ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 11, 1996 TAG: 9612110060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
Neva Smith, executive director of the Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority since 1992, will retire next spring.
Smith, who was hired to replace fired authority director Herbert McBride, will return to Kentucky, her home state.
The authority's Board of Commissioners accepted Smith's letter of retirement at a board meeting Monday. Board Chairman Willis M. Anderson said the board tried to persuade her to reconsider.
"It's sort of the best of times and the worst of times," Smith said Tuesday. "I'm really excited about spending time with my family. But I really hate to leave the staff at the authority and the friends I've made in Roanoke."
Smith had retired as executive director of the Hampton Redevelopment and Housing Authority when she was approached about heading the authority in Roanoke. She filled a position that had been held by McBride for 11 years. The authority's board fired McBride in May 1992 for what its then-chairman said was "unsatisfactory job performance."
During Smith's tenure, the agency has worked to provide public housing residents with life-improving opportunities.
The authority has developed a family self-sufficiency plan, in part enabling public housing residents to attend Virginia Western Community College classes in a public housing development; established resident councils within each public housing development to help address resident issues and concerns; opened parent resource centers in several developments and started "Lincoln 2000," a $20 million renovation of the Lincoln Terrace public housing development.
"We've made a lot of progress on a number of fronts in dealing with some community issues and providing programs for residents that we serve," Smith said.
Smith said she will assist the authority in its search for her successor.
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