The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has announced the selection of Keith Pettigrew as the agency’s next CEO.
Pettigrew brings more than 30 years of public housing leadership to the CHA. He is currently the executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority, a position he has held since November 2023. From 2017 through 2023, he served as the CEO and president of Virginia’s Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Earlier in his career, he was deputy general manager for operations for the Housing Authority of New Orleans.
The CHA has been without a CEO for the past 16 months. The Chicago Sun-Times reports Mayor Brandon Johnson had pushed for a different candidate to become CEO and questioned the CHA board’s 7-2 vote for Pettigrew. A spokesperson for Johnson said the mayor’s office would review the CHA decision, claiming “there were a number of irregularities in the lead-up to the vote which require further evaluation.”
However, the CHA board is standing by Pettigrew as its next leader and is negotiating his contract.
“Keith Pettigrew is a dynamic, results-oriented leader with a proven track record of tackling tough challenges at large housing authorities,” said CHA Board Chairman Matthew Brewer. “His commitment to putting residents first, combined with his technical know-how, will make him a powerful champion for families across Chicago. Keith understands both the challenges and the opportunities facing CHA and he is the right leader for the agency at this moment.”
Photo courtesy of the District of Columbia Housing Authority
