Big field vies for housing post

The top job at the Pasco County Housing Authority has attracted applicants from across the country, as well as a handful of locals, with experience in some of the largest public housing authorities in America.

Authority Chairman David Lambert said hiring a new executive director to replace longtime director Karen Turner is his top priority for 2012. "We have a qualified group of applicants and we're moving forward to set up interviews in January," he said. "We hope to have someone in place in February."

The authority has been without an executive director since Turner resigned in September in the midst of a scandal and federal Department of Housing and Urban Development investigation. Board members plan to interview all 20 applicants who meet the minimum requirements. Lambert said the interviews could take a week.

"It doesn't matter to me if they come from New Jersey or right here in Pasco County. We're going to pick the best person for the job," Lambert said. "We owe that to the residents. We owe it to the employees, and we owe it to the citizens of Pasco County."

Mark Damato, executive director of the East Orange Housing Authority just outside of Newark, N.J., has ties to Florida. His parents live in Citrus County, his daughter works at EPCOT and he is engaged to marry a judge in the Fifth Circuit Court. Damato was the only applicant who referred specifically to the problems of Pasco's housing authority.

"I have been closely following the recent events at the Pasco County Housing Authority as I am in Florida every other week working on my relocation," he wrote. "I am enthusiastic about working together with this newly appointed well-qualified board to revitalize the housing inventory, restore confidence and credibility to the housing agency, and to beneficially provide quality assistance to the community we serve."

Dianne Morris, Housing and Development Director for the city of Danville, Va., spent a decade as Pasco County's Community Development director, working closely with the Pasco County Housing Authority. "None of the tasks listed in your job description are ones that I have not been involved or ones which I could not handle," she wrote.

Peter Lopez is a CPA based in Cape Coral who worked as controller for the Housing Authority of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. He also spent two years as executive director for the Venice Housing Authority. He also speaks Spanish and has ties to Dade City — his in-laws own a home here.

Mark Simpson, public housing manager for the Orlando Housing Authority, said his agency is designated as a "high performer" by HUD. "I know what it takes to get to that level and what it takes to stay there," he wrote.

Michael H. Kramer lives in Land O'Lakes, has 30 years of experience in the affordable housing industry and has worked for authorities in New York City, Baltimore and Houston, where he served as managing director.

"A child of public housing, I have had a distinguished career of success in the public housing field, including leadership positions at some of the largest housing authorities in the country, as well as the private sector," he wrote.

Damon Duncan and Keith Gregory could bring big-city experience. Duncan, who works as a housing consultant in metro Atlanta, spent several years as an executive with the Detroit Housing Commission. Gregory has worked as finance director or budget manager at housing authorities in Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

Lambert said he's not surprised the job attracted so much interest, even though the posted salary of $87,000 is below the industry average.

"This will be an opportunity to take a housing authority that was failing and really turn it around and mold it," he said. "It's a good job and good people to work with."

The remaining applicants are:

• Stephen Ladd of Palm Harbor, assistant director of public housing at the Tampa Housing Authority;

• Michael Lundy of Huntsville, Ala., executive director and CEO of the Huntsville Housing Authority;

• David Bustamante, Palm Beach County Housing Authority's director of Section 8;

• Victoria Johnson, director of community development for the City of Hollywood, Fla.;

• Rose M. Vazquez of Valrico, a Naval recruiter and logistical specialist;

• Rosie Peterman-Thompson, a St. Petersburg, real estate broker;

• J. Franklin Scalf of Nashville, Tenn., a licensed architect and CEO of Al Menah Shriners;

• Milton L. Beard of Dade City, a real estate investor and manager;

• Sharon J. Johnson of Lithia, nonprofit director and former project manager for HUD;

• William J. Harris of Cherry Hill, N.J., CEO of a nonprofit agency;

• Asia Standifer of Dade City, senior probation counselor for the Salvation Army;

• Susan Sigler of Safety Harbor, loan policy specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs;

• Donald Paredez of Port Richey, vice president of property management for Benson Properties ;

• Sue Ross of Hudson, an insurance adjuster and mortgage broker.