AMHERST – After more than four years of overseeing the Amherst Housing Authority, Denise LeDuc is retiring as executive director.
LeDuc’s retirement, which is effective at the end of June, was announced Thursday to the Amherst Housing Authority Commission. Her last day of work will be June 17.
“We have been very fortunate to have had the benefit of Ms. LeDuc’s exceptional fiscal management skills, in particular, during a time when housing authorities have been challenged by state and federal funding shortfalls for affordable housing,” said commission chairwoman Laura Quinn.
LeDuc, who began her tenure in January 2012 when she succeeded long-time executive director Donna Crabtree, said Friday that she will become director of finance and administration for the Hilltown Community Development Corp. in Chesterfield, which is near her home.
She cited seeking money to improve the housing stock for low-income families and individuals as an accomplishment during her time in Amherst.
The authority owns nearly 200 units of low-income public housing and is also responsible for providing rental assistance vouchers and verifies individuals and families seeking Section 8 certificates and rental subsidies.
“It’s been good in the fact that I’ve been fairly successful at getting money for renovation projects,” LeDuic said.
This includes $3.9 million, from various state and local sources, that will be spent over three years for upgrades to properties, including Ann Whalen Apartments, where all units got new kitchen cabinets and bathroom improvements last year.
“I’ve worked to make sure the people we house have the safest environment they can,” LeDuc said.
A renovation of three accessible units at John Nutting Apartments also was recently completed and unveiled at a ribbon-cutting last month.
Quinn said the commission is starting the search for a new executive director, with input from the dozen housing authority staff members.
“We’ll be defining our search process in the next few weeks and it looks very promising that we’ll be able to recruit an excellent successor, in a timely manner, thanks to the broad base of qualified candidates in the field,” Quinn said.
LeDuc came to Amherst following 10 years as director of finance at the Franklin County Regional Housing and Redevelopment Authority in Turners Falls. She is paid more than $86,250, based on a contract the commission approved in March 2015.
During her time, LeDuc also oversaw the sale of former Select Board member Eva Schiffer’s home, which Schiffer willed to the housing authority for use as an affordable home. The money from the sale was put toward various housing authority programs.
Perhaps the biggest challenges have been ensuring that people with federal Section 8 vouchers would not be displaced from their apartments. The federal sequestration in 2013 had the commission considering reducing the value of the vouchers.
Earlier that same year, the sale of Echo Village Apartments, where 19 low-income families, with 30 children, lived, forced many to leave their homes when rents were increased.
Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek said in a statement that LeDuc has been a strong leader and partner with the town on projects serving the housing needs of people.
“Her commitment and dedication to tenants was unwavering,” Ziomek said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.