Interim Chicago Housing Authority CEO Angela Hurlock stepped down from her role Tuesday as the agency also delayed a vote on the appointment of former Ald. Walter Burnett as her permanent replacement, the agency’s board announced in a special meeting.
The moves came after a warning last week from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development not to appoint Burnett before it could review his potential conflicts of interest, the board said Tuesday.
Interim Board Chair Matthew Brewer will now serve as operating chairman of the housing authority, a role that enables him to perform the same duties as CEO. He said he hopes the issue with HUD is resolved by CHA’s Sept. 16 board meeting so that the vote on Burnett can take place. The agency was slated to have a new chief officer by July 1, Brewer said.
“It is an unusual and unfortunate situation,” Brewer said. “We are in this time of transition, and we will remain committed so that CHA … continues to function as a well-oiled machine.”
Hurlock had been in the role since the Nov. 1 departure of CEO Tracey Scott. CHA, the third largest public housing authority in the country, launched a national search for a new top executive earlier this year. The housing authority has seen eight high-ranking officials leave in the last 10 months, including three who were fired.
Hurlock was lauded by colleagues at the board meeting, including the board members who are CHA residents. She thanked the board for the opportunity to serve in the role.
“Thank you for trusting … that I would try to do the right thing,” Hurlock said. “It doesn’t always go easy. It doesn’t always go as planned. … Thank you to the residents, particularly the resident leaders. … You allowed me to come in and get to know me and work with you as well.”
The Tribune reported last week that HUD asked CHA to hold off on Burnett’s appointment in response to a letter Brewer sent to the federal agency that outlined Burnett’s potential conflicts of interest. HUD officials said the agency is evaluating the contents of the letter and that it already has some concerns. HUD said it will need time to review CHA’s letter and formally respond.
HUD will require CHA to request a waiver for a number of conflicts of interest in Burnett’s case. The local HUD office would then need to review the waiver request, send its recommendation for the waiver to HUD’s Washington headquarters for additional review and send a formal response to CHA.
Burnett’s wife, Darlena Williams-Burnett, previously worked for CHA as deputy chief of fleet and facilities in CHA’s general services department and violated the housing authority’s ethics policy in 2022, according to documents obtained by the Tribune through a public records request. She now works as a real estate agent, according to her LinkedIn profile.
CHA serves more than 65,000 households. It is the largest single owner of rental housing in the city with more than 21,000 public housing units. Public housing authorities are funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. CHA, as well as many other authorities, generate additional revenue through separate development arms.
The new CEO will be tasked with rebuilding residents’ trust, boosting staff morale and addressing safety and environmental concerns at its properties while shepherding more housing developments in a city where housing has become increasingly less affordable.
CHA’s resident board said in July that Burnett is not fit to lead the agency. The resident board’s leaders said they sent two letters to the mayor’s office in June, with one letter opposing Burnett and one letter in support of Eugene Jones Jr., Scott’s predecessor who was also being considered for the top role again. The residents said they didn’t receive a response.
Board commissioner and resident leader Francine Washington had the last words at Tuesday’s board meeting and said the residents are tired.
“It is not about that fifth floor,” Washington said, referring to the mayor’s office. “It is about us, the residents you serve. Right now, we are being half-served.”
Brewer, who works full time as an attorney, told the Tribune he would be at the housing authority regularly so long as he is in the operating chairman role. He has been on the board since 2013.
Burnett responded to the Tribune’s phone call seeking comment with a text Tuesday, saying he is “just retired and waiting to see what may happen either way.” He declined to comment further.
