A former Dallas Housing Authority supervisor was sentenced to two years in prison for embezzling nearly $500,000 in public funds.
Joel Ipina, who worked as a maintenance supervisor for the housing agency, pleaded guilty to theft in November 2025. U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle last week ordered Ipina to pay $473,641 in restitution, according to court documents.
Ipina worked for the Dallas agency from 1995 to 2024. As maintenance supervisor, he was responsible for approving work orders and selecting contractors to perform work on properties under his supervision.
From roughly August 2019 through February 2024, he steered 112 maintenance contracts to his company, B.I.G. Construction, without the housing agency’s knowledge, court documents say. On occasion, Ipina submitted fabricated competing bids to ensure his company received contracts.
Court documents say the Dallas agency paid for work that was never performed at units in the Hidden Ridge apartments in Northeast Dallas and homes in East and Southeast Dallas.
In a statement, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould said Ipina “abused a position of trust to steal public funds intended to serve the Dallas community.”
As the country’s 10th largest public housing agency, the Dallas agency is responsible for providing affordable housing to low-income residents across much of North Texas.