Advocates file lawsuit against Chicago Housing Authority over appointment of new CEO

Housing advocates filed a lawsuit Thursday contesting the Chicago Housing Authority’s decision to appoint a new CEO last month.

Advocates say the CHA Board of Commissioners’ decision to name Keith Pettigrew executive director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority on March 17 violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act, which requires public bodies to give advance notice of meetings and prohibits them from taking action on items not listed on the publicized agenda.

The final item on the agenda was simply “Approval of Personnel Matters,” which did not sufficiently inform anyone about Pettigrew’s appointment, according to Loevy & Loevy, the firm representing the suit.

“This is exactly the kind of secrecy that the Open Meetings Act was designed to prevent,” attorney Matt Topic said in a statement. “The leadership of CHA is of vital importance to the health and well-being of the City of Chicago, and under the laws of this state the public has a legal right to be informed about, and have a voice in, that process.”

A group of advocates from the Lugenia Burns Hope Center, Working Family Solidarity and the Chicago Housing Initiative announced their intent to file a lawsuit on Tuesday outside the CHA headquarters.

The CHA had gone 16 months without a CEO before the board voted 7-2 to appoint Pettigrew. The vote was seen as a setback for Mayor Brandon Johnson, who had long backed retired West Side Ald. Walter “Red” Burnett for the role.

Last week, CHA Board Chair Matthew Brewer told the Chicago Sun-Times he was “very confident” that the CHA board he chairs “complied with all applicable laws.” Brewer did not respond immediately to a request for comment Thursday.