NEW: RI Housing Executive Director Godfrey to Retire
Friday, January 16, 2015
The Chairman of Rhode Island Housing, Andrew Cortés, and its Executive Director Richard Godfrey today announced that Godfrey would be retiring from the agency effective January 31, 2015.
RI Housing troubles.
Rhode Island housing has come under criticism over the last few months, most recently in the race for Governor.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTMayor Allan Fung blasted now Governor Gina Raimondo for her leadership of RI Housing.
"It is my understanding that Treasurer Raimondo has failed to attend a single meeting of the RI Housing Board of Directors in over one year, instead sending a “designee” in her place. Given the troubled history of this agency, it was crucial for Treasurer Raimondo to fulfill her fiduciary role and attend meetings personally to exercise oversight. I am also calling on Treasurer Gina Raimondo to come forward and explain her personal failure to exercise leadership or sound judgment in this matter. The lack of judgment, communication, and basic accounting has cast a shadow over this agency," Fung said
Richard Godfrey
“Richard’s knowledge of housing and housing finance and his passion for helping others will be difficult to replace,” Cortés said about Godfrey's departure.
Godfrey’s employment contract was due to expire on April 30, 2015 and Godfrey expressed to the agency’s Chairman, Andrew Cortés, that his contract should not be considered for renewal.
“It has been my pleasure and honor to serve the people of Rhode Island for more than 20 years,” said Godfrey.
Under Godfrey’s leadership the agency received national awards for its programs and earned recognition as a transformative and innovative model that facilitated urban development, helped first-time homebuyers and worked to alleviate homelessness.
Godfrey has been with the agency since 1993.
Interim Director appointed
With the retirement of Godfrey, Cortés announced that Barbara G. Fields has been appointed to serve as the new interim Executive Director.
Most recently Fields was the HUD regional director for the six New England States, a position she was appointed to by President Obama.
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