We here at ^Housing Futures believe it is important to recognize leaders in the affordable housing industry.  This week we look at four leaders working within the state of Pennsylvania.

Caster D. Binion- Pittsburgh Housing Authority: Mr. Binion was named Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh on Feb. 28, 2013. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the field of housing and community development with him to this position. Mr. Binion has served in the capacity of Interim Executive Director since October 2012. Prior to that, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the HACP – a role he has held since 2006.

As COO of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, Mr. Binion managed the responsibility of ensuring agency-wide compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, while managing an annual budget that exceeds $60 million.  Prior to relocating to Pittsburgh in 2006, Mr. Binion served as Deputy Executive Director and Director of Housing Operations for the Housing Authority of Kansas City.Mr. Binion has a Masters in Public Administration from Central Michigan University and a B.S. in Criminal Justice from Lincoln University.

Kelvin A. Jeremiah- Philadelphia Housing Authority- Mr. Jeremiah was named President & CEO of the Philadelphia Housing Authority on March 14, 2013 after serving as the HUD-appointed Administrative Receiver and the Interim Executive Director since June 2012. He oversees the day-to-day operations of the 4th largest housing authority in the country. During his tenure, PHA successfully completed a Recovery Plan to address deficiencies in operations and governance, which resulted in the agency returning to local control in April 2013.

Mr. Jeremiah, a 15-year housing veteran, originally came to PHA as the agency’s first-ever Director of Audit and Compliance in August 2011. In that role, he developed and implemented policies and procedures that ended a culture of splurge and rooted out waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement.

Michael R. Fraley  Housing Authority of the City of Erie- Mr Fraley had served as Acting Executive Director since May, 2017. He has been with the Authority since September 1999, first serving as Resident Initiatives Coordinator and then becoming Deputy Director.  He was born in Erie, grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, and  moved back to Erie in 1966 where he graduated from Strong Vincent High School and Gannon University.

Yasmin Shaheed Pittsburg Housing Authority- Chief Administrative Officer- Yasmin’s professional expertise in the areas of management and technical support to the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) has been a significant catalyst for the Housing Authority in gaining recognition as a leader in the housing industry. The HACP serves over 20,000 residents within the City of Pittsburgh.

Ms. Shaheed possesses an impressive track record of hands-on experience in strategic planning, business development, project management, and effective system directive strategies. She has demonstrated the proven ability to successfully analyze the organization’s critical business requirements, identify deficiencies and potential opportunities, and develop innovative and costeffective solutions for enhancing competitiveness while increasing and improving customer service offerings.

A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Ms. Shaheed is a former elementary education teacher in the Pittsburgh School System. She holds several certifications that include Public Housing Manager, Housing Choice Voucher Specialist, Public Housing Management, Rent Calculation Specialist and Fair Housing & Reasonable Accommodation Specialist. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Carlow University with an MBA in Business Administration on May 14, 2016.

Conclusion:

Do you know other leaders we should be highlighting?  Email us at info@housing-futures.org.