The head of the Aurora Housing Authority, who has taken heat over conditions at a gang-plagued public apartment complex on the city’s west side, has been removed, officials said Wednesday.
Authority board Chairman Judy Runge would not divulge the reasons for Rick Brace’s departure this week, saying it is a “personnel matter,” according to a city spokeswoman.
In an e-mail, Brace, who had been in the job for more than 10 years, said, “I will not comment on any issue pertaining to the AHA or myself.”
But Jerry Jones, a housing authority board member, said, “We as a board decided that we needed to go in a different direction.” He declined to elaborate.
Mayor Tom Weisner said he supports the board’s decision to find a new leader.
“In my experience, the AHA board members have always been fair-minded individuals,” he said. “I am confident that the decision to seek new leadership was made after thoughtful deliberation and in the best interest of AHA residents.”
The agency is being run by interim director Jean Federman, who did not return calls Wednesday seeking comment on the organization’s future.
Jones said the board will begin searching for a permanent replacement this month.
Ald. Rick Lawrence said he has battled with Brace in the past about his reluctance to improve conditions at Jericho Circle, a development that has been plagued by gangs and drugs. However, Lawrence said, Brace is not the only one to blame for the housing authority’s shortcomings.
“The main problem is its board,” Lawrence said. “They don’t seem to understand the concepts of their responsibility to the community.”
Lawrence, who is running for mayor against Weisner, said the relationship between tenants and the agency “is very confrontational at all levels.”
“They are into warehousing, not helping the community,” he said. “As you look at the maintenance on the facilities, it’s unacceptable. They don’t adhere to the city codes and don’t clean up the garbage on the property.”
Despite this, he said his relationship with Brace had improved in the last 12 months.
“He’s been very responsive in the past year,” Lawrence said.
Lawrence said it’s wrong to think that Brace’s removal will lead to a turnaround within the agency. He said the organization would better serve the community by reducing the number of low-income housing units while providing quality services to help families break out of the cycle of poverty.
“The size and scope of what they’ve gotten into is well beyond their capabilities,” Lawrence said of the agency. “Their maintenance people can’t keep up with it.”
Jones said Lawrence’s comments are baseless.
He said the board has a solid relationship with the City Council and with the many clients it serves. He conceded that the agency is drastically underfunded but still able to meet residents’ needs.
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jnapolitano@tribune.com
