Alderman Overshadowed in Chicago Housing Authority CEO Search

The Chicago Housing Authority is closing in on a new leader — but Mayor Brandon Johnson’s pick, retired Alderman Walter Burnett, isn’t likely to get the job.

Six finalists remain in contention for the long-vacant CEO post, according to records first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. The list includes four public housing chiefs from across the country, the agency’s chief of staff Kemena Brooks, and Burnett, whose candidacy has been bogged down by conflict-of-interest concerns.

The CHA — the nation’s third-largest public housing authority — has been without a permanent head since Tracey Scott resigned last November.

A national search launched soon after, with board chair Matthew Brewer now saying a new CEO could be named by year’s end. The board’s last scheduled meeting of this year is Nov. 18, though Brewer said a special session could be called to finalize the decision.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has yet to approve conflict-of-interest waivers for Burnett, whose decades in public office and role as a CHA voucher landlord have drawn objections. He and his wife have collected over $260,000 in rent payments from CHA vouchers since 2007.

Due to the federal government shutdown, that review process is unlikely to wrap up in time to meet CHA’s desired timeframe to fill the top spot.

Burnett, who grew up in public housing, has said his “collaborative” leadership style and personal connection to CHA residents make him an ideal fit. But for now, the agency appears intent on moving forward without him.

Among those vying for the role are Gregg Fortner of Alabama’s Anniston Housing Authority, Jillian Baldwin of Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Eugene Jones Jr., who ran the CHA from 2015 to 2019 and currently leads the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority. Jones’ candidacy has support from CHA resident leaders, though not from all housing advocates. Keith Pettigrew, of Washington, D.C.’s housing authority, was also listed but withdrew months ago.

The position comes with weighty responsibilities: overseeing more than 21,000 public housing units and 65,000 households, making the CHA Chicago’s largest single housing owner. But the agency is navigating internal turbulence, with nine top executives exiting since August and federal scrutiny over Johnson’s push to install Burnett.

— Eric Weilbacher