Chicago Leadership Clash: Mayor Brandon Johnson and CHA Chair Matt Brewer at Odds Over CEO Appointment of Keith Pettigrew

The future leadership of the Chicago Housing Authority is at the center of an escalating power struggle.

Mayor Brandon Johnson has announced a significant shift in the CHA’s leadership by demoting current Board Chairman Matthew Brewer, signaling a contentious debate over the appointment of the agency’s next CEO.

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After an extensive search process, the CHA Board revealed their choice for CEO during their March meeting. However, they did not select Mayor Johnson’s preferred candidate, leading to a standoff as the mayor seeks to assert his influence.

In a room where the board previously voted 7-2 in favor of their CEO pick, Operating Chairman Matthew Brewer voiced his objections on Thursday against the mayor’s recent actions concerning CHA leadership.

“It seems he aims to dismantle the board’s efforts, leaving us without a CEO, to eventually install his chosen individual,” Brewer remarked.

The Board’s chosen candidate, Keith Pettigrew, is a seasoned public housing professional, having most recently headed the Washington, D.C. Housing Authority.

That ran afoul of Mayor Johnson’s desire to install his hand-picked political ally, former alderman Walter Burnett Jr., as CEO. The board deemed him unqualified for the job. Burnett, who is a CHA landlord, has not received a required waiver from HUD to be CEO.

“That appointment has been troubled since the very beginning, and it’s clear that the mayor is probably not going to get his way on this and that he should move on,” ABC7 Political Analyst Laura Washington said. “And it’s just curious as to why the mayor wants to continue this fight.”

The mayor’s battle with current CHA leadership includes demoting Brewer as Chairman of the Board, replacing him with his ally commissioner Jawanza Malone. He could not be reached for comment.

The mayor also is challenging Brewer’s authority as Operating Chairman. 14 1:15

“Only the board has the authority to give me that title and those responsibilities, and the mayor doesn’t have the ability to remove that,” Brewer said.

Pettigrew, who was not available for an interview with ABC7, has a clause in his four-year contract that says he can’t be fired in the first year except for cause.

The mayor’s office says Brewer and the board violated the open meeting act, which invalidates Pettrigrew’s hiring. Brewer says Mayor Johnson is putting politics over people.

“Chicago is at a pivotal point, and decisions that we make now can impact us for decades,” Brewer said.

The battle could very well wind up in court. But in the meantime, incoming CEO Keith Pettigrew is expected to start in his new role on April 20.