Senior officials out at CHA
June 02, 2008 | 5:50 PM
Though the CHA declined to say whether they had been fired or departed voluntarily, the officials were notified of the changes on Thursday and had left by the following day.
"All I can say is they're not here," said Addie Wright, the CHA's managing director of internal support.
The affected people include general counsel Jorge Cazares, Housing Choice Voucher program director Sharon Glenn, communications director Bryan Zises, chief information officer Marvin Walton and human resources director A. Tish Mercer.
Zises, who had been the agency's chief spokesperson, declined to comment Monday.
According to Wright, the decision followed 18 months of study by the CHA board of commissioners and an outside consultant on how to "better serve their customers."
The moves are aimed at expediting the agency's Plan for Transformation, a $1.6 billion effort to remake public housing in Chicago by shifting residents from high-rise developments to mixed-income projects.Wright could not say how the personnel moves would accomplish that goal.
"I don't have the details," she said.
Wright said the five positions have already been filled by either permanent or interim replacements.
"There are no gaps in terms of our organizational chart," she said.
Scott Ammarell, the CHA's first deputy general counsel, was appointed to the top legal job. He will oversee the 20 in-house lawyers and all the CHA's real estate deals and litigation.
Tyrone Middleton became the voucher program's acting director. The voucher program, used by 34,000 families in Chicago, pays the difference between market rate rents and the price families can afford to pay for housing, generally 30 percent of their income.
Wright is now acting communications director. Bryan Land, who has worked with the CHA for 25 years, has moved from assistant chief information officer infrastructure to head of technology. He is responsible for the department's $20 million budget and 40 IT professionals.
Mercer will be replaced by Marilyn Jefferson, who will hold a new human resources position with different responsibilities.
Discuss
SUZANNE MCDUFFY, 10-09-2008
Lewis Jordan started CHA January 2008; Addie started May 2008 and does not have a housing background or worked in government. Her buddy that is on the board that is how she gained employment with CHA. CHA replaced those positions with people twice as much as the 6 that left. The article is not accurate...Check your facts...Oh wait a minute Lewis & Addie won't tell people the truth...CHA is corrupt!
SUZANNE MCDUFFY, 10-09-2008
Lewis Jordan started CHA January 2008; Addie started May 2008 and does not have a housing background or worked in government. Her buddy that is on the board that is how she gained employment with CHA. CHA replaced those positions with people twice as much as the 6 that left. The article is not accurate...Check your facts...Oh wait a minute Lewis & Addie won't tell people the truth...CHA is corrupt!
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