendants stand by Hoang's nanny story, Nguyen said.

"My clients have not come to the conclusion that Al Hoang did it or that there was any foul play," she said. "They want to give him the benefit of the doubt."

A 'convenient excuse'
Plaintiffs attorney David Tang disputed the nanny theory.

"There are forged signatures there, and this petition passed through these five individuals' hands with the most grievous one going to the city councilman's office," he said. "What's really grievous about it is that the councilman had custody and control of that document before it went to the city planning department. ... He has just interjected the nanny in there as a distraction. It's a very convenient excuse. It's worse than saying the dog ate my homework."

I-le Lu, an eight-year resident of the Turtlewood Square subdivision, said his signature was forged to vote in favor of the street name change. He said he never was approached by a nanny.

"I am a victim of identity theft," Lu said. "(Al Hoang) must be involved … I don't believe there ever was a nanny."

Under city of Houston rules, 75 percent of the people who live on a street must sign a petition agreeing to a change in the street's name. The petition then is sent to the city's Planning and Development Department for consideration. The name change must be approved by City Council. A council member may supersede the petition process and submit a request on his own.

Donna Hawkins, a spokeswoman for the Harris County District Attorney's office, declined to confirm or deny whether the office was investigating the alleged forgeries.

Mayor Annise Parker said in a press conference Wednesday the city would begin an investigation if asked by a member of the community.

Chronicle reporter Chris Moran contributed to this story.

[email]jessica.priest@chron.com[/email]