Walter Burnett Faces Opposition for Chicago Housing Authority

Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. is eyeing the top job at the Chicago Housing Authority, but public housing residents and a past ethics issue involving his wife could make his appointment a tougher sell.

The agency is nearing nine months without a permanent CEO, and Burnett has emerged as the frontrunner, though Mayor Brandon Johnson has yet to announce a pick.

Resident leaders have voiced opposition to Burnett’s potential appointment, accusing the longtime 27th Ward alderman of disregarding their needs and fearing he would sell off CHA land for private development, the Chicago Tribune reported.

“It doesn’t matter that he grew up in Cabrini-Green,” said Mary Baggett, who represents the Near West Side on CHA’s resident council. “He never helps public housing residents ever.”

Burnett has said he’s “hustling votes” and would not sell off CHA land for non-public housing development.

The CHA’s Central Advisory Council, a 14-member elected board of resident leaders, sent two letters to the mayor’s office in June: one opposing Burnett, and another backing former CHA CEO Eugene Jones Jr., who is also under consideration. They said they haven’t heard back.

Francine Washington, the only resident on the CHA CEO search committee, said Burnett was not among the original three candidates recommended to the mayor and was added later.

“We don’t need a politician running our authority,” Washington said, criticizing the lack of resident involvement in the process.

Meanwhile, scrutiny has resurfaced over Burnett’s wife, Darlena Williams-Burnett, a former CHA deputy chief who violated the agency’s ethics policy in 2022.

She failed to disclose her leadership of a political action committee, a violation of federal Hatch Act provisions and CHA’s internal rules, according to internal emails obtained by the outlet. She also received a written reprimand that year for missing a critical meeting without notice.

Burnett downplayed the ethics violation, saying his wife had already planned to retire and that their lawyers didn’t believe she had done anything wrong. Still, he acknowledged she may need to resign from the PAC if he’s appointed.

— Judah Duke