In November 2020 the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (RRHA) began a process to select our fifth Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in as many years. We were fortunate to meet several highly qualified candidates during our search. At the outset, we committed to each other that we would be deliberative and intentional in our decision making. We consulted with community leaders, business partners, and our residents about the leadership needs of RRHA. We asked for honest and open feedback from the community. Those conversations highlighted that the work we must do is beyond the day-to-day operations of a housing authority. Both the Board and Staff of RRHA have many challenges that we must address in order to serve our residents. Armed with that feedback and after many long nights of meetings evaluating credentials and qualifications, the Board of Commissioners has come to a conclusion; We must first look inward to develop a clearer picture of the organization itself and then build a profile of the next executive who can lead RRHA through very challenging work.
As a result of this self-reflection, the Board of Commissioners has decided to pause our search for a CEO while we conduct a full organizational and operational review. We will contract with an outside company to evaluate and assess all the functions, policies, and procedures of RRHA. As Commissioners, we feel that we owe this to our residents, our staff, and the community as part of our commitment to serving Richmond. We anticipate that this evaluation will likely reveal things to be proud of and things that need immediate and continued remediation. As the appointed leaders of this organization, the Board of Commissioners is committed to taking full ownership of the findings and all of the work necessary to implement change.
As we take on this process, our work will not be interrupted. We have many important initiatives that we need to keep moving forward even as we reflect and improve. Fortunately, Stacey Daniels-Fayson has graciously agreed to continue serving as our Interim CEO as we navigate this new endeavor. We thank Stacey for her continued commitment to the residents and staff of RRHA.
This will be a challenging time to lead RRHA. The Board of Commissioners will dedicate as much time and effort as we each can individually volunteer to support Stacey and the staff. We will be actively involved in executing on our basic responsibilities of providing housing and services to our residents, finding creative ways to expand housing options for the people we serve, and partnering with the City of Richmond to deliver a humane and dynamic redevelopment strategy.
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