Housing Authority Leader Tony Pérez Resigns
After serving as director for two decades, Perez has been out on medical leave.
Antonio M. Pérez in 2016. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
The long-time director of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) resigned Monday.
Antonio (Tony) M. Pérez, 69, served as HACM’s secretary-executive director since 2000.
In May 2021, HACM announced Pérez was taking a temporary leave of absence to attend to a medical issue.
Former Common Council President Willie Hines, Jr., who resigned his council seat to become HACM’s assistant director in 2014, has served as acting director since 2021.
“Mr. Pérez was an excellent servant leader who cared deeply about HACM’s staff and residents. He committed himself to a higher calling in his service to the organization and the broader community. It has been a pleasure working with him over the last two decades,” said Hines in a statement.
HACM provides housing to more than 10,000 Milwaukee households either through its own housing or vouchers for private housing.
Prior to his time with HACM, Pérez founded the nonprofit, vocational training organization Milwaukee Community Service Corps.
During his time at HACM, the agency secured more than $500 million in private, state and federal grants. Those funds have been used to redevelop a number of the organization’s aging facilities as well as support the full redevelopment of Westlawn Gardens as part of the federal Choice Neighborhood Initiative and the redevelopment of Old Main at Soldiers’ Home into housing for military veterans at risk of homelessness.
The seven-member HACM board of commissioners, all mayoral appointees, will select the agency’s next permanent director.
A spokesperson for Acting Mayor Cavalier Johnson confirmed that the resignation was not related to job performance.
