[Archived] Economic Development Consultant Selected to Head Alexandria Housing Authority

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 10, 2008    

Economic Development Consultant Selected to Head Alexandria Housing Authority

The Board of Commissioners of the Alexandria Redevelopment & Housing Authority (ARHA) has selected Roy O. Priest, a community and economic development consultant and former federal government and non-profit official, as the Executive Director of the Authority.

Priest, who has served as Interim Executive Director since July 2007, has more than 30 years experience in reviving communities through housing and economic development programs at the federal, state, and local levels. Prior to his interim appointment, he served as a national housing and economic development consultant, as President and CEO of the National Congress for Community Economic Development (NCEED), and as Economic Development Director at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the Office of Community Planning and Development.

“Since Roy’s arrival, he has demonstrated his ability to lead the agency by guiding us through planning for the redevelopment of Glebe Park and the James Bland properties and preparing for the restructuring of the agency in compliance with HUD’s new mandate. We are very pleased that he has agreed to remain with us,” said A. Melvin Miller, the ARHA Board Chairman.

Priest was selected after an extensive national search that identified 25 highly qualified candidates and an interview process in which the ARHA Commissioners sought the participation of the Alexandria City officials and representatives of the Alexandria Residents Council.
A critical challenge Priest faces immediately is to improve the public face of ARHA while directing the HUD-mandated restructuring of the agency under Asset Management. Asset Management is the HUD initiative whereby each public or publicly supported HUD property must become self-supporting.
If you would like more information regarding this announcement or to schedule an interview with A. Melvin Miller or Roy O. Priest, please call Ian Hawkins at 703.549.7115 ext. 213.