NYCHA - Mayor Bill de Blasio Names Richard D. Baron to NYCHA Board 20140618

NYC Housing Authority


Press Release


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 18, 2014
Contact: media@nycha.nyc.gov, (212) 306-3322

Mayor Bill de Blasio names Richard D. Baron to NYCHA Board
NYCHA gains recognized national leader in affordable housing, urban affairs
Richard D. Baron, a distinguished national leader with a track record of transformative success in affordable housing development and management, has been appointed by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Board, NYCHA Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye announced today.
“As the largest public housing authority in North America, with over 300 developments, 400,000 residents, it is critical that NYCHA has an experienced, sensitive, and creative team at the steering wheel,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Richard has a proven record and, working under Chair and CEO Shola Olatoye, I trust that his leadership will help improve the quality of life for the New Yorkers living in NYCHA housing.”
“We’re so fortunate to be able to bring Richard’s thoughtful counsel and deep knowledge of affordable housing and community revitalization nationwide to NYCHA’s Board as we address the many challenges facing public housing in New York City,” said Chair Olatoye. “As NYCHA moves forward with its vision to preserve and maintain public housing as an essential part of New York’s communities, we are thrilled to know we have the benefit of Richard’s wisdom and creativity.”
Mr. Baron lives in New York City and is co-founder, chairman, and CEO of McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS) in St. Louis, MO, specializing in re-creating neighborhoods in some of the country’s most distressed areas. MBS developments across the nation, including in Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and Cleveland, represent successful efforts to turn physically deteriorating communities into areas of prosperity and growth. In 2004, Mr. Baron was selected as the fifth annual laureate of the Urban Land Institute’s JC Nichols Prize, an honor given to visionaries in urban development.
Mr. Baron’s passion for rebuilding communities extends well beyond building housing. He is founder and developer of the Center of Creative Arts (COCA) in University City, MO. COCA is a community-based visual and performing arts center that serves more than 50,000 children and adults annually. He also founded the Center for Urban Redevelopment Excellence at the University of Pennsylvania. And, Mr. Baron co-founded and is co-chairman of the Vashon Education Compact, a partnership of the St. Louis Public Schools and major corporations aimed at transforming low-performing schools into high-achieving ones.
He serves on numerous boards in support of affordable housing and the arts and is on the Advisory Board for the Center on Urban and Metropolitan Policy at The Brookings Institution. A graduate of Oberlin College, Mr. Baron also holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of California-Berkeley and a J.D. from the University of Michigan.
In announcing a new member of the NYCHA Board, Chair Olatoye expressed her gratitude to Emily Youssouf for her more than three years of service. Ms. Youssouf remained on the seven-member board at the Chair’s request through the Authority’s leadership transition following the election of Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Emily has been a champion of our strategic objectives and a fierce defender of the Authority, vigorously supporting NYCHA with laser-focused rigor,” Chair Olatoye said. “We owe her our tremendous thanks.” Ms. Youssouf is a Clinical Professor at NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate and continues on the Board of New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation.
The NYCHA Board is comprised of seven members appointed by the Mayor and includes three public housing resident members. The Mayor designates one of the members as the Chair. The Chair is the Chief Executive Officer of the Authority and is responsible for supervising the business and affairs of the Authority. Members’ duties include voting on contracts, resolutions, policies, motions, rules, and regulations.