Housing director Brown dies at 57

Diana Sahagun and Erin Neff

Friday, June 28, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Frederick Brown, the embattled executive director of the Las Vegas Housing Authority, died this morning of apparent heart failure at a local hospital. He was 57.

The news came as a shock to board members, who met with him just Monday during a regularly scheduled meeting. Las Vegas Councilman Michael McDonald, who was elected board chairman at the meeting, said he spoke to Brown on Wednesday and said he was in good spirits.

"It's very disturbing," McDonald said. "I just talked to him, he was fine. He was a friend and I have the highest regard for him."

Brian Sagert, who has served as Brown's right-hand man at the Housing Authority, said Brown went to the emergency room Thursday after having trouble breathing. He was later transferred to Valley Hospital Medical Center, where he died approximately 2:30 this morning.

Sagert said he was unaware that Brown had a heart condition.

Sagert said he rushed to the emergency room at 9:30 p.m. Thursday night to see his close friend, taking a few minutes to pray for Brown, who he said appeared to be unconscious.

Brown's death comes as investigators continue to probe contracts the Housing Authority had with outside consultants, including congressional candidate Dario Herrera.

Brown signed an $84,000 public affairs contract with Tribeca Media and Herrera Communications Group that came under fire when board members questioned the need for such a contract and how Herrera, chairman of the Clark County Commission, got a piece of it.

Las Vegas resident Amelia Coulston filed an ethics complaint against Brown, who served on Herrera's exploratory committee for his congressional run. The city tossed that complaint because it had no jurisdiction in the matter.

Housing Commissioner Dewain Steadman filed a complaint with the FBI. The Department of Housing and Urban Development launched an audit review of the authority, and has yet to complete its probe.

Brown was not known for handling controversy well, and broke down in tears during a public board meeting at the height of questioning over the public relations contract.

Steadman said he was "upset and shocked" to learn this morning about Brown's death.

Although Steadman said he was not certain what would happen to the authority now, he said he expects Brown's assistant director, Parviz Ghadiri, to take over in an acting role until a national search is conducted for his replacement.

Steadman said he did not know of any health problems Brown was experiencing, and he downplayed the controversy over Brown's handling of the PR contract.

"At the time, I thought there was chicanery going on there," Steadman said.

Sagert, who has worked with Brown for 18 months, said Brown should be credited for turning the Housing Authority around.

"He certainly had taken this housing authority from a troubled housing authority years back when he came, to a high-performing agency, which is an extreme accomplishment," Sagert said. "He's done nothing but good for public housing."

Brown became executive director in 1994 when the Housing Authority was near insolvency and was criticized for failing to meet the needs of residents.

"It is now constantly ranked at the top of national rankings," said Robert Forbuss, a housing commissioner. "I think Frederick deserves credit for that.

"Frederick was a good man. He had a great heart and he was always trying to do the right thing."

Brown is survived by his parents, George and Marnye Brown, and two brothers who reside in Philadelphia.

Services are pending.