NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SELECTED TO RUN DETROIT HOUSING COMMISSION
Turn-around specialist to bring management stability to troubled agency

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced Eugene E. Jones is serving as the new executive director of the Detroit Housing Commission. As a 25-year housing finance veteran, Jones will work closely with HUD to manage the agency's public housing and Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) programs, as well as neighborhood revitalization efforts.

"After nearly three years at the helm of DHC, the time has come for HUD to stabilize leadership at the agency as we continue to address the Commission's many challenges," said Lindsey Reames, the HUD-appointed recovery administrator. "Mr. Jones comes with many years of housing experience, specifically turning around troubled housing agencies. This helps him understand the magnitude of work that still needs to be done before DHC can be returned to local control."

Jones will also assume more of the overall day-to-day operations from Reames, including personnel management, overseeing the operations of low-income housing, Housing Choice Voucher, redevelopment, and other programs. He will also represent DHC in the community, conferring with the Reames as the Board and Recovery Administrator regarding policy, goals, plans, and fiscal matters, and conducting strategic planning including the formulation of short and long term goals for DHC.

Jones brings 25 years of housing and real estate development finance experience from both the public sector and non-profit arena. He was executive director for the Kansas City (Missouri) Housing Authority and the Indianapolis City (Indiana) Housing Authority. He led both off of HUD's trouble housing agencies list in 1996 and 1999 respectively. Jones has also served as Deputy Executive Director for Finance and Administration in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer at the San Francisco Housing Authority and served in the HUD Office of the Inspector General as Senior Audit Manager. He also served as the Deputy Administrative Receiver for the Housing Authority of New Orleans from 2004 and 2005. HUD had taken over this troubled housing authority in 2002 and it remains under HUD control.

Jones holds both a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Albuquerque (New Mexico) and an MBA from New Mexico Highland University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.

HUD took over DHC in 2005 citing mismanagement. The Commission entered into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement with HUD to address serious administrative, financial and management shortfalls.

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