AUSTIN, Texas — KRIS 6 News has been named the recipient of the Nancy Monson Spirit of FOI Award in the Class A category by the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas for its investigation into the Corpus Christi Housing Authority's workforce housing program.
It is the second time KRIS 6 News has received the honor, having previously won in 2023 for its investigation into case dismissals by the Nueces County District Attorney's Office.
"Deep reporting and tireless follow-ups helped unearth a scandal involving dubious land deals and generous tax incentives. The backbone of that stellar reporting: public records," the contest judge said of the KRIS 6 entry.
The Dallas Morning News won in the Class AA large-market category for a series on a failed crime-fighting plan at a local housing authority. The Houston Chronicle and KVIA-TV of El Paso received honorable mentions.
"Congratulations to the Texas journalists who are receiving these awards. They used public records combined with other reporting to seek the truth and shine light on institutions and officials in their communities. This keeps citizens informed so they can watch over their government," said Kelley Shannon, executive director of the FOI Foundation of Texas.
Over the course of 2025, the 6 Investigates team spent months examining meeting agendas, board recordings, legal documents and records obtained through the Texas Public Information Act to reveal how the Corpus Christi Housing Authority approved deals involving 13 high-end apartment complexes; transactions valued at roughly $350 million that could have removed approximately $7.4 million annually from local tax rolls.
The investigation found that the housing authority's board failed to provide adequate public notice before approving the deals between July 2024 and March 2025. Meeting agendas listed only vague descriptions such as "Consider Resolution for MOU" followed by an apartment name, with no mention of tax breaks or land purchases. Proposed agreements were not made publicly available before board meetings.
The reporting also revealed that CEO Gary Allsup's annual compensation package totaled approximately $786,000; more than double what Houston's housing authority CEO earns, despite Corpus Christi ranking 63rd nationally in population compared to Houston's fourth.
The KRIS 6 investigation set off a chain of government action:
In May 2025, Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo appointed three new board members, who joined existing commissioners in voting to pause approximately $435 million in additional transactions.
In June 2025, the Corpus Christi City Council unanimously declared the deals "apparently illegal," citing alleged violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act.
In July 2025, the Nueces County Appraisal District denied tax exemption requests for the properties.
In September 2025, Nueces County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to authorize legal action against the housing authority. Days later, the board terminated Allsup's employment.
In October 2025, Nueces County filed suit seeking to void the agreements and invalidate Allsup's employment contracts.
In January 2026, the housing authority board voted unanimously to void agreements for all 13 apartment complexes, with board president Cathy Mehne reading a statement declaring the board did not comply with the Open Meetings Act during the period in question.
That board action is being challenged in district court and is currently in mediation.
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