New leader to take troubled Indianapolis Housing Agency's reins in February

By Emily Hopkins

After more than two decades of mismanagement that culminated in a federal takeover last year, the Indianapolis Housing Agency is getting a new leader.

In a video message, Yvonda Bean revealed last week that she would be stepping down from her position as CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority in South Carolina to lead IHA.

“The organization is troubled and in HUD receivership and needs my skill set to turn things around,” Bean said in the video.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development took over the agency in April, a drastic step that the federal agency only takes in the most extreme circumstances.

A Mirror Indy investigation published in November revealed that IHA struggled for more than two decades to properly administer its Section 8 housing voucher program. As a result, the agency at times housed fewer people than it had funding for. And in some cases, Section 8 renters became homeless as a result of IHA’s failures.

Mayor Joe Hogsett praised Bean’s appointment in a news release distributed by HUD.

“I look forward to seeing the ways in which her expertise from serving more than two decades in public housing, including the recovery of two troubled housing agencies, will now be utilized to support the residents of IHA,” he said.

From 2016 to 2019, Bean helmed the Lafayette, Louisiana housing authority, where she was credited with stabilizing the agency after it had spent five years in HUD control.

She joined the Columbia Housing Authority in 2019, shortly after a carbon monoxide leak led to the deaths of two residents and the evacuation of hundreds of others at a now-demolished public housing complex.

There, she oversaw the construction of more than 400 affordable housing units and more than $100 million in new construction developments. Her work in South Carolina has been recognized by a national industry group for housing and community development professionals.

“My work has been rooted in the belief that housing is a right and not a privilege — everyone deserves access to safe, affordable housing,” Bean said in the HUD news release. “I am thrilled to join IHA and look forward to collaborating with HUD, the city, the board, the IHA team, residents and community partners to contribute to IHA’s impactful work.”

Bean will begin her work in Indianapolis on Feb. 17.

Emily Hopkins is a Mirror Indy reporter focused on data and accountability. Mirror Indy is a reporting partner with WFYI. You can reach them by email at emily.hopkins@mirrorindy.org.