Board picks Housing Authority boss

Dan Kulin

Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

The former director of the Charlotte, N.C., housing authority who resigned from that position amid some controversy, will be offered the top job at the Las Vegas Housing Authority.

The Housing Authority board voted 4-1 on Tuesday to offer the executive director position to Harrison Shannon Jr., who was president and chief executive officer of the Charlotte Housing Authority from 1990 through spring 2002.

The Housing Authority manages public housing and the federal Section 8 program in Las Vegas.

According to articles in Charlotte newspapers, Shannon brought more than $100 million in federal grants to the agency during his tenure, but accusations of poor management surfaced toward the end of his time at the Charlotte authority. Shannon has said his accomplishments in Charlotte speak for themselves.

The commissioners chose Shannon, 56, over Jemine Bryon, assistant executive director of the Philadelphia Housing Authority.

Shannon would replace acting director Parviz Ghadiri, who took over after former director Fred Brown died of a heart attack in June.

The new executive director will oversee a $65 million budget, 192 full-time employees and an agency that helps provide affordable housing for about 12,000 low-income families and senior citizens.

Several commissioners said they settled on Shannon because of his track record.

"He has practical experience in making difficult decisions ... and did a remarkable job in Charlotte," said Commissioner Christopher Hoye, who is also a Metro Police lieutenant.

Hoye said he thoroughly investigated past criticisms of Shannon and found that Shannon took the blame for possible mistakes at the Charlotte Housing Authority because he was the boss. Hoye said he found nothing to indicate Shannon did anything wrong.

Commissioner Dewain Steadman, who cast the lone vote against Shannon, said he was not adequately informed about the activities of the recruiting firm hired to find executive director candidates, and that he feels the process was flawed.

"I have a real strong feeling of impropriety and I intend to pursue it," Steadman said.

Steadman said he plans to formally complain to the state ethics board in January.

Commission Chairman Michael McDonald, who is also a Las Vegas Councilman, said he respects Steadman's right to go to the ethics board, but "the process was by the book."

Commissioner Robert Forbuss said he hopes Shannon can start working in Las Vegas in 30 to 45 days. Shannon's pay still has to be negotiated, but he's likely to earn a salary similar to Brown's. Brown was paid $132,475 a year.

Reached in Charlotte on Tuesday, Shannon said, "It's always great when people think you're what they need."

Shannon said he would not comment further "until we get some type of agreement on the position."

Since resigning from the Charlotte Housing Authority, Brown started the Harrison Shannon Group LLC, a housing consulting firm. Among Shannon's clients is the Charlotte Housing Authority.

During an interview earlier this month, Shannon refused to respond to specific criticisms of his work in Charlotte, but said: "I know the condition of the Charlotte Housing Authority when I assumed the position and the Charlotte Housing Authority is now one of the housing authorities that's talked about as a model authority ... I left things better than I found them."

Shannon also said at that time that he wasn't sure he would take the Las Vegas position if it was offered to him, but Hoye said Shannon has said he would take job.

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