The president and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Doug Guthrie, will retire Aug. 1 after leading the agency for 12 years, officials announced Thursday.
“Since first coming to HACLA, I have been impressed with the dedication and commitment to the mission of everyone in this organization,” Guthrie wrote in a letter to the agency announcing his departure.
“What we do is challenging work and we have been through challenging times, but every time you have risen to the challenge and delivered. I have had a few interesting jobs over the years, but none as rewarding as my time here as part of the HACLA family,” the letter continued.
HACLA was established in 1938 by the city of Los Angeles. According to the agency, it is one of the nation’s largest leading public housing authorities, providing the largest supply of affordable housing to more than 83,000 households in its Public Housing and Section 8 rental assistance programs, and offers several permanent housing programs for homeless individuals.
Guthrie’s tenure included the redevelopment of Jordan Downs, and the beginning of work for the Rose Hills and Rancho San Pedro housing projects; creating Bridge Housing for the homeless; acquiring nearly 2,400 units of housing under Project Homekey; and partnering with the city of Los Angeles to commit nearly 30,000 Section 8 vouchers toward addressing homelessness.
According to HACLA’s bylaws and succession plan, Marlene Garza, chief administrative officer, will serve as the acting CEO starting Aug. 2, pending the appointment of an interim or permanent CEO.
“Marlene brings extensive experience and a deep understanding of HACLA’s operations, ensuring stability and continuity and we are grateful to have her acting in this capacity,” HACLA Board Chair Cielo Castro said in a statement. “In the coming months, the Board of Commissioners will consider qualified candidates for the role of President & CEO.”
Castro added, “Our goal is to identify a strong leader who can uphold our core values, support our team during this period of transition, and drive our mission forward at this critical time in our city’s history.”