CHA chief, who brought stability to agency, abruptly steps down
Alderman says Jones ‘didn’t just sit in his office’
Chicago Housing Authority CEO Eugene Jones Jr. abruptly resigned Tuesday, ending a highly acclaimed, 4½-year run that brought stability to an agency that sorely needed it and compassion to public housing residents.
“He was a great leader . ... He had a great relationship with the residents. Every time you turned around, it was not unusual to see Gene at an event the residents were organizing. Whether it was a summer picnic, the Christmas holiday party or Thanksgiving dinner, he was there,” said Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd), chairman of the City Council’s Budget Committee.
“What you see is what you get with Gene. He always kept them updated about what was going on at the CHA. And he was visible. That’s like the main thing. He didn’t just sit in his office downtown.”
City Hall sources said the decision to step down more than a year before his $291,500-a-year contract expired was made by Jones alone. He was not pushed out the door by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. To the contrary. The mayor wanted him to stay.
“I want to thank her for the opportunity to stay on and serve CHA’s residents and to be a part of the larger efforts to help build and strengthen our neighborhoods. I also want to thank our Board of Commissioners for their continued confidence in me,” Jones was quoted as saying in an emailed statement.
Jones, whose resignation takes effect on Sept. 27, said he has worked hard to meet the CHA goal to produce more housing and expand “housing opportunities” in every neighborhood.
“From bringing new investment to communities and forming innovative partnerships that led to the development of three co-located housing and libraries, the development of new community assets like grocery stores and recreational facilities and the settlement earlier this year of the landmark Gautreaux case, I leave knowing that the CHA is well-positioned for the future and is prepared to meet the housing needs of its residents and the communities across our city,” he said.
The Gautreaux case is a 52-yearold lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in the way public housing was located in Chicago.
Lightfoot, on vacation, issued a short statement thanking Jones for his service. The mayor said a nationwide search for Jones’ replacement “will begin immediately.”
The decision to leave comes just five months after Jones stood before a City Club audience and shot down speculation that he was on his way out the door and headed for New York City.
At the time, media reports out of New York had placed Jones on a short list of contenders to run that city’s housing authority. Some stories had identified Jones as the front-runner.
That job has since been filled. A spokesman for Jones did not know his plans, other than that he will “pursue other opportunities.”