Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority hires new executive director
CANTON ‒ The Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority has hired its next executive director.
Denita Johnson, 53, a Cleveland Heights native who works for the Durham Housing Authority in North Carolina, will begin her role here on Feb. 1.
Tim Shetzer, Stark housing authority board chairman, lauded Johnson's track record of achievements and accomplishments during her 30-year professional career.
"We conducted an extensive, national search for our next leader," Shetzer said in a prepared statement. "We’re more than confident that we found the right person for the position.”
Johnson will be the public housing agency's third executive director in the past two years.
The turnover began when longtime director Herman Hill resigned in March 2022 to take the top job at Akron's housing authority. He was replaced by Josh Crites, who resigned at the end of September after only seven months on the job.
Work to be done in Canton
Johnson said the opportunity is an honor.
"I am excited to work with the talented team at SMHA and the broader community to make a lasting and positive impact," she said. "Together, let's build a future where every individual has a place to call home and where community thrives."
Johnson has worked in Durham since 2016.
She began as director of the Housing Choice Voucher Program, then since October 2020 has also served as the North Carolina agency's chief operating officer.
Her accomplishments include helping secure a $40 million U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Choice Neighborhoods implementation grant, in partnership with the city of Durham in 2022.
Such experience could help in Canton. Stark's housing authority recently landed a $500,000 Choice Neighborhoods planning grant — the initial step in a Choice project. The ultimate goal is to revitalize the Jackson Sherrick public housing complex and the surrounding southeast Canton neighborhoods.
Shetzer said Stark attracted a quality pool of candidates in this latest round of applications.
"We believe this speaks to both the reputation of SMHA and the opportunities here, and know great things are in store for us,” he said.
Stark had offered an annual salary range of between $160,000 and $180,000 to the prospective new director during its search. Johnson's salary and duration of her contract was not immediately available.
From Cleveland to Durham, then back to Ohio
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Kent State University, then her master’s in executive management from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Prior to her time working in North Carolina, Johnson held a variety of positions during 12 years at the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority in Cleveland. Her duties there included a three-year stint as one of the agency's deputy directors.
Her Housing Choice Voucher programs in Cleveland and in Durham were regularly recognized as annual "high performers" by HUD, the primary funder of such programs.
Johnson is mother to two grown children ― Jasmine lives in Atlanta and Eric in Columbus, Ohio.
In Canton, Johnson inherits an agency with a $35 million budget used to operate 2,300 public housing units, along with several voucher programs, serving about 1,800 families.
“I feel like everything I have done so far has prepared me for this new opportunity with SMHA,” she said in a written statement, adding she's excited to come home to Ohio.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Denita Johnson hired to lead Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority
