HOUSING AUTHORITY OF LANCASTER BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS:

The Boards of Commissioners serve in a supervisory and advisory capacity to the Executive Director and are responsible for making formal policy for the Housing Authority. The Board is comprised of five-members appointed by Lancaster City Council to serve a five-year staggered term. The Commissioners elect from among themselves a chair and a vice chair.  The Executive Director serves as the secretary. The Board meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month in the Dr. James A. Boykin Boardroom of 3502 Caroline Courts.  Current commissioners are:

• Ms. Brenda Thompson, Chair
• Ms. Ruth McIlwain, Commissioner
• Ms. Sabrina S. Hammond, Commissioner
• Ms. Beverly Thigpin, Commissioner
• Ms. Shirnetha Belk, Commissioner

ADMINISTRATION:

• Ms. Veronica Williams, Executive Director
• Mrs. Suzanne Rollings, Housing Manager
• Ms. Brandy Gardner, Assistant Section 8 Coordinator
• Ms. J. Maxine Hagwood, Admissions and Occupancy Specialist
• Mr. Dennis Dixon, Maintenance Mechanic
• Mr. Robert Bailey, Maintenance Mechanic
• Mr. Marty Catledge, Maintenance Mechanic
• Mr. Andre Ballard Jr, Groundskeeper
• Ms. Kirsten Willis, Director of Lancaster Housing Services, Inc./ROSS

HISTORY:

The Lancaster Leased Housing Corporation, a nonprofit corporation of the State of South Carolina was formed April 14, 1969 for the purpose of providing low rent housing for lease to the Housing Authority of Lancaster, South Carolina that was duly organized on the July 22, 1969. The Housing Authority of Lancaster (HAL) is neither a federal agency nor a department of the City of Lancaster.  HAL is not carried under the city budget nor does it receive funding from the City of Lancaster. The Housing Authority is governed by a Board of Commissioners.  The founding Board of Commissioners consisted of:  Commissioners Brooks R. Johnson, Chairman; Bennie C. Hough, Vice Chairman; Dr. J. A. Boykin, Secretary; L. Harold Rowell and John E. Wright.

The Housing Authority of Lancaster receives funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to administer the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) and Public Housing Programs. Our Public Housing currently consist of two sites: Caroline Courts built July 24, 1974 with 36 building and 100 units and Frank L. Roddey Homes built October 29, 1982 with 9 buildings and 40 units. Under the Housing Choice Voucher Program, we administer a maximum of 247 Vouchers based upon funding.

The Housing Authority of Lancaster main office was completely renovated with its completion on October 8, 2014. The buildings now consist of an Administrative Wing, Educational Wing, Maintenance Building and additional storage.

The Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of Lancaster voted unanimously on May 15, 2013, to name the newly constructed boardroom “The Dr. James A. Boykin Boardroom”. This was done to honor the tireless and dedicated service Dr. Boykin provided to the clients of the Housing Authority of Lancaster and the Lancaster community for 39 years.

Dr. Boykin was the longest serving member of the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and the only living member of the Charter Commissioners at the time. He passed away October 15, 2020 at the age of 97. He served three Mayors and thirteen City Council members. He served with sixteen commissioners and five Executive Directors.