Housing Authority board ousts leader, picks replacement

FAYETTEVILLE — The Housing Authority board removed its chairwoman from her position and selected a new one during a special meeting held online Tuesday.

Three board members, Ezra Brashears, Melissa Terry and Monique Jones, voted to relieve Kristen Bensinger from her role as chairwoman, which she had served since 2019. Bensigner abstained from the vote. The board has a fifth member position that is vacant.

The same three board members elected Terry as new chairwoman, and Bensinger abstained. Terry previously served as chairwoman from 2018 to 2019.

Brashears initially nominated Jones to serve in the role, but she declined. Jones joined the board in January.

Board members who voted to relieve Bensinger cited a lack of decorum at previous board meetings and unprofessional communication among the board, authority staff and residents.

Terry acknowledged the difficulty of the role and the

Bensinger said she intends to continue serving as a member of the board. Her term expires in 2025.

hard work it takes. However, she said she was concerned with recent meetings being conducted in inefficient and sometimes inappropriate manners.

Decisions reached by a majority of the board should be supported by all members, Terry said.

“I have not seen that happen in our current leadership,” she said. “It’s not personal.”

Jones said personal attacks during meetings were driving the organization from its goal to serve public housing residents.

“It’s sad that we continue to lose sight of our common goal as one entity — staff and board — in order to support this community,” she said.

The board elects its own officers, but City Council members confirm the membership.

Bensinger said she intends to continue serving as a member of the board. Her term expires in 2025.

“It has been my goal to bring us back together, and this has been a very challenging time,” she said. “My goal has been to bring us back together, keep us focused on the work and respond when the surprises come along.”

The board fired former Executive Director Angela Belford in March amid complaints from public housing residents and staff. The vote came during a meeting that started in the evening and ended in the early morning hours. Bensinger was not present for the vote, but the remaining members voted 4-0.

Interim director John Berry has been serving in the role while the board searches for a permanent director.

Board member Lucky McMahon resigned in late May citing personal reasons.

The authority is in the middle of sorting out debt owed from its nonprofit operation, FHA Development. The authority owned several multifamily properties under the nonprofit and agreed to relinquish ownership of some and sell the rest earlier this month.