Beaufort woman calls for changes at Housing Authority after maintenance, retaliation concerns

BEAUFORT, S.C. (WTOC) - A Beaufort woman says she wants changes at the Beaufort Housing Authority after what she describes as years of unresolved maintenance problems, worsening communication and a pattern of retaliation and harassment by staff.

Nioka Tompo, a veteran who says she has a rare genetic disorder that can affect her breathing, has lived in a Beaufort Housing Authority home since 2019.

She says maintenance issues were handled quickly at first, but over the past two years she has seen a noticeable shift.

‘It became a waiting game’

Tompo says she has filed multiple maintenance requests during her time in the home, but that some were either not addressed promptly or required her family to step in.

During an interview last week, she said she submitted a request to fix her children’s shower after it began to come out of the wall. Tompo says she was told it was not considered an emergency.

“They still haven’t come to fix it,” she said.

She also points to other issues she says took too long to address, including mold problems and an air-conditioning unit that went out earlier this month.

“This Wednesday I waited from Wednesday to Saturday, and it was hot,” Tompo said. “My mother had someone come and have a look at it. They didn’t even care basically.”

Tompo said she remembers a different response in earlier years, including a previous A/C issue she says was handled quickly.

“In December 2024 was when I had air conditioning, and it was hot,” she said. “He immediately had someone come and fix the air conditioning.”

The mold was found in her bathroom and kitchen. It wasn’t until she went before the board of directors that it was removed after the board toured the home.

‘A culture of mean women’

Tompo says her frustration goes beyond maintenance timelines.

She says she believes the Housing Authority has retaliated against her because of how often she has raised issues and appeared before the board of directors.

“It’s just a culture of mean women, who are not doing their jobs,” she said.

Tompo also says she is not the only resident she believes has experienced similar problems.

“We’ve got a whole bunch of women who are going through the same thing,” she said.

She says she wants leadership to take a closer look and make changes, including retraining staff or an overhaul of personnel.

“I want whoever is in charge of BHA to see this and realize something has to be done,” Tompo said. “They need to go in there and either retrain or do an employee overhaul or do something because we’ve got a whole bunch of women who are going through the same thing.”

Beaufort Housing Authority responds

In a statement, the Beaufort Housing Authority said it takes resident concerns seriously and denied Tompo’s allegations.

The Housing Authority added that it cannot publicly discuss details of Tompo’s tenancy but said it disputes her claims.

The statement also emphasized the agency’s commitment to “fair housing principles” and providing “equal and affordable housing opportunities to all residents free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.”

“The Beaufort Housing Authority takes all resident concerns seriously and is committed to providing safe and decent housing for the residents we serve. Like all residents, Ms. Tompo has the right to raise concerns and communicate with our staff and Board; a dialogue we welcome. Hearing directly from residents is vital to our operations so that we can address issues and serve our community to the best of our ability. As with any resident, we strive to address concerns promptly and thoroughly, which has been done in this case. Out of respect for Ms. Tompo’s privacy, we are unable to discuss the specific details of her tenancy or concerns publicly. However, we can affirm that at no time did the Beaufort Housing Authority bully, harass, retaliate against, or otherwise mistreat Ms. Tompo or any other resident. Any assertion to the contrary is false. The Beaufort Housing Authority is dedicated to fair housing principles and to providing equal and affordable housing opportunities to all residents free from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.”

Beaufort Housing Authority