Darrell Irions

At the start of his long career in public housing administration, Darrell Irions served in senior management capacities at the housing authorities of the cities of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Denver, Colorado. He worked as Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Administrator for Operations at the Chicago Housing Authority before advancing to his current position as Chief Executive Officer of the St. Petersburg Housing Authority (SPHA) in Florida. Due in large part to his experience and expertise, SPHA has since earned recognition as one of the nation’s best-managed housing authorities. Darrell Irions oversees an agency that administers five public housing communities, an affordable housing development, and 3,000 affordable housing vouchers throughout the city of St. Petersburg and the surrounding area. Under Irions’ leadership, the Housing Authority has launched a number of initiatives, including providing affordable housing to veterans, partnering with charities to promote self-sufficiency through job training and placement, and working to stop housing fraud by landlords and tenants.

 

The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all housing authorities meet strict requirements and maintain full compliance with regulations governing its two major federally funded programs, the Public Housing program and the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 program, and it conducts annual reviews to ensure performance and compliance. In 2011, the St. Petersburg Housing Authority's Section 8/Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Department earned a perfect score on HUD's Section 8 Management Assessment Program (SEMAP) evaluation, receiving HUD's highest ranking of "High Performer." In addition, SPHA also achieved the HUD designation as a "Capital Fund High Performer." Irions anticipates that the agency's public housing program will receive a similar high score.

 

In addition to continually rating the agency as a "High Performer," HUD also conferred its Best Practices award to the agency during Irions' tenure. Other nationally recognized organizations have honored the Housing Authority with various merit-based awards, including the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, the Florida Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, and Nan McKay and Associates. Darrell Irions maintains an active professional relationship with the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association and was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the worldwide Board of Governors of the USO, Inc. Irions is a former active duty and reserve officer of the U.S. Marine Corps.

 

Employment:

St. Petersburg Housing Authority

Chief Executive Officer

Housing

St. Petersburg, FL

1995 — Present

 

Education:

University of Nebraska

Psychology

Masters 

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