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VI HOUSING AUTHORITY DIRECTOR RESIGNS

April 16, 2002 – Longtime V.I. Housing Authority Executive Director Conrad Francois II unexpectedly gave his notice of resignation at a VIHA board meeting Friday.
The announcement came as a surprise to many. Francois has held the highest position at the authority for 12 years. According to published reports, he will continue working through May 17. Francois did not return repeated calls for comment.
According to a source who did not wish to be identified, Francois' relationship with the Housing Authority executive board has been strained in recent times and this may have led to his resignation.
VIHA is a semi-autonomous agency and as such sets its own policies.
Sen. Celestino A. White Sr. chairs the Legislature's Housing Parks and Recreation Committee, which oversees the Housing Authority. White told WVWI Radio on Monday he hoped to talk Francois out of resigning. He also did not return repeated calls for comment on Tuesday.
There has been no acknowledgment from Government House of Francois' resignation or any hint of a possible successor. It would be up to Gov. Charles W. Turnbull to appoint a new executive director to replace Francois.
According to the Legislature's Post Audit Division, as of May 2001, the Housing Authority was responsible for more than 3,500 conventional low-rent housing units throughout the territory — 1,568 on St. Thomas, 1,979 on St. Croix and 14 on St. John. At present, there are 12 public housing communities on St. Thomas, 16 on St. Croix and one on St. John.

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