public housing

ARHA appoints former longtime CEO as interim amid national search

Published July 17, 2026 at 1:45PM

ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Roy Priest, the former longtime CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, has been named the interim CEO until a permanent successor is chosen, the organization announced this week.

Priest was CEO of Alexandria’s public housing authority from 2006 to 2017, and his temporary reinstatement follows last month’s resignation of interim CEO Rickie Maddox. Priest started work on July 7 and will act as interim CEO for five or six months until the ARHA Board fills the permanent CEO position, ARHA Board Chair Mark Jinks told ALXnow in an email.

ARHA board promotes housing director as acting deputy CEO

By James Cullum

Published June 19, 2026 at 1:45PM

ARHA properties in Old Town, Alexandria. (Staff photo by James Cullum)

With its interim chief executive officer stepping down today (Friday), the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners has promoted its director of housing to help provide continuity of leadership.

ARHA’s interim CEO Rickie Maddox submitted her resignation last month, leaving behind Alexandria’s struggling housing authority nearly a year after its previous CEO Erik Johnson was fired for living in a public housing unit — and the organization’s nine-member board resigned and was replaced. Now, Board Chair Mark Jinks says that Janell Diaz, ARHA’s director of housing, has been appointed the acting deputy CEO.

ARHA interim CEO resigns seven months after predecessor’s ousting

By James Cullum

Published May 29, 2026 at 10:30AM

ARHA properties in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

The interim CEO of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority is stepping down from her role, according to a letter submitted to the organization’s board of commissioners.

On May 20, Rickie C. Maddox informed the board in a short letter that her last day would be Friday, June 19.