The pinnacle of New York City’s public housing company is stepping down from the position after roughly three-and-a-half years.
NYCHA Chairman Gregory Russ will formally resign from the place throughout a board assembly on Thursday, the company mentioned. His pending resignation was first reported Wednesday morning by information outlet The City.
Former Mayor Invoice de Blasio named Russ chair and CEO of town’s sprawling public housing system in August 2019. Russ took the helm as a number of complexes made a controversial shift to personal administration by way of the so-called Rental Help Demonstration-Everlasting Affordability Dedication Collectively, or RAD-PACT, plan.
Beneath Russ, NYCHA launched one other plan to switch some buildings over to a publicly owned “Preservation Trust” that will swap the supply of federal funding for residences to Part 8. NYCHA faces an estimated $40 billion in capital wants, with the company projecting a deeper funds hole for the approaching 12 months on account of unpaid hire.
NYCHA and metropolis leaders, together with Mayor Eric Adams, mentioned the Preservation Belief and RAD-PACT plans are supposed to increase income for the cash-strapped company after many years of disinvestment, however each have confronted criticism from residents involved about privatization, evictions and future situations. State lawmakers formally enacted the Preservation Belief plan final 12 months.
Practically 370,000 New Yorkers are licensed to reside within the public housing company’s 177,000 residences, although many extra name NYCHA house.
Russ’ tenure within the position hasn’t been with out controversy.
All through his time main the company, Russ commuted from his house in Minnesota, the place he beforehand led Minneapolis’ public housing company. He earned up to $430,000 per 12 months as NYCHA’s CEO and chair.
NYCHA separated the positions in September 2022, with Russ remaining chair whereas Lisa Bova-Hiatt, the company’s former counsel, took over as interim CEO, reducing Russ’ wage to $258,000.
Throughout Russ’ tenure, NYCHA was topic to heightened federal oversight within the wake of a lead paint scandal. In November, a federal monitor mentioned the company had made progress in addressing some infrastructure issues.
However NYCHA continues to wrestle with main points, together with an arsenic-contaminated water scare on the Manhattan’s Jacob Riis Homes in September. Russ left his position as CEO simply days after the arsenic alert.