Editor’s Note: Stephanie Pasquale, one of the new SHA board commissioners, is a member of the Central Current board. Central Current’s editorial operations are independent of the board. This is breaking news and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.
Syracuse Housing Authority board commissioners selected Ryan Benz as the new chair of the board.
Christopher Montgomery will continue to serve on the board as vice chair. Montgomery’s term is set to expire in October 2027.
Mayor Ben Walsh appointed Benz to the SHA board amid scrutiny and turmoil earlier this year. Benz is the founder of development company Redev CNY. He is also the owner of the downtown restaurant Oh My Darling.
Benz told Central Current that one of his top priorities as board chair will include stabilizing the housing authority’s finances, increasing affordable home ownership opportunities for residents to use Section 8 vouchers and improving the housing authority’s transparency.
Former SHA board Chair Calvin Corriders Sr. announced that he was stepping down in October. Corriders was on the board for about four years and served as board chair for about two years. His term was set to expire in October 2026.
Commissioner Walter Dixie’s term expired last month after serving 25 years on the board.
Walsh recently named two new commissioners to the SHA board, including Rickey Brown and Stephanie Pasquale.
Pasquale, who previously worked as the interim CEO of Blueprint 15 and the director of Neighborhood and Business Development at the city, currently works as the director of neighborhood advancement at the Allyn Family Foundation.
Brown is the founder and principal consultant of Diversify-NY, LLC. For the last ten years, Brown has helped create and promote opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses and provide business and professional development training to such enterprises.
The housing authority’s redevelopment of public housing on the Southside has been embroiled in controversy in the past. This year, the turmoil around the project came to a head. Walsh expressed concern about SHA Executive Director William Simmons’ leadership earlier this year, though he stopped short of calling for Simmons’ ousting.
Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens and Allyn Family Foundation Executive Director Meg O’Connell have said Simmons should be removed from his role.
Following her historic victory, Mayor-elect Owens was asked by Central Current if there would be a change in leadership at the housing authority and whether she remained steadfast in her position on Simmons.
While she said that Simmons has given his all to the agency for over three decades, Owens reiterated that change in leadership is imperative.
“I feel that there is a need for a shift now as we move forward. So we’re going to be placing board members, I’m going to be placing board members that really align with the vision of moving it forward,” Owens said. “It is a massive project that we have to get more vision, more expertise in here to get it done. It’s taken way too long. It’s time to move and put the foot on the accelerator.”
When asked about potential leadership changes, Benz said the board is pleased with the present momentum of the housing authority.
“Right now, this board feels very comfortable with where we’re at, and then if things change down the road, we’ll adjust as needed,” Benz said.
The first phase of the East Adams housing project closed on Oct. 30. Demolition has begun at Chavez Terrace and is scheduled to finish by the end of the month. The second phase is on track to closing at the end of the year, commissioners said.
“We live in a time with unacceptable levels of poverty, both for our city residents and children,” Benz said. “There’s an opportunity for SHA to continue leading the way for affordable housing, and that’s what we’re going to do.”
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