Ex-Midtown official to plead guilty in Third Ward housing funds case

A Midtown Redevelopment Authority lot at 6711 Madrid is one of several government-owned properties that received nuisance violations in 2023. Former Midtown official Todd Edwards faces felony charges in connection with his work in overseeing mowing vendors for the agency. 

Karen Warren/Staff photographer

Booking photograph of Todd Edwards, courtesy of Harris County Sheriff’s Office. 

HCSO

A former Midtown Redevelopment Authority official facing felony charges for allegedly misusing public funds meant to build affordable housing in Third Ward is expected to plead guilty to some of the charges Wednesday.

Todd Edwards, the agency’s former real estate manager, will plead guilty to theft and money laundering charges, his attorney Inger Chandler said. The other charges Edwards faces, abuse of official capacity and misapplication of fiduciary property charges, will eventually be dismissed in connection with the plea, she said. Edwards will be sentenced later, she said. 

All are first-degree felonies, which carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. 

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The District Attorney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.

“We are eager to see justice served in this case and look forward to the start of the official proceedings,” said new Midtown board chair Allen Douglas. “We also look forward to building on momentum for the Midtown Redevelopment Authority’s affordable housing program, in our new partnership with the city of Houston’s Housing and Community Development Department.”

Third Ward – Dreams Displaced: Read the Houston Chronicle’s full investigative series on the Midtown Redevelopment Authority 

Midtown, a city of Houston development agency, for decades has spent millions of tax dollars acquiring hundreds of lots in and around Third Ward, hoping to slow gentrification in the historic Black neighborhood and build affordable housing on the land.

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But the agency was slow to build housing, and much of what it built was unaffordable for most Third Ward families. Midtown’s largest housing expense remains a $22 million office tower where no one lives. To pay down debt on that project, the agency quietly sold 14% of its land to investors.

Meanwhile, most of the land Midtown bought sat vacant – and often overgrown. Yet the agency, through Edwards, was paying companies millions of dollars to mow the lots.

Neighborhood residents eventually discovered Midtown paid a company Edwards himself formed — P.O.W.E.R. LLC — $2.1 million for mowing from 2011 to 2020, records show.

“I hope he genuinely feels remorse for his actions and, after serving his sentence, seeks to make meaningful efforts to repair the harm he has caused to the community,” said Third Ward resident Brian Van Tubergen, who helped uncover the alleged scheme.  

Prosecutors say Edwards created the company’s invoices on his work laptop, then approved them for payment himself. Prosecutors also allege POWER LLC billed Midtown more than $300,000 to raze 32 structures that didn’t exist at the time the work allegedly occurred.

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Two other former Midtown mowing vendors Edwards hired also face felony charges.

Veronica Ugorji of Cortez Landscaping and Kenneth Jones of KCK Demolition and Landscaping are charged with money laundering and abuse of official capacity.

Ugorji’s attorney maintains her innocence. Jones’ attorney has declined to comment. Court records show prosecutors last year offered Jones a reduced sentence in exchange for his testimony in the case.

Midtown paid Cortez $6.2 million, while Jones’ KCK received $768,500. KCK and Edwards’ POWER LLC also worked as mowing subcontractors for Cortez.

Prosecutors allege Edwards and Ugorji were in a romantic relationship. Court documents include romantic messages, intimate images and emails about vacation plans between them. Prosecutors say Edwards helped Ugorji form Cortez and helped her submit invoices that he later approved for payment.

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Midtown fired Edwards in May 2023. The criminal charges were announced in June 2024. 

Edwards and Jones have been designated indigent and provided attorneys.

Ugorji has retained her own counsel. She switched attorneys last year and has a motion pending with the court to do so again, District Clerk records show.

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Ugorji and Jones are both due in court this month.