By MELISSA PEACOCK

LAPLACE – The St. John the Baptist Parish Board of Commissioners, in agreement with the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, recently hired Alice Hubbard Crenshaw to replace former Housing Authority Director Claudette Raphael.

The New Orleans resident will begin her post at the troubled agency in October.

Crenshaw is no newcomer to public housing. She worked in public housing in East St. Louis, Ill. and was a city manager in Maple Wood, Mo. Currently, she manages 800-plus units for the city of New Orleans. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.

She is also an ordained minister.

“The biggest challenge, that is basic to all public housing, is providing tenant service – providing safe, sanitary, affordable housing to the public,” Crenshaw said.

Giving residents a voice in public housing communities is the first step to ensuring that those basic rights are being addressed.

“I am going to do whatever I can to get residents actively involved in that,” Crenshaw said. Part of her plan is to get resident organizations re-instituted in local public housing developments. “Also, I have not looked at all the problems yet, but when I do it will probably mean that I will be creating new policies and procedures, particularly for maintenance. I may also look at changing some organizational structure.”

Raphael resigned from the post months ago but agreed to continue serving in public housing until a replacement was hired. In August, members of the Parish Council pressured the Board of Commissioners to ask HUD to assist in forging a management agreement with another parish until a new director was selected.

St. James Parish Director of Housing Joe Johnson answered the board’s request for additional management. Johnson now splits time between St. James and St. John public housing, working with Raphael to improve the “curbside appeal” of public housing in St. John Parish. He said he will assist the new director for the first few months of her tenure, but has all confidence in her ability to lead the St. John public housing team.

“I will continue to work in the background,” Johnson said. “But personally, I feel she is ready to go. She is capable, confident and articulate.”

To qualify for the management position, candidates must submit to a background check, have good credentials and a good work history, and successfully pass an hour (or longer) interview with commissioners. Johnson said Crenshaw easily met all qualifications.

“It takes someone with diligence. It takes work, a good staff and the support of HUD,” Johnson said. “It is not really a hard job once the staff understands and supports housing policies.”

The St. John Housing Authority has received public criticism for mismanagement and internal conflict in recent weeks.

The Sheriff’s Office has investigated a number of shootings and drug deals in public housing. Johnson said that attention by law enforcement has helped the housing authority to move in a different direction.

“The Sheriff’s Department should be congratulated for its work cleaning up public housing, particularly in Reserve,” Johnson said. “About seven or eight families have been evicted (from public housing) in connection with drug busts.”