Largest Housing Authorities On Track Despite HUD Fallout

Outreach programs, replacement of obsolete stock are a key component of the 2008 plans for the country's 10 largest public housing agencies.

By Donna Kimura

By Donna Kimura and Chris Wood

As the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development continues to face accusations of frivolity and favoritism, housing authorities across the country are asking themselves: What next? The country's 10 largest authorities are responsible for more than 310,000 units of affordable housing across the country. Many were blindsided by the discovery of indiscretions at HUD; others have come under fire for their questionable relationships with the federal agency. Now, these housing authorities must decide where they will focus their efforts in the aftermath of the fallout. Here's a look at their top priorities and programs in 2008 and on.

Organization	Leadership	Low-Rent Units Under Mgmt*	Key Priorities and Programs
New York City Housing Authority, New York	Tino Hernandez, Chairman	161,067	Leads the nation with the most Sec. 8 voucher units, at 97,623 ... Reopened its voucher waiting list for the first time in 12 years in 2007, during the first three months of which the agency handed out 469,284 applications and received 231,078 applications back.
Puerto Rico Public Housing Administration, San Jose, Puerto Rico	Carlos Laboy-Diaz, Public Housing Agency Administrator	56,214	Under the purview of the Puerto Rico Department of Housing ... A 2007 HUD report said that 7,275 persons in Puerto Rico are homeless on any given night.
Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago	Lewis Jordan, CEO	25,205	Jordan, who was named CEO at the end of 2007, is a former resident of the authority's Rockwell Gardens ... Has ambitious $1.5 billion "Plan for Transformation," the nation's largest reconstruction of public housing.
Philadelphia Housing Authority, Philadelphia	Carl R. Greene, Executive Director	16,469	Largest landlord in Pennsylvania, housing about 84,000 people ... In March, razed Mantua Hall, one of its old-style public housing high-rises with plans to build a low-rise apartment community on the site.
Housing Authority of Baltimore City, Baltimore	Paul T. Graziano, Commissioner	13,985	Recently began demolishing the blighted units in its Westport Homes Extension, and plans to demolish 232 units in the 1960 development over the next several months.
Boston Housing Authority, Boston	Sandra B. Henriquez, Administrator	11,062	Launched "Smart from the Start" school readiness program in April at three community centers adjacent to public housing sites ... Program is a collaboration with the City of Boston and local social centers that seeks to improve child development through family activities.
Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Cleveland	George A. Phillips, CEO	9,453	Opened the Louis Stokes Museum in September 2007 in honor of the retired 15-term U.S. Congressman raised in the authority's Outhwaite Homes development ... Operates its own accredited police department with a staff of 135 officers.
Atlanta Housing Authority, Atlanta	Renée Lewis Glover, CEO	9,128	Focuses on mixed-use, mixed-income properties ... Aims to relocate some 5,000 residents in detrimental conditions of concentrated poverty to better communities by 2011 ... Will provide developmental support to residents during their transition and two years thereafter.
Miami-Dade Housing Agency, Miami	Donald "DJ" Lavoy, HUD Appointed Oversight Administrator	9,120	HUD assumed control of the agency in October following a legal settlement with Miami-Dade County ... HUD aims to return control following the establishment of effective financial controls and management systems.
Newark Housing Authority, Newark, N.J.	Keith Kinard, Executive Director	8,179	Plans to demolish some 1,000 obsolete units across three properties this year that will be replaced by new, less dense, mixed-income communities over the next five years ... Will offer job training, education, and credit counseling to relocated residents.