EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The former director of ECHO Housing Corp. paid her personal property taxes using the nonprofit’s money, the Courier & Press discovered Thursday.

ECHO’s attorney could not say whether Stephanie TenBarge’s use of the nonprofit’s funds for personal taxes played into her departure from the organization this week.

ECHO announced Wednesday TenBarge left the agency. ECHO officials provided no explanation in a news release announcing her exit, and the interim director refused to comment on the change.

TenBarge used an ECHO Housing Corp. check to pay the spring 2017 property tax payment for her home at 945 Pine Gate Road, according to Vanderburgh County Treasurer records the Courier & Press viewed Thursday.

ECHO Housing attorney Scott Wylie confirmed that TenBarge used ECHO funds to pay her property taxes.

“All donor funds that have come to ECHO have been accounted for,” Wylie said.

When asked whether or not the property tax payment played into her no longer being employed with ECHO, Wylie said he could not say if it “was or was not.” He said he could not remark on the employment status of any former employees.

It is not a policy of ECHO’s to allow employees to use ECHO funds for personal property taxes, he said.

Treasurer’s Office records show that the $1,683 spring tax bill was paid from a check from ECHO Housing Corp.

ECHO Housing board president Dane Chandler did not return a reporter’s multiple requests for comment.

Chris Metz, the interim director and former assistant director under TenBarge, didn’t return calls from a reporter Thursday. When a reporter went to the ECHO Housing Corp. office to ask to speak with Metz, an employee who was vacuuming the floor was told to tell the reporter Metz had “no comment.”

ECHO Housing reportedly received $2.1 million in contributions, grants and revenue in 2016, according to the most recent tax form available. The organization reported having $6 million in assets to the federal government in 2016.

The group owns 66 properties in Evansville, including several vacant properties. It also spent $245,000 last year to purchase 101 N. Garvin St., a vacant commercial building the group plans to turn into a $6.1 million 27-unit homeless housing complex. ECHO Housing also plans to open Garfield Commons, an $8 million 44-unit housing complex at 214 W. Michigan St., next month.

They also own Lucas Place, apartments for homeless families, and Lucas Place II, housing for homeless veterans.