The Charlottesville Housing and Redevelopment Authority (CHRA) has hit yet another hurdle. Its executive director, Noah Schwartz, has resigned, reports The Daily Progress.
Schwartz decided to take a job out of state, but will stay as head of the agency until December 12. Schwartz was the former director of the Monticello Area Community Action Agency, and he also served on the advisory board of the Public Housing Association of Residents.
With Schwartz at the helm, members of the City Council hoped for a break in the curse. Five executive directors have come and gone since the mid-1980s, thus putting public housing residents’ problems on hold, as C-VILLE has previously reported.
Prior to Schwartz, former exective director Paul Chedda was fired by the CHRA board, after only nine months on the job. The City’s first housing director was A.E. “Gene” Arrington, followed by Earl Pullen, who oversaw the agency for nine years.
In 2006, C-VILLE reported that in 1998, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development ranked Charlottesville’s public housing 25th out of 27 Virginia sites, and Pullen admitted residents owed the Authority nearly $45,000 in back rent. The CHRA board decided not to renew his contract.
Del Harvey was hired by the board, but she resigned in 2003 amidst of public outrage about her management style.
According to the Progress article, Schwartz is said to have made positive changes and has brought the agency to better position since 2003.
Noah Schwartz, who leaves his position in early December, has been CHRA executive director since 2005.