PHA chief plans a 'retreat' to battle stress

CARL R. GREENE, the embattled leader of the Philadelphia Housing Authority, plans to check himself into a "retreat" or "resort" that specializes in helping people cope with emotional distress and other mental health issues.

"It's some kind of place to help him deal with stress," PHA spokesman Kirk Dorn said last night.

Dorn made clear that Greene is not going into "some institution to get rehab help," as Gov. Rendell blurted during an interview yesterday with 6ABC. The governor, who called the development "very, very sad," didn't elaborate. Rendell spokesman Gary Tuma did not return a call from the Daily News last night.

Dorn refuted Rendell's characterization.

"Carl doesn't require rehab because he doesn't have any addictions, but he does need some type of resort or some type of retreat, where they specialize in stress," Dorn said.

Earlier this week, Greene dropped off the public radar, his whereabouts unknown. He resurfaced on Wednesday to announce that he was taking a leave from PHA to get his personal and financial affairs in order.

The announcement came on the heels of news that Greene - who earns $306,370 a year - had fallen five months behind on mortgage payments and that his $615,000 condo was headed for foreclosure. He also owed roughly $52,000 in federal taxes and the IRS filed a tax lien, which Greene recently paid off.

On top of that, Greene now faces allegations that he sexually harassed a 29-year-old female employee and other female staffers during his 12-year tenure at PHA.

Greene's financial woes, combined with allegations of sexual harassment, set off a brush fire of speculation among city residents and politicos.

Did Greene have some sort of addiction?

"I'm worried about him. I really am," PHA Commissioner Nellie Reynolds said on Tuesday. "Is it a problem that he's having? Does he need support? . . . I want to ask him, 'Do you have a problem that you'd like to share with the commissioners?' "

When asked last night whether Greene was wrestling with any addictions, former Mayor John Street said "no," though he's not surprised by all the speculation.

"If you are a public official in Philadelphia and if you have any kind of financial problems, people speculate that you have a gambling addiction," said Street, who serves as chairman of the PHA Board of Commissioners. "I never heard that Carl Greene has a gambling problem and frankly speaking, I'd be surprised if he did."

Street said Greene had told him that he's "planning on going someplace and getting some rest."

"He didn't say anything to me about checking himself into anyplace to be rehabilitated," Street said.

Dorn declined to provide the retreat's name or location and said he didn't know when Greene would arrive.

The PHA's commissioners are scheduled to meet in executive session Thursday at 2 p.m., Street said. "I don't know if he's going to be there," Street said. "I hope he will be there."

For now, Greene says he's taking things "day by day," Dorn said.

"He knows he's been asked to attend at a Board of Commissioners meeting and by saying, 'It's day by day,' he's saying, 'If I'm still in town on Thursday, then I'll be there.' "