NYCHA Chairwoman Resigns Amid Agency Turmoil

New York City Housing Authority Chairwoman Shola Olatoye announced her resignation Tuesday. 

But while it followed months of pressure and criticism, she stepped down with a smile on her face, and the mayor at her side, continuing to sing her praises.

"I want to say thank you to Shola, because it was not an easy mission and it was certainly a thankless mission, but it was a crucial mission and 400,000 people benefited because of the work you did," Mayor Bill de Blasio said at an appearance at the Ocean Bay Bayside Apartments, a public housing complex in Arverne, Queens. 

Olatoye's departure follows months of controversy surrounding her leadership that began last fall, when the city’s inspector general found she had signed off on documents claiming the city was in compliance with federal lead paint regulations, even though NYCHA had stopped inspecting apartments for lead in 2012. According to the investigation, thousands of families with children were put at risk of being poisoned.

Then, during a four month period this winter, nearly 80 percent of public housing tenants were left without heat or hot water at some point.

Stanley Brezenoff, a former City Hall aide who ran the city's public hospital system, will serve as interim chairman until a replacement is found.