WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The D.C. Council will meet on Tuesday to address several issues in the city. One item on the agenda is taking steps to improve the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA).

DCHA has admitted to longstanding issues, some of which were highlighted in a report from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

“The mayor submitted an emergency bill regarding the housing authority, and that’s on the agenda for tomorrow,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said. “The mayor’s proposal is to reduce the current board, of about 13 to seven.”

It’s one of several votes expected in the upcoming legislative meeting.

“I’ll be circulating an amendment… that will have a slightly larger board,” Mendelson said. “It would increase the size from about seven to nine.”

The executive director of the housing authority, Brenda Donald, responded to criticism last week.

“In the last year and a half… we have housed over 3,000 people,” Donald said.

According to Mendelson, Donald is expected to step down next year.

“I don’t think the mayor is going to try to keep her. I’ve talked to Brenda Donald and she’s not interested in staying beyond next September,” Mendelson said. “The housing authority — it will be harder to find a good executive director if this turmoil and instability continues.”

The efforts to reduce the housing authority board have seen some opposition.

“And the opposition has fallen on two lines, one is that the mayor should not control the board. She should not be making any appointments. The second is that there needs to be more tenant representation on the board,” he said.

“I would hope that the mayor… where we have these challenges, the mayor would submit really good candidates, early in the new year. We don’t lose any more time, with regards to making changes or improving some of these agencies,” Mendelson said.

The legislative meeting is virtual. It starts at 1:00 p.m.