After less than a year at the head of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Tracey Scott has been nominated to lead the Chicago Housing Authority.
Scott moves from a system that serves more than 26,000 seniors and families to the second-largest public housing authority in the country, serving more than 63,000 Chicago families with an operating budget of $1 billion.
She came to Minneapolis from the Atlanta Housing Authority in 2017, serving as deputy executive director. The Minneapolis authority's board of commissioners appointed her as the agency's interim executive director and CEO in August 2019 after Greg Russ left to take charge of the New York City Housing Authority.
During her time in Minneapolis, Scott helped launch efforts to win additional federal funding to preserve the city's public housing high-rises and family homes, as well as build new public housing for homeless families and launch the Stable Homes Stable Schools rental subsidy partnership with the city and public schools.
Scott was also leading the agency when the state of the housing authority's aging properties became tragically apparent. In November, a fire in the Cedar High apartments in November killed five residents. The building lacked sprinklers, a requirement for high-rise buildings constructed more recently.
"I have been fortunate to serve at MPHA during a transformative time," Scott said in a statement. "I have been transformed too: by MPHA's commitment to its mission, by our resident leaders and the families we serve, by our strong partnerships with city leaders and the community, and by my many talented team members here at the agency. I am so proud of all we have accomplished together."
Minneapolis City Council Member Abdi Warsame has been appointed as the next executive director of MPHA, pending approval by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Minneapolis City Council.
