Mayor Eric Adams has appointed two officials to lead the New York City Housing Authority.
Lisa Bova-Hiatt, who was NYCHA’s interim CEO, will take over the top job permanently, Adams said in a news release Thursday.
She moved from the role of general counsel at NYCHA into the interim position last September, after Greg Russ stepped down as NYCHA’s CEO.
Adams also named a former New York state official, James Rubin, to take over as NYCHA’s board chair. Russ held that role until February.
“We have been clear since day one that NYCHA residents deserve the same quality of life as every New Yorker, and this administration has embraced the responsibility and the opportunity to deliver that,” Adams said in a statement.
“Lisa Bova-Hiatt has proven that she has what it takes to run this city-within-a-city, and Jamie Rubin brings the wide-ranging experience and critical skills to guide NYCHA’s rejuvenation,” he added.
Rubin, who currently serves as the chief investment officer of Aligned Climate Capital, has more than three decades of experience working in government, at nonprofits and in the private sector, the release said.
He previously led New York state’s Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery, served as the commissioner of New York State Homes and Community Renewal and acted as director of former President Barack Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Recovery and Rebuilding Task Force, the release added.
Bova-Hiatt will run NYCHA’s day-to-day operations, while Rubin will oversee NYCHA’s seven-member board, which “advises and votes on contracts, rules, regulations and other administrative matters,” according to the release.
Adams on Thursday also appointed First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and financial professional Greg Belinfanti to NYCHA’s board, the release said.
Pamela Campbell, meanwhile, was appointed to the board of the Public Housing Preservation Trust as its labor representative.
Bova-Hiatt and Rubin joined NY1 political anchor Errol Louis on “Inside City Hall” Thursday to discuss their new roles and the future of NYCHA.
In June, NYCHA announced its plans to demolish the Fulton and Elliot-Chelsea Houses in Chelsea, rebuild the complexes entirely and replace them with new high-rise apartments for current tenants.
Bova-Hiatt said every development is different, adding that they would have to look at each development and see what works best for them.
“We’re really going to see something reimagined,” she said.
When it comes to Section 9, which is a grant that comes from Washington, Rubin said Adams wants “the system to be restored to a state of good repair and effect as urgently as possible, understanding that the biggest issue, of course, is money.”
He said there needs to be action within NYCHA.
“We know what we need to do,” he said. “We need to be talking to the tenants, which Lisa and her team do, and we need to get it done."