Mpls. Public Housing Authority CEO Greg Russ Appointed To Lead NYC Housing Authority

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Executive Director and CEO Greg Russ has been appointed as the next Chair and CEO of the New York City Housing Authority.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Russ' appointment Wednesday.

"In a national search, Greg Russ stands out as someone with the guts to make big changes and the heart to do right by public housing residents. Greg has shown he can secure residents the repairs they've been waiting for and strengthen public housing for the next generation. He's shown again and again that he can listen to residents, build trust and improve people's lives. I'm thrilled to welcome him to NYCHA," de Blasio said.

Russ has worked with low-income families through public and subsidized housing programs for more than three decades. In Minneapolis, Russ is credited with starting initiatives to provide housing to families experiencing homelessness, preserve and reinvest in aging public housing units, find paths to new economic opportunities, among others.

In a statement, Russ wrote to MPHA employees, "In recent weeks I have heard from the mayor of New York City, along with HUD and other federal officials, making their strongest case to convince me that I could make a difference addressing the deep challenges and urgent need to turn around the struggling New York City Housing Authority. In the end, it proved a challenge and an opportunity that I could not ignore."

He is expected to leave the MPHA on August 2.