L.A. mayor selects new housing chief from Chicago
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa today announced his selection of Douglas Guthrie to become the new general manager of the city’s Housing Department.
Guthrie, a former top official at the Chicago Housing Authority, most recently worked with private ventures focused on affordable urban development and the redevelopment of old public housing into mixed-use city centers.
Guthrie served for six years as president of Kimball Hill Urban Centers in Chicago, which built mixed-income affordable housing in many depressed city centers that most traditional developers would avoid, including a project with former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, one of Villaraigosa’s long-time political supporters.
Guthrie, a former top official at the Chicago Housing Authority, most recently worked with private ventures focused on affordable urban development and the redevelopment of old public housing into mixed-use city centers.
Guthrie served for six years as president of Kimball Hill Urban Centers in Chicago, which built mixed-income affordable housing in many depressed city centers that most traditional developers would avoid, including a project with former U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Henry Cisneros, one of Villaraigosa’s long-time political supporters.
Kimball Hill Urban Centers is a subsidiary of Kimball Hill Homes, a well-established Chicago-based building company that filed for bankruptcy protection in 2008 amid one of the worst nationwide housing downturns since the Great Depression.
Guthrie also had served as the head of National Equity Fund, a nonprofit that raised money to build affordable housing, and in the late 1980s worked as the deputy executive director for the Chicago Housing Authority.
L.A.’s former general manager of housing, Mercedes Marquez, stepped down in April to become assistant secretary for community planning and development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Guthrie’s appointment will now go before the City Council for confirmation.
--Phil Willon at L.A. City Hall
Guthrie also had served as the head of National Equity Fund, a nonprofit that raised money to build affordable housing, and in the late 1980s worked as the deputy executive director for the Chicago Housing Authority.
L.A.’s former general manager of housing, Mercedes Marquez, stepped down in April to become assistant secretary for community planning and development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Guthrie’s appointment will now go before the City Council for confirmation.
--Phil Willon at L.A. City Hall
EDITOR'S PICKS:
Another member of the Chicago Political Machine? Gonna have to do some research, I hope the City Council does. So he ran a company into bankruptcy, that sounds like a swell accomplishment. I wonder what his association is with President Obama. And LA Times, how much will the taxpayers be paying for his salary? Please report.
Posted by: Michelle Hernandez | November 20, 2009 at 05:28 PM
LA has actually hired someone from the totally incompetent & thoroughly corrupt Chicago Housing Authority?
Is Villaraigosa insane?
Posted by: Unindicted Co-conspirator | November 20, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Chicago? now that is impressive....East meets West Crokkery
Posted by: Timray | November 20, 2009 at 06:51 PM
anything with chi cago in it, sounds CROOCKED.
Posted by: ferenc | November 20, 2009 at 09:25 PM
Great. Cisneros is a supporter!--wasn't he the guy who was responsible for the early real estate nightmares when he was HUD sec'y under Clinton? Didn't he have a hand in developing low income housing, and getting the buyers, the majority Latino, into bad loans? I understand one of his villages is a dustbowl now.
Posted by: Tara | November 20, 2009 at 09:48 PM
Villar is using angelenos monies to keep himself politically connected even if LA goes banckrupt. I am looking for a contractor so I going to look for one who comes from an organization that has filed for bankruptcy to manage my project..the best and the brightest talent..humm. I agree with Ms. Hernandez, Chicago, the City renown for it's politcal graft and corruption..now being imported here to solidify Antonio's holdings. This city gets what it deserves...
Posted by: Gilbert Lopez | November 21, 2009 at 06:01 AM
poor choice, yes he has worked for many but what has he accomplished by being the president Kimball Hill, and what are his contributions to his organization. We need an all-star in this state now not a sixth man off of someone's bench. The candidate for the position well should have been chosen internally from with-in our ranks and borders, someone with the knowledge and trust that this great state needs and deserve. ====we will be counting the days until misconception
Posted by: dogrob1 | November 21, 2009 at 07:28 AM
What's all the hub-bub over the new L.A. Housing Dept.
General Manager coming from Chicago.
Isn't L.A. basically just a giant housing tract, shopping
mall, office tower developed and managed under Chicago's portfolio?
The real bonus to Mr. Guthrie of getting this position with L.A. Housing Dept. is that he doesn't even have to leave Chicago.
Thats because L.A. Housing Dept. basically runs itself.
He can just phone it in every couple weeks.
I'm not kidding. Just ask Ms. Marquez.
There is not much any general manager can do without first
getting his hands on the org chart. And that must require super-high security clearance, if there are any copies left.
Housing Dept. wouldn't want that getting out, all it does is facilitate accountability - something they work diligently to avoid.
Posted by: p.f.stone | November 23, 2009 at 05:59 PM
another crook coming to los angeles
my god how much can we take
we all now is not whats best for los angeles is whats good for all those crooks and liars in city hall
Posted by: crooks and liars | November 23, 2009 at 07:00 PM
I think this is good for LA
Posted by: Melissa | December 15, 2009 at 05:04 PM
I think this is great for LA!
Posted by: Melissa | December 15, 2009 at 05:05 PM
I think this is great for LA. I know Mr.Guthrie very well and he did a great job in Chicago so I think that Mr.Guthrie will do great.
Posted by: Melissa | December 15, 2009 at 05:11 PM