Housing authority says woman has no valid claim of wrongful termination

GALVESTON - The Galveston Housing Authority recently countered a former employee's allegations with a formal response.

An original answer filed Aug. 11 before the Galveston County 405th District Court lists six defenses against League City resident Charina Allen-Beasley.

Allen-Beasley sued GHA last month after she was terminated from her position as Director of Housing Operations, a move she claims was in retaliation for her complaints about alleged discriminatory behavior by then-executive director Harish Krishnarao's.

The plaintiff claims Krishnarao made derogatory remarks about the housing authority's clients within her presence sometime after Hurricane Ike and favored certain individuals under his supervision while mistreating African-American women such as herself.

Her suit further explains that her attempts to address the issue with Krishnarao, who resigned from his post citing philosophical differences with the group's direction, were to no avail.

Allen-Beasley was in the process of disciplining a subordinate for errors found in an annual report when Krishnarao placed her on administrative leave for a conflict with another colleague the plaintiff insists never happened.

The executive director pinned the blame of the erroneously written report on Allen-Beasley, who was then fired, the suit says.

GHA argues that the plaintiff has no valid claim regarding discrimination and its actions toward her were not unlawful.

It adds she has failed to mitigate or avoid damages.

Mills Shirley LLP is representing the housing authority.

Case No. 11-cv-1132