The Cambridge Housing Authority, the largest affordable housing provider in Cambridge, has chosen Clara Fraden, its top planner, to head the agency after executive director Michael Johnston retires at the end of March. Fraden, 34, will have the title of chief executive officer and will be the first woman to lead the authority.
Fraden joined CHA eight years ago and advanced rapidly. Most recently she served as director of planning, ”where she guided a multidisciplinary team advancing a redevelopment pipeline exceeding $1 billion across more than 20 projects and 1,700 homes across Massachusetts,” according to an announcement of her appointment given to CHA employees by human resources director Robert Kelsey.
The authority’s board of commissioners held a special meeting March 19 to authorize Fraden’s appointment. The record of the vote didn’t disclose terms of Fraden’s contract. The board had previously held executive sessions to discuss the search for Johnston’s replacement. Johnston is retiring for health reasons after working at CHA for 34 years, including nine as executive director. During his tenure as director, the agency markedly ramped up efforts to rehabilitate and expand existing projects and add new housing units.
A press release quoted Jean Hannon, a member of the Alliance of Cambridge Tenants, the organization representing public housing and rent voucher tenants, as thanking the board for its search and “for selecting such a talented and energetic individual as CEO. I’d also like to let Clara know how grateful I am that she’s decided to pursue this role. I’m looking forward to working with her.”
The authority has renovated more than 2,100 units in Cambridge and added more than 230 apartments since 2010. CHA has also served as a consultant and partner to neighboring communities that want to finance and manage public housing construction projects and has provided advice to housing agencies as far away as Lewiston, ME. CHA says it serves more than 13,500 individuals, including 9,500 in Cambridge, through rent vouchers or low-income housing units.
Asked why Fraden’s title will be chief executive officer rather than executive director, Johnston said in an email that because of his “expanded duties” at CHA compared to the responsibilities of heads of other public housing authorities, the CHA board decided “it was more appropriate to advertise and recruit for a CEO.”
Johnston also said the search for his replacement was “a comprehensive process” that included finalists for the job meeting residents, union officials, senior staff, and touring CHA developments.
Kelsey’s memo to the staff said Fraden’s work at CHA “has paired large-scale redevelopment of public housing with initiatives that strengthen resident stability and well-being, including permanent supportive housing, health and housing partnerships, and expanded access to healthy food through fresh meals cooked onsite daily.” He was referring to a program at Manning Apartments for elderly and/or disabled residents that provides a social worker and a nurse onsite and has been embraced by tenants. CHA also started an onsite program that serves meals at several developments.
“Known for her candor, dedication, and collaborative approach, she has built trusted partnerships with residents, staff, local, state, and federal government, healthcare institutions, and private and nonprofit partners,” Kelsey’s memo said.
Fraden graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of arts degree and received a master of urban planning degree from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. She lives in Cambridge.
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